Around the World in 50 Foods...

A few years ago I decided I wanted to start putting some new foods into my diet, spice things up a bit. No, I didn't want to try mashed turnip or squash for the 50th time (still not a fan of either, though I did discover a liking for summer squash). I was able to find some new foods pretty easily. They weren't necessarily radical foods, just ones I'd never gotten around to trying, or had bad past experiences with. I discovered that I liked chickpeas, hummus, black olives, black beans, guacumole and feta cheese. I tried vegetarianiasm for a grand total of about one month, but along the way discovered eggplant parm and veggie burgers! I came up with some wierdly delicious combinations such as stir fried pineapple and soy sauce, and I tried and disliked things such as sushi, tofu, and salmon. After a while things hit a standstill. Not because I didn't want to try new foods, but because I was running out of foods to try! The Charlie's snack bar only had so many options! Then came a move far away from my "homeland," and all things familiar, cuisine included. This new area has allowed me to try "Regional cuisine," such as fried catfish, okra, buffalo,and pheasant. In recent months I have found myself sampling baba ghanouj, fried pickles, shawarma, tofu that actually tasted good, and many other things. What has been the result? An overwhelming desire to try more new foods! This is where you, my readers and fellow bloggers can help. My goal for 2010 is to try (or re-try) at least two new foods each month. First up - spaghetti squash! What else do you think should make it to my table?