Top 10 Foods to try before 2012

There are two types of men in this world. One that eat to live and the other that only live so that they can eat.

Apart from your regular paranthas, idlis or burgers there are some killer food items across the globe that you most probably have only heard of but never tried. Now that you have read our reasons on why this world will end in 2012, you should be pretty sure that its not too long before you die.
However, dying without giving a try to some of the world's most revered foods doesn't seem like a good way to go. These are the top 10 foods you should try before you die i.e. 2012.

10. Lamb Kebabs, Afghanistan

Though Afghanistan isn't one place you'd like to spend your last days at, the tender grilled meat is something you'd keep with you long after leaving the Afghan nation (alive of course). The slightly charred garlicky lamb is found in most streetside eateries in Afghanistan where you might even find some casual gun-trotters for company.

9. Steak Tartare, Spain

Originally a French cuisine, the steak tartare is primarily minced raw beef mixed with capers, mustard, pepper, topped with a raw egg most of the times. The velvety texture and luxurious taste scores above the normal steak any given day. Don't worry about the health concerns surrounding raw meat since you're gonna die anyway.

8. Pastrami Sandwich, NYC

One reason why you have to have it was because Meg Ryan had it. It was this legendary sandwich that Meg Ryan was having in the fake orgasm scene in 'When Harry Met Sally' at Katz's Delicatessen. Hopefully you can have the same experience she had while gorging on it.

7. Pho, Vietnam

This is perhaps the simplest food in the entire list. Pho is a local Vietnamese dish and is a noodle soup combined with slices of meat. The broth is incredibly tasty while the meat is lauded for its great quality. The highlight of the dish is that it is fragrant, balanced and very tasty.

6. Escargot, Paris

You just have to try some snails before you you die because just sitting there wondering how others eat it is plain boring. While people all around the globe eat snails, it is the French that revel in these tasty molluscs. They are basically served as appetisers and cooked with garlic and parsley butter.

5. Oysters, Ireland

Oysters are said to be excellent sources of vitamins and minerals so you have some consolation here. Oysters are especially celebrated in Ireland and Irish oysters are particularly defined by its meat content which is considerably more than those around the world. There's even something called an Oyster festival in Ireland where all kind of oyster-centric activities, including tasting, take place.

4. Cheese Fondue, Switzerland

This is a communal delicacy of the Swiss. Basically, it is melted cheese kept in a liquid state by placing it over a burner. It is usually stored in an earthenware pot and other ingredients like wine, and cherry brandy are also added to it. The liquid food is said to be so delicious that it not only travels to you stomach but also deep down your heart.

3. Peking Duck, Beijing

Beijing's imperial food finds honourable mention in most people's food bucket list. The whole duck is served to you in a platter if you order for it. While the skin is sweet, golden and crispy, the meat is unbelievably succulent. For a change, stop bickering about China and its government and let this Chinese delicacy take you to a different world.

2. White Truffles, Italy

We simply cannot leave Italy out of the list because it is the country that gave us pizza and pasta apart from many other delicious foods. White truffles (basically mushrooms) are hugely expensive and cost almost a good $15,000/kg which is something that makes it even more appealing. The complex but delicate taste makes it a prized ingredient in dishes and chefs are very careful about their handling of it.

1. Fugu, Japan

This Japanese gourmet food can be fatal, if not prepared by the right hands. The putterfish (Fugu in Japanese) reportedly kills about 300 people in Japan each year because of the toxins present in it. However, the taste of the fish, as swore by food lovers around the world, is to die for which explains its strong presence in the list. (Special Features, MensXP.com)