"food and drink food and wine" news and stories

Motivated by a post that I read over at LA-based food blog, Matt Bites, I began to wonder why there are certain things that I just won't eat, and since this is the case for foods like caviar, fois gras, and other animal internal organs (except uni) for me, does avoiding certain foods make me a bad foodie?** Obviously, there are certain things like shrimp that some people simply cannot eat because of allergies, but what about the things that just don't taste good to me? In the case of professional food critics, chefs, etc., does someone lose credibility if they don't like everything?

What do you think? What about you? Are there foods that you absolutely refuse to eat?

** I do not like the word "foodie," as to me, it connotes a sort of arrogant snobbism, but I am using it simply because "food freak" doesn't work in this context.

I've been going to the Korean markets in LA a lot more often now as I explore my Korean side in the kitchen. Though I am not unfamiliar with many of the rather unusual and new food products and ingredients to be found in Asian markets, I was pretty amused on my last few visits. I am not sure if I was just never aware of certain products, or that they really are new. Clam jerky?

Now don't get me wrong. I know all about dried seafood. Dried seaweed (called "gim" in Korean and "nori" in Japanese), dried fish, and even dried squid. In fact, I used to gobble up dried squid while watching tv when I was a kid. However, I just can't imagine what clam jerky would look or even taste like. Pretty damn good if it's $4.99!