From fried brains in a sandwich to some critters that might actually kill you, join me as I
reveal to you 11 of the weirdest foods from around the world.
11.
Fried Brain Sandwich Believe it or not, the notion of eating animal
brains is not foreign to many.
In fact, some brains of animals are considered a delicacy in many countries, including France,
which likes to serve cat brains and eggs to patrons of certain restaurants.
Um..I’m not so sure about this, what about you?
In the United States, especially in the Midwest, there used to be a very common meal known
as Fried Brain Sandwich.
It was basically a burger-like meal, with the exception that instead of the burger meat
of a cow, it was actually their brains that you had.
And for a while, it was actually very popular.
Then, Mad Cow Disease came around and it curbed the appetites of many who wished to try it.
The meal is actually still available to have right now should you have a desire to try
it out.
The catch though is that because of the Mad Cow epidemic, there are regulations on how
old these brains can be before they're served.
They cannot be older than 30 months upon serving.
However, some people now use Pig brains in this meal to help ensure that Mad Cow Disease
doesn't happen to their customers.
10.
Insects In the world at large, insects are viewed
by many to be "creepy crawlies" and thus things that are meant to be looked at, and yet not
touched for a variety of reasons.
However, while many do indeed fear insects, others see them as a natural delicacy.
And so all over the world you're going to find meals that are actually focused around
insects of some shape or size.
In Shanghai, China for example, there are street vendors that'll actually serve you
fried scorpions on a stick.
There are also people who bathe insects like grasshoppers in chocolate and serve them as
a dessert of sorts.
In South Korea, they actually serve silkworm larvae as part of a meal, and the more countries
you visit, and the more off the beaten path, the more "unique" bug meals you'll find.
While this may seem disgusting to many, the fact of the matter is that most bugs are actually
nutritious and healthy to eat...for the most part.
Granted, there are bugs that need to be prepared because of venom/poisonous reasons, but things
like locusts, grasshoppers, ants and more are actually able to be eaten right now.
So thus, people partake in this "gift from nature".
9.
Puffer Fish If you know your sea creatures, you'll understand
why it's weird that anyone would serve a Puffer Fish as a meal.
Mainly because the Puffer Fish is without a doubt one of the most deadly creatures in
the world because of the toxin that it has within its body.
You see, within the Puffer Fish has tetrodotoxin, a toxin that is so powerful and deadly that
there is no known cure for it in the world.
That's why it's one of the most dangerous foods out there.
How it's secreted though is just as interesting.
If a human, or a predator, cuts into the Puffer Fish's skin in the wrong way, the toxin will
emerge, freezing your muscles until you die (though to be clear, there are times when
it's non-lethal, the amount does count here).
Because of the very deadly nature of this fish, most countries have banned the fish
from being eaten or even imported.
You need to be an expert in dissecting it to ensure that the poison isn't put anywhere
in the food.
99% of all countries (and chefs) on Earth won't take that risk...except for Japan.
Japan not only knows how to carve up the Puffer Fish, they actually consider it a delicacy
in their country.
But they don't call it Puffer Fish there, they actually call it Fugu.
And because of the "seasons" that the fish have, they often only serve it between October-March.
If you’re going to try it, make sure the chef has experience!!
And now for some 8-legged friends, but first if you are new here be sure to subscribe if
you haven’t already.
And let me know the craziest thing you’ve ever eaten in the comments below!!!
8.
Tarantulas Despite getting confused, insects and spiders
are not the same for a whole host of reasons.
But, like insects, spiders are hated and feared by many because of their looks (not their
fault).
But even so, many countries, including The Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia are more
than willing to cook up tarantulas (one of the more feared spiders in the world) and
serve them to customers.
That must be interesting!
In fact, in Cambodia, the serving of these spiders are actually consider a national treat
among the people (despite the admission that the taste can be rather bland at times).
And make no mistake, these are no small spiders, each tarantula can be the size of the palm
of your hand, ensuring a long-lasting meal as you chomp down.
The thing that does detract some people from trying it out is that since you are eating
ALL of the Tarantula, you are eating its insides, which at times includes spider eggs.
Surprise!!
7.
Bird Nest Soup When you think about a bird nest, you likely
think about small twigs, branches and leaves woven together by birds to make a strong foundation.
But in truth, there are some birds, like the edible-nest swiftlets, Indian swiftlets, and
other swiftlets, that actually use hardened saliva to make their own nests.
The process is effective, and the results are a nest that is safe, strong...and edible.
In China especially, Birds Nest Soup is made from these hardened saliva nests.
And they've been making it for over 400 years.
While it may sound disgusting, the Chinese are more than happy to point out that these
nests are actually very high in nutritional value, which is why they're such a popular
meal there in certain circles.
Not sure how nutritious saliva can be though.
That being said, while the soup is popular, it's actually hard to make because these nests
are hard to get.
You have to climb up a cliff and grab the nests off of ledges.
To that end, the lower range of the nests per pound is about $3000.
And some of them, including a red nest made by a Swiftlet, can cost $10,000.
So because of these costs, Birds Nest Soup is actually one of the most expensive meals
in the world today.
6.
Escargot If you were to make a list of many famous
dishes that you can get in France, Escargot would no doubt be in the Top 5 of that list.
Which is interesting, because Escargot is just a fancy way of saying that you're eating
snails.
What has confused many tourists over the years is that the snails are actually served within
their shells.
You're supposed to use a fork to get them out, and then put them on a piece of white
bread and smother it with the sauce that is also in the shell for the best flavor.
First impressions notwithstanding, many tourists have found Escargot to be rather delectable,
and it's a big reason why the dish is continuing to be served in the country and many other
places in Europe.
What's more, you can actually try and make your own Escargot via certain supermarkets
that provide you the correct snails.
And in case you're curious, Escargot literally translates to "Edible Snail".
5.
Balut All over the world, eggs are served in a variety
of ways and with a variety of flavors and seasonings.
But in The Philippines, they decided to take the development of certain eggs to a new level
for food, and created Balut as a result.
What is Balut?
To put it simply, it is an egg that is actually already developing the embryo of a duck.
Once the embryo has developed, the egg is then boiled, and the egg, along with the embryo
is served to the customer.
Why go that far to make a developed egg then cook it?
It's because while the egg on its own is high in nutritional value, with the cooked embryo,
it's even more nutritious.
The dish is so popular that it's considered one of the national foods of the Philippines.
4.
Surstromming The Swedish are known for many things, including
the wide variety of fish meals that they make, but one of the more odd versions of fish that
they make and ship is Surstromming.
Basically, it's Baltic Herring that is being fermented in a large can.
They're actually sold and shipped in these cans, which has occasionally caused problems
for those handling them.
Plus, the fermenting process can sometimes take six months to do.
At first, this may not seem too odd or weird, however, a test in Japan with Surstromming
actually revealed that the process of making it releases an odor that has been described
as some of the most putrid odors in the world today.
Yet, people still eat it, mainly outdoors.
3.
Cobra Snake Heart Snake meat is actually a well-known food that
many people, especially survivalists, eat.
As long as they know what kind of snake they're eating, they're fine.
But with the Vietnamese, they take it to another level by actually cooking Cobras.
To be clear though, they don't just eat the meat, they actually have a superstition about
the heart of a King Cobra.
If you catch one, then chop off its head and cut out its heart, then eat it, it'll give
you superhuman vitality.
And to help you get it down, they actually put it into a drink (such as Vodka) and have
you take a "shot" with it.
Anybody tried this?
Anybody??
2.
Haggis On the surface, Haggis is without a doubt
a unique meal, one that is a nationally recognized food of Scotland.
To explain it simply, Haggis is a pudding, but one that is made up of the liver, heart,
and the lungs of a sheep.
That's not all though, it's also mixed with beef and oatmeal and seasoned with onions,
cayenne peppers, and other various spices.
After all of that, you put it into a sheep's stomach and then boil the whole thing.
It seems like a lot of work to make!!
To help you eat it, you're usually given some Scotch or another hard drink.
But here's the rub, you can only get this meal in Scotland because the FDA (the Food
and Drug Administration) has decreed that it will accept no foods that have an animal’s
lungs in it, which Haggis does.
Scotland has appealed their ruling, and has tried to make concessions to lift the ban,
but it hasn't worked as of yet.
Still, that doesn't stop the Scots from eating it in their homeland and offering it to many
who want to try a unique and beloved Scottish meal.
Bon apetit!!
1.
Hákarl To put it simply, Hákarl is a shark, specifically
a Greenland Shark.
But one that has been left to ferment and rot for about 5 months.
Yes, you're technically eating a rotted out shark.
There is a reason for this though, the natural form of the Greenland Shark cannot be eaten
fresh, as it's poisonous to the human body.
So, by letting it decay just a little, the poison leaves the body.
Or you could just not eat shark...
This type of Shark is beloved in Iceland and is served year round and at special festivals.
But to those who are tourists in the area, be warned.
The sharks, due to their rotted state, do have a rather potent Ammonia smell, which
has caused many to get the meal and gag at first because the smell gets to them.
If you are brave go for it!!
Thanks for watching!
What did you think of these weird foods from around the world?
Have you ever tried any of them??
Let me know in the comments below.
Be sure to subscribe, and I'll see you next time!