The other evening, as I sat in my recliner trying to think of something to cook for supper, I scoured the Internet for ideas. This may have been a bad idea. Why is it that no one tells us we'll spend our entire lives trying to come up with things to eat. Anyway, here are just a few of the dishes I came across in my quest for something new to fix. But most likely not.
Stink Bugs–(Africa)–Stink bugs have a crunch and taste similar to an apple.
Mopane Worms–(S. Africa)–It is reported that they taste like honey barbecued chicken.
Bubble & Squeak–(UK)– What a sneaky way to get non-vegetarians to eat their vegetables. I'll eat just about anything if it's fried.
Tuna Eyeballs–(Japan)– Although it sounds bad apparently it's rather tame with a taste similar to squid or octopus.
Balut–(Philippines)–Its a developing duck embryo that's boiled alive in its shell. If that doesn't kill your appetite, nothing will.
Cherry Blossom Meat– (Japan)–Cherry blossom meat is raw horse served either on its own or as part of sushi. It's said to be low in calories and fat. I can't imagine eating Silver or Mr. Ed.
Century Eggs, also known as a 1,000-year-old egg,– (China)–After being preserved in a mixture of clay, ash & quick lime for a few months, the yolk turns dark green or black and slimy while the white turns a dark brown translucent jelly. It smells strongly of sulphur & ammonia, but tastes like an hardboiled egg. You might want to hold your nose.
Witchette Grub– (Australia)–They taste like almonds when eaten raw or lightly cooked. The skin crisps like roasted chicken and the insides take on the look and consistency of
scrambled eggs. If you nerve to try it, you might want to hold your nose.
Star Fish–(China)–They are eaten by breaking open a leg and peeling the skin to get at the green-colored meat inside.
Casa Marzu–(Italy)–Also known as 'maggot cheese', this traditional Sardinian dish is sheep's milk cheese famous for containing live insect larvae that are supposed to enhance the flavor but are prone to jumping when they panic. I don't think I want my food jumping at me.
Welsh Rabbit (Rarebit)– (UK)–It's a hot cheese-based sauce served over slices of toasted bread. No rabbits are harmed in the making of this dish.
Haggis–(Scotland)–This savory pudding contains sheep's pluck (internal organs of a sheep, specifically the liver, lungs & heart), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt then mixed with stock & cooked while encased in the animal's stomach.
Tripe–(Worldwide)–The stomach lining of various animals with a sponge-like honeycomb texture. It looks like a sea plant and has a peculiar rubbery texture. Served with various sauces to add flavor.
Khash–(Middle East, Eastern Europe, Turkey)– Boiled cow or sheep parts which might include the head, feet & stomach.
Blood Sausage–(Spain, France, UK, Germany)– Casing is filled with blood that is cooked or dried and mixed with filler until it is thick enough to solidify when cooled. Pig, cattle, horse, donkey, sheep, chicken, duck, or goat blood can be used.
Hakari–(Iceland)– Consists of a Greenland shark or other sleeper shark which has been cured with a particular fermentation process and hung to dry for four to five months. It has a strong ammonia-rich smell and fishy taste.
Oskar Surstromming– (Sweden)–Baltic Sea herring fermented with enough salt to prevent it from rotting. When the can is opened, it releases such a pungent odor that suggests it should be eaten outside.
Stink Heads–(Alaska)– The fermented head of a king salmon is buried underground for a few weeks. It's a pungent, putty-like mush.
Shiokara–(Japan)–A dish made of pieces of meat taken from a selection of sea creatures, served in a brown, viscous paste of their own salted and fermented viscera and served raw.
Jing Leed–(Thailand)–A large grasshopper seasoned with salt, pepper and chili powder and fried in a large wok. It has the taste of hollow popcorn that squirts juice when you bite into it.
Wasp Crackers–(Japan)– A Japanese-style rice cracker with wasps baked in.
Fried Spider–(Cambodia)– Who wouldn't eat fried spider prepared by marinating in MSG, sugar & salt then fried in garlic?
Escomal–(Mexico)–Also known as 'insect caviar', this is made of edible larvae and pupae of ants that are harvested from the tequila or mescal plant. It has the consistency of cottage cheese with a buttery, nutty taste.
Beondegi–(S. Korea)– Silkworm that is boiled or steamed and lightly seasoned. They supposedly taste like wood.
Escargots á la Bourguignonne –(France)– This dish is snails cooked in a sauce of white wine, garlic, butter and parsley. Served in their shells, they have a similar consistency to mussels or clams.
Bon Appétit!
Thanks to 'HostelWorld' and 'So Yummy' for aiding in my search for the world's must nausea-inducing food.
I may never eat again. (Stop laughing.)