One of the reasons we travel is to experience a different culture, especially the food. It’s enriching and opens our eyes to a whole new world.
Check out some of the world’s delicacies enjoyed by many. And if you’re the adventurous type then you might just be up for a challenge.
Warning:
If you’ve cringed watching Bear Grylls or Leo DiCaprio in The Revenant, then you might want to turn away now.
Shiokara
Origin: Japan
Shiokara is made from various marine animals that consists of small pieces of the animal’s meat in a brown viscous paste of the animal’s heavily salted, fermented viscera. The raw viscera are mixed with about 10% salt, 30% malted rice, packed in a closed container, and fermented for up to a month. Yum!
Smalahove
Origin: Norway
This is a traditional Western Norwegian dish made from a sheep’s head and eaten before Christmas. The skin and fleece of the head is torched, the brain removed, and the head is salted, sometimes smoked, and dried. The head is boiled or steamed for about three hours, and is served with mashed rutabaga and potatoes.
Escamoles
Origin: Mexico
Could be mistaken for grains or popcorn? Well it’s actually the edible larvae and pupae of ants. And believe it or not – they taste buttery and nutty, with a texture akin to that of cottage cheese! Want some crackers with that?
Kiviak
Origin: Greenland
Kiviak or kiviaq is a traditional wintertime Inuit food that is made of little auks preserved in the hollowed-out body of a seal. About 500 auks are packed into the seal skin intact, including beaks, feet and feathers. As much air as possible is removed from the seal skin before it is sewn up and sealed with seal fat, which repels flies. A large rock is then placed on top to keep the air content low. Over the course of seven months, the birds ferment, and are then eaten during the Greenlandic winter, particularly on birthdays and weddings.
Photo: Tomo | Flickr
Snake penis wine
Origin: China
This definitely involves a snake, a whole venomous snake in the bottle. It’s popular in Vietnam and Asia where the snake is said to have health properties. We’re not sure whether the penis addition in this bottle is an actual penis (bear and other animal penises are also found in wines in Asia) or just a fun title for the beverage.
Photo: Loz via Flickr
Blood tofu
Origin: China
Also known as pig blood curd or blood pudding, it is commonly served with carbohydrates, such as noodles and congee.
Photo: thebobrows via Flickr
Shirako
Origin: Japan
Shirako is the milt, or sperm sacs, of male cod. It’s served in both raw and cooked form in restaurants all over Japan, but many Japanese consider it an acquired taste. Perhaps if you’re into caviar, this dish might go down well for you.
Photo: Hubert Wong via Flickr
Tuna eyeball
Origin: Japan
Next time you’re in Japan scouring for food, you may get the feeling you’re being watched. Apparently it tastes a bit like squid and the eyeball comes surrounded by fish fat and severed muscles that are also meant to be quite tasty. To cook, you simply boil it and then season to taste. Hmmm… delicious!
Huitlacoche
Origin: Mexico
Pronounced [wee-tlah-KOH-cheh] is a fungus which grows naturally on ears of corn. Also affectionately known as Mexican truffles. Apparently it has one of the highest protein contents of all the mushroom family. Mexicans view the fungus as a delicacy and enjoy it prepared in various dishes, or as a filling for tacos or tamales.
Photo: Carnaval king 08 via Flickr
Casu Marzu
Origin: Italy
Casu Marzu is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese, notable for containing live insect larvae (maggots). Derived from Pecorino, it goes above and beyond typical fermentation to a stage of decomposition, brought about by the digestive action of the larvae of the cheese fly Piophila casei. These larvae are deliberately introduced to the cheese, promoting an advanced level of fermentation and breaking down of the cheese’s fats. The texture of the cheese becomes very soft, with some liquid seeping out. The larvae themselves appear as translucent white worms which some people leave in before consuming.
Photo: Weesee69 via Flickr
