7 Strange Foods from around the World

This article is definitely not for the faint of heart. If you thought the world was a beautiful, charming place, the opposite of it is true, too. The world is also a weird, scary place where creepy-crawlies are considered gourmet foods and unspeakable animal body parts a gastronomic delight. While we have all heard of octopus tentacles making it into the menu of one too many fine-dine restaurants and roasted grasshoppers a much-loved street-side snack, the dishes listed in this article are way too weird and even disgusting for many. Mind you, we’ve only selected the least strange of them all, so imagine how strange world cuisine really can be! Here are the 7 strange foods from around the world… try not to throw up!

Escamole – Mexico

Ants are believed to be full of protein. But did you know ant larvae is actually a delicacy in Mexico? Harvested from the roots of the agave plant, ant larvae is also sometimes called “insect caviar”. Those who have tasted it say it tastes a bit like butter but a little nutty.

Bird’s Nest Soup – China

So apparently, nests made out of birds’ saliva is sort of an expensive delicacy in China. This soup is made out of the nest of the swiftlet bird, who makes its nest out of its own saliva instead of the usual twigs and leaves, which in itself is quite gross.

Drunken Shrimp – China

While this may not seem loathsome from its name, drunken shrimp is not just served drowned in alcohol, but also alive. Soaked in a strong liquor called baijiu, this shrimp is eaten while it is still alive and moving! Do you have the stomach to stomach this dish?

Lutefisk – Scandinavia

Made from aged stockfish and, believe it or not, lye (caustic soda) Lutefisk is considered quite a delicacy in this Nordic region. The fish is first soaked in lye and then bathed in cold water for at least a week so that the corrosive properties of the lye are washed away.

Casu Marzu – Italy

Do you like cheese? If you do, you’d better not read this one! Right from the heart of Sardinia, Casu Marzu is sheep milk cheese containing live insect larvae. This cheese is also called “maggot cheese” and while the wriggling insects are really tiny, they can jump really high when they panic.

A-ping – Cambodia

Are you afraid of spiders? Apparently, they make for scrumptious snacks in Cambodia! Tarantulas, in particular, are used to make A-ping, or fried spider. Fried Tarantula became really popular during a historic food shortage in the region, and today, Cambodians have acquired kind of a taste for it!

Fugu – Japan

Japanese for pufferfish, Fugu is potentially fatal if not cooked right, which is why only the most highly-trained chefs are allowed to prepare this delicacy. Though extremely poisonous, it is said that this fish makes quite a delicious sashimi dish, if it doesn’t kill you first.

Do you have what it takes to try these “delicacies”? Which other food would you add to this list of the 7 strange foods from around the world?