‘Cause we know you’re no wimp…
Hákarl – Iceland
Literally fermented shark. Yes, you read that right, fermented shark. Basking shark to be precise. Buried in an underground pit before being hung up to dry then cut and served, this fishy, erm, delight (?) is considered a delicacy in Iceland. Alaska has a similar offering, simply called ‘Stinkheads’, although here it’s fermented salmon head. They must have got the memo re: rotting fish.
Grasshopper – Thailand
Pretty much does what it says on the tin this one. Seasoned with salt, pepper and chilli then fried in a wok, grasshoppers are a street-food favourite across Asia. They’re crunchy and surprisingly moreish if you can get past the thought of eating a bug, and the occasional squirt of grasshopper juice…yum. If you’re up for continuing your Asian insect eating escapade, then you can sample fried spiders in Cambodia.
Southern-fried Rattlesnake – USA
Forget chicken, southern-fried rattlesnake is on the menu in the Southwestern USA. First, it’s boiled, then coated in egg, seasoning and breadcrumbs before deep-being fried to a golden brown. Anyone for a bargain bucket?
Casu Marzu – Italy
Many people would say that Italy has some of the tastiest cuisine in the world, I mean they did bestow upon us the gifts of pizza, pasta and *whisper it* gelato. But those people probably aren’t thinking about Casu Marzu, a delicate sheep’s milk cheese with a hidden surprise in the form of live maggots. Oh yes, maggots. Be warned, when startled these things can launch up to 15cm, so maybe some safety goggles?
Tuna eyeballs – Japan
Whilst they look like something that should be found on the set of a budget horror movie, the squishy morsels are a common sight in many a Japanese supermarket and are said to taste a bit like mussels. Yeah…I’ll be taking your word on that one.
So there you have it, I guess one man’s trash is another man’s fermented salmon head.
