Fugu Lunch

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Unusual Delicacies

If you've ever seen 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here' on television you will have marvelled at the Bush Tucker challenge when chosen celebrities attempt to eat the weird and wonderful delicacies of Aboriginal cuisine, from live maggots of the Zoophoba worm to Kangaroo's testicles.

All across the world there are unusual delicacies to be had in every culture.  Here are a few of the best:

•             China – Next time you're out for a ‘Chinese' just consider that what you are eating is not necessarily something that will make the national Chinese mouth water.   To the western palate China has possibly the most unusual taste.  Consider Karl Pilkington's face in Idiot Abroad when his seemingly ‘normal' bus driver, settles down to munch on an egg – complete with dead bird foetus inside, needless to say he sticks to his Monster Munch.  This delicacy is known as Balut in the Philippines and looks as revolting as it sounds.  Other weird Chinese delicacies include birds nest soup (made with the birds saliva), chicken feet, live octopus and, in Shanghai, adding Coca Cola to expensive wine.

•             South East Asia – Next time you're in South East Asia pondering lunch, how about considering the following.  A deep fried cricket in Bangkok's markets, maybe some skewered rat in Vietnam (rather like chicken but stringier) or fried Tarantula in Cambodia; cruelly, in Malaysia and Indonesia specially bred monkey's are eaten whilst still alive.

•             France – In the 70's it was perceived as disgusting when the French scoffed back frogs legs and snails, but exposure to their tastes has muted our distaste of the French menu.  Instead we now delight in their delicacies, particularly one which grows on the forest floor, is sniffed out by a pig and looks like its droppings – yes, the truffle is now a delicacy.

•             Europe - France isn't the only place in Europe to pay homage to odd cuisine.  In Iceland Puffin heart is a delicacy; the Swedes enjoy Surstromming, which is basically fermented (otherwise known as rotting) herring, which has a potent smell and is banned on several airlines; and in Sardinia Casu Marzu is cheese that has been infested with maggots.

•             Japan - The award for the oddest delicacy should however go to the Japanese.  One of their most coveted dished not only looks weird, but a gastronome could die eating it.  The deadly Puffer fish, or fugu is the ultimate delicacy in Japan even though its skin and insides contain the poisonous toxin todrotoxin, which is 1,250 times stronger than cyanide. In Japan only expert chefs in licensed restaurants are allowed to prepare it. Otherwise there is a very real risk of conscious paralysis on contact with the fish; you will however eventually die from asphyxiation because there is no known antidote.  Fifteen people died in Thailand when the fish was made illegal and people started dying it pink and passing it off as salmon.

About the Author

For a fresh and delicious selection of truffles and white truffles visit the finest, the Trufflehunter.

Young foodies more exhibitionist, less highbrow
Young people immersed in food culture today are as likely to praise a fish taco from a food truck as filet mignon from a four-star restaurant.They didn't read Gourmet magazine — the longtime Bible of highbrow culinary taste stopped printing last year.

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