Snooth Talk: Exotic foods

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: Exotic foods; Posted by Philip, Jan 15.; OK, I think I can win this hands down. I have an old friend, who uses this site here and there, and every time we're on vacation we literally spend half the time in the back of rickshaws, or on donkeys in search of the most exotic (ie. disgusting) food we can lay our hands on. I really have no idea why we do this, but its become a ritual.

Here's a truncated list:

- Alpaca - Peru
- Beef Heart (actually very tasty) - Peru
- Balut (fertilized duck egg) - Philippines
- Dog (sorry...) - Vietnam
- Cat (sorry, again) - Bolivia
- Shark - Hong Kong
- Guinea Pig (sorry...) - Peru
- Frog (liquefied in a blender) - Bolivia
- Snake heart (beating) - Vietnam
- Snake (part of the a 7 course snake FEAST that included the above dish) - Vietnam
- Termite (minty, and they sting your throat) - Brazil
- 192 proof alcohol (rather dangerous, and known as "Puro" or "Pure") - Bolivia
- Chicken Feet - Chinese restaurant
- Abalone - Chinese Restaurant
- Sweetmeats (thyroid gland?) - Israel
- Bone marrow - UK
- Chicken Intestines - Philippines
- Chicken Bloodclots (fried) - Philippines
- Pigs Ears - Germany
- Conga Eel - Spain
- Rocky Mountain Oysters (bulls balls, not oysters as i'd assumed) - Colorado
- Various other eels
- Turtle - Grand Cayman
- Quick fried whole sparrow - Cambodia
- Pigs Trotters (i was forced to eat these in sandwiches as a child) - Germany
- Cockroaches, dried african worms, locusts and other creepy crawlies - Various
- Alligator (tastes like chicken) - London

Things I've avoided include: endangered leatherback turtle eggs, as well as any other endangered game animals.

Things I've looked for, but was unable to find: monitor lizard, chilled monkey brains (just like Dr Indiana Jones), live worms (Philippine specialty - apparently they wriggle on the way down...) and others.

Two final comments:

1) Philippines is truly a paradise for strange foods - I do need to go back to try some more.
2) The fertilized duck egg, Balut, is the worst thing I've ever tried, yet strangely its a very common snack in Manilla.
3) The 'family pets' that people eat in other parts of the world are really farm animals - they no longer look like fluffy, or a seeing eye dog/guide dog.

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Reply by Oenophilus, Jan 15.

My family is from Ecuador, and while they would never cop to it, I have tried and loved Cuy - Guinea Pig. For the mainstream andean mestizo or indigenous, it is a regular treat!

Must say, the liquified frog is probably the most daunting food & wine pairing I have ever faced!

1665 3027: Reply by Philip, Jan 15.; Of course, I totally forgot your Ecuadorian background. In Cuzco, Peru you'd see the little blighters scampering around the kitchen floor.

I'll add meats that come to mind, yet, I forgot during the original list:

- Yak (dried, like jerky, except that it was a 50lbs thigh! - gross, yet i kept eating it) - On the side of Everest (i think i was protein deficient)
- Yak butter tea (slimy) - Tibet
- Nak (domesticated yak / cow hybrid - tastes like beef) - Nepal

634 15: Reply by ryanopaz, Jan 15.; Love the list and wrote a long response that disappeared upon failing to "review it"...oh well..

I would argue lot's on your list are very subjective when it comes to the "weird/exotic" label

Pigs feet, lambs feet, ears, and all sorts of innards are fair game here in Spain!

Though I will say the birds nest soup is one of the oddest and more disgusting things I've eaten. I had it in a canned version, though I can't imagine the warm to be any better.

This has me thinking I need to post on this.

Cheers,

1665 3027: Reply by Philip, Jan 15.; Ryan - thanks for commenting, and sorry you lost your review!

birds nest soup is one i've not had, and yes, its a pretty disgusting concept to even think about

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Reply by necroprancer, Jan 15.

I used to live in Louisiana where sucking crawfish brains is quite the pastime. Very salty. That's all I can say about that. Phillip, I have one food you should add to your list: chitterlings a.k.a. chitlins. I'd put it up there with haggis as one of the most vile and unredeeming foods.

Here's some uncooked for extra effect. yum!

44 15: Reply by Ryan Moynagh, Jan 15.; PJ, you'll be alarmed to learn that I now have a fridge full of Balut! Long story...I'll tell you about it offline.

Add iguana, kangaroo, stingray, frog, goat stomach, goat tongue, cow's lung and pig snout to the list...until I recall more.

My one regret is that we missed out on cat in Lima.

Before I forget, insects in Japan are a must; especially grasshoppers.