Bizarre really is in the eye of the beholder. What is strange to one person might not seem so out of the ordinary for another. It simply just varies on where someone is from and what they are use to. Of course, with that being said, there are some incredibly different foods from around the world that would simply shock someone from other parts of the country. When it comes to the general ideal of what bizarre is, these are 10 of the best options.
10. Snake Wine – Southeast Asia
Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? When it comes to animals most people are afraid of, snakes loom high on the list. However, while these snakes are dead, there simply is something about consuming a beverage that has been sitting in a jar with the body of a snake for who knows how long.
A glass of snake wine is suppose to help a person’s sexual health, but it also tastes exactly how it sounds: wine that has been touching the body of a snake for months, if not years. Depending on the bottle (and who you ask), the snake was even alive when the wine was added in, which means the snake drowned in the beverage. However the snake reached its final demise, it is a bizarre food and drink offering to say the least.
9. Fugu – Japan
If someone took you to a nice, Japanese restaurant and instructed you to consume a fish that might actually kill you, would you do it? The fugu fish is almost completely poisonous, except for a small part.
However, it is also a popular meal, and with your life on the line, it adds a bit of excitement as well. Kind of like playing Russian roulette with your dinner. Of all the most bizarre foods in the world, this is one that can actually take your life, if not prepared properly. It is even the basis of a Simpsons episode, although in the end, nobody died by the conclusion of the episode.
8. Fried Spiders – Cambodia
Bugs. There are all sorts of countries that eat them, and it is something anyone in the Western world would completely cringe at. Spiders might be one of those creepy crawlers that is the worst, as it is also one of the most feared objects in the world as well. However, these are not small spiders, but rather larger, where the legs can actually be removed one at a time and dipped into a sauce, kind of like an Awesome Blossom fried onion.
7. Witchetty grub – Australia
You might have seen television programs about this, or even seen the grub appear in different cartoons, but a Witchetty grub is nothing more than an extra large white larvae that is several months old. Whether you cook it or eat it raw, this is one of the most bizarre foods in the world.
6. Sannakji – Korea
Who doesn’t enjoy eating their food when it is still alive. If you are an animals rights person, this is one to avoid. The Sannakji is basically part of a living octopus. The tentacles are served in small pieces, all while still wiggling and moving around. Of course, this means you also have to deal with the suction cups, not to mention it can be difficult to chew and swelling when its moving around on you.
Either way, this makes it onto the list for most bizarre foods in the world not only because it is still alive, but because it is still moving when you receive it on your plate. There are plenty of other foods out there that are still alive when they start preparing the food, but this is one of the few that is still moving after it has finished preparing.
5. Puffin Heart – Iceland
We couldn’t keep you in the middle of only Asia and the South Pacific the entire time now, could we? The puffin is a rather famous looking burt with a triangle like beak that looks like the front end of a clown fish.
The rest of the bird has similar markings to a penguin, only is shaped more like a duck. However, the puffin heart is considered a delicacy in Iceland. If you are a bit on the squeamish side of things, you might want to avoid the puffin heart. Simply because you are eating the heart of a rather interesting bird is enough to place it on a list of the most buzzard foods in the world.
4. Beondegi – Korea
Alright, you have your brief escape from Asia, and now you are back. Throughout the region, citizens had to learn how to cook the food options they had for thousands of years, and in Korea, one such option is the beondegi.
This is a silkworm pupae that basically is a large pot filled with the silkworm (think almost small cockroach), with water filled so it looks like a giant bowl of cereal, and then boiled to make the insects a nice warm and soft consistency. This odd food has made it onto the list of most bizarre foods in the world for some obvious reasons.
3. Cockscombs – Europe
Found throughout Europe, this is a rather odd food that some might not mind the taste, but simply find it odd that it is being consumed. On a chicken, there is the fleshy growth that covers its head. This is the small, almost crown like flap on the top of the head, and the dangling skin that hangs down under the beak.
This is the cockscombs, and it is used in all sorts of foods throughout France and Italy. You actually might have had it before without even knowing it. Either way, Europe had to be included in the list (outside of the island of Iceland), which is why this is on the list of most bizarre foods in the world.
2. Rocky Mountain Oysters – United States
While the United States might not fry up insects or serve wine with snakes inside of the bottle, there are other food options that would just sound out of this world to visitors. In fact, some of these foods are rather odd for individuals living inside of the states as well. One such option is known as Rocky Mountain oysters.
To an outsider, it would sound fine, and maybe even delicious. However, these are not oysters at all. Instead, these are actually deep-fried bull testicles. The deep frying does cut some of the shock value of eating a testicle that actually looks like a testicle, but still, this is one of the most bizarre foods in the world and puts the United States on the list.
1. Black Ivory Coffee – Worldwide (originates from Thailand)
Now why would coffee be found on the top of the list? Because this coffee, which costs $1,100 per kilogram, comes from coffee beans that have been eaten and digested by elephants. The beans are then harvested from the droppings, cleaned and roasted to give you one of the most delicious, and most bizarre foods in the world. If you have the money and love coffee, you should try it out.