Climbing Kilimanjaro or taking an Antarctic safari are adventurous in their own right, but what goes in your mouth can be just as impressive. Here are the freakiest foods to be found in countries that we visit. Put on your stretchy pants, and never lose your sense of adventure!
Peru: Spit-Roasted Guinea Pig
A popular North American pet gets it from both ends in Peru. The South American nation has a huge appetite for the rodent – especially in the Andes, where the diet is primarily meat and potatoes.
Laos: Silkworm Poo Tea
In Laos, locals not only harvest the larva’s silk, but also its excrement. The tiny turds are wrapped in cloth and steeped in boiling water. Since silkworms primarily eat mulberry leaves, the tea is noted for its fragrant aroma featuring hints of fresh herbs with summer berries.
Croatia: Cuttlefish Ink Risotto
Croatians may purport pedestrian taste buds, but there’s nothing boring about draining cuttlefish ink sacks into rice. The finished delicacy is jet black, with a distinct peppery flavour.
Cambodia: Deep-Fried Tarantula
Tarantula is the Khmer take on street meat, readily available throughout Cambodia. Often deep-fried, the arachnids are crunchy on the outside and juicy in the centre. Another popular recipe sees the spiders wok-fried with chili and garlic.
Scotland: Haggis
Take a shine to Scotland’s famous offal offering. Traditionally, a sheep’s stomach is stuffed with minced entrails, oats, suet and spices, then roasted. The description may elicit some belly laughs, but, we’ve only heard rave reviews.
Kenya: Cow’s Blood
Farmers are known to pierce a single vein in their cattle to drain out vitamin-rich blood. The crimson liquid is mixed with milk and consumed as is. Alternatively, it is boiled down and served in a variety of dishes. Kenyans also claim cow’s blood mitigates hangovers.
Iceland: Fermented Shark
With a cuisine as wacky as its landscape, Iceland’s most notorious dish may be fermented shark. The flesh of these man-eaters is brined, cured and hung to dry for five to six months. The delicacy is prized for its ammino aroma and “fishy” flavour.
Morocco: Stuffed Camel Spleen
Stuffed with beef or lamb, olives, spices and hump fat, camel spleen is Morocco’s take on the sausage (and sounds a lot like haggis – see above). Texture-wise, the delicacy is creamier than sausage and served in sandwiches.
Canada: Picked Human Toe
It may not define the national diet, but in Out Adventures’ home and native land (specifically the Yukon), there’s a bar that garnishes their whisky shots with a pickled human toe – let that marinate for a minute. We also love ketchup-flavoured potato chips.
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