Extreme Delicacies: Bizarre Foods From Around the World

I remember a time back in Culinary School when I was in Garnishing Class. My professor was exhibiting one of his so called specialties “Gravlax”. It doesn’t seem that strange to me now, but the professor actually forced me to taste it, even though I refused, telling him “I didn’t like Salmon, and I especially didn’t want that”. He told me I was being childish and said to taste it or he would give me a bad grade.  Well, the outcome of the situation was not at all pretty. I got seriously sick and suffered complete and utter embarrassment.

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Well, after several years I have been able to move forward and open up my palate to new and interesting flavors. However, there are those times that you must live on the edge, especially when you are experiencing cultural delicacies around the world.

Garnatálg

Garnatálg is made with the internal organs and entrails of animals, splendidly garnished with a layer of fat and usually served in slices. If you’re Lithuanian, you would be quite familiar with this dish as it’s similar to the taste and form of "Kepenine"(Lithuanian delicacy). This is a dish I was exposed to when I was around 8 years old.  However, the events of that night are still a bit cloudy.

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Stuffed Pancreas

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One trip to Anatomy class learning about the endocrine functions of this delightful organ can also lead to a wonderful stuffed pancreas entree that is a delicacy in the beautiful country of Morocco. I just loved this Langerhans producing structure, however I don't think it will be making it's way on to my dinner table at any time.

Barnacles

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Barnacles are no longer arthropods that attach themselves on the bottoms of boats and ships in the harbor. Now, they are making their way into kitchen's in Chile, Spain, and Portugal as treasured delicacies where they are being prepared much like any fresh catch of the day.

Shashlik

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Shaslik is another personal favorite, or rather a forced experience. Let me just remind everyone that my childhood experiences with food have been rather bizarre considering my cultural background. This delicacy combines meats like lamb, beef, and pork, alternating pieces of fat, put onto skewers and marinated in vinegars and other spices. It  has become part of Israeli fast food being brought over by Jews from Russia.

Guinea Pig

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Guinea Pig has been reserved for ceremonial meals by indigenous people in the Andean highlands, but since the 1960s it has become more socially acceptable for consumption by all people. The flavor of Guinea Pig has been compared to rabbit, so most people will roast or broil them for a high protein, low cholesterol meal.

Kopi Luwak

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Kopi Luwak is coffee berries which have been consumed by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet.  The inner bean of the coffee berry is not digested, but the enzymes in the stomach of the Civet are said to enhance the flavor of the coffee. If you are a avid coffee drinker, this may not be as odd as it sounds considering many different varieties of Sumatra coffee have gone through a similar evolution before they make it to your local coffee shop.

Corn smut

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I remember seeing this delicacy in the Indiana Jones movie, but I never thought that people actually ate this stuff. Corn Smut is actually a disease caused by the pathogenic plant fungus, and although it usually takes over the entire cob, there are tumors that concentrate on the kernels. In Mexico, Corn Smut is sold for higher prices than the actual corn itself. The husks are dried, and the flavors resemble certain mushroom varieties.

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