Delicacies Best Avoided By The Squeamish
Travelling can be a wonderful way to discover exciting dishes and delicious ingredients. However, it could also introduce you to foods that may be considered delicacies but are definitely not for the squeamish.
A few of those dishes have innocuous-sounding names, which means there is a chance that unsuspecting tourists could end up biting off more than they can chew. If it does not take much for you to lose your appetite, the following menu items are best avoided.
Fugu – Japan
Japan’s most infamous delicacy, fugu is the common name given to several different pufferfish or porcupine fish, as well as the name of the dishes prepared from those fish. The Japanese government has put in place strict measures regarding the preparation and sale of the fish.
One of those is that fugu sashimi, chirinabe, and other dishes may be prepared only by qualified chefs who completed a three-year training course. The reason? Pufferfish produce a neurotoxin that is lethal to humans. One mistake on the chef’s part could kill you.
Durian – Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is known for natural and historical beauty, warm hospitality, and hosting tournaments on which esports betting Australia brands offer competitive odds. It also is known for a fruit called ‘durian’.
Described as having the taste of a delicious, rich custard and almonds, durian understandably is one of the region’s most popular fruits. In some places, it is even known as the King of Fruit, and its taste is described as heavenly. It is also described as having a hellish smell that some people have likened to raw sewage, rotten onion, and even turpentine.
Casu Marzu – Sardinia and Corsica
Fans of casu marzu in Sardinia, Corsica, and Italy look forward to July and August every year. Late summer means they will be able to gorge themselves on the sheep’s milk cheese sold during those months.
Casu marzu starts out as an ordinary pecorino cheese. However, during its maturation, the cheese is left outside for the piophila fly to lay its eggs in it. The maggots hatch, and eat the cheese which becomes soft and creamy, thanks to their digestive acids. Casu marzu is usually served on Sardinian flatbread, and is paired with a strong, full-bodied red wine.
Rocky Mountain Oysters – USA
Rocky Mountain Oysters go by many names, none of which describe their true nature. Prairie oysters, calf fries, cowboy caviar, Montana tendergroins, and swinging beef all sound quite appetising – and, by all accounts, they are tasty.
However, they are bull testicles, not shellfish, and not for you if you are squeamish. The most popular recipes have them sliced, crumbed, fried, and served with seasonings and sauces.
Balut – Philippines
The Chinese introduced balut to the Philippines in the 1800s, and locals could not get enough of it. The dish is still a popular delicacy in the country.
Balut is a fertilized duck egg between 17 and 20 days old, which means it contains a partially developed embryo. The egg is boiled before an opening is made in the shell, and the diner drinks the liquid inside before eating the yolk and embryo.