This food speaks for itself as the name describes exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Casu Marzu can be translated into maggot cheese. If the sight of hundreds of tiny worms crawling around in your cheese doesn’t upset you, then you have an iron will.

To prepare this unsightly meal, the top half is sliced off so that flies can lay eggs inside, which then grow into larvae that consume the fat in the cheese. The final result is a cheese with a creamy texture on the verge of being classified as rotten. Care for a slice?

Ducklings are some of the cutest animals around and their habit of imprinting on random people makes them that much more adorable. However, have you ever imagined these fluffy birds as a type of food? We don’t mean cooked properly as in fried or in some sort of curry.

You can find this cuisine anywhere in the Philippines as they hail it as an iconic dish. The way to prepare Balut is to boil a duck embryo alive and to eat it straight out of the shell. That doesn’t sound or look very appealing at all. The natives can’t get enough of it. Want a bite?

Sharks have been known to eat a few humans in their time. So, now, Iceland has decided to pull an Uno reverse card and consume sharks. This meal was originally invented by the Vikings. If you don’t have a strong stomach, then we suggest you not try this shark dish.

The shark used to make Hákarl is very poisonous to humans so it takes a long process of purifying to get rid of the toxicity. It is left out to dry for a few months and the result is likely to hit your nose from a mile away. We probably can’t have the same appetite as our ancestors!

Rice crackers are a delicious treat and people who love to diet have adopted them as a daily snack. If you’re ever in Japan and feel like challenging your taste palette, then why not try a rice cracker filled with wasps?

Yes, you read that correctly — a rice cracker filled with wasps. The nutrition value in these crackers is quite high as insects are a good source of protein. You may be surprised to find out that these crackers are sweet-tasting but the tiny pieces of bug legs and wings might be hard to swallow.

Chinese food is one of the best Asian delicacies around, especially their dumplings. This, on the other hand, sounds as bad as it looks. The locals seem to love this, though, as they prepare it every single year.

People get together to collect buckets of fresh urine from primary school toilets, in which the eggs are soaked and boiled until they crack. The locals make them in their homes and according to them, it has some health benefits. So, if you’re ever in China looking for a snack and smell boiling urine, don’t fret.

Namibia has decided to turn one of the most disgusting body parts ever into something of a delicacy. Ironically, they chose the body part through which waste is disposed of. Anthony Bourdain, the late American celebrity chef, had been known to eat all types of exotic dishes and cuisine — yet he rated this dish the worst thing to ever grace his taste buds.

You have to cut it carefully by the intestines and the cooking process gets messier. You still have to clean out the excess feces and throw it on a fire until it’s cooked thoroughly. Are you sure this is something you want to try?

An eye for an eye, the saying goes, but what about the heart? Being a very popular dish in Vietnam, many restaurants let you choose the snake you want to eat the heart of. The shorter and thicker snakes have the best taste according to residents, and after the heart has been cut out, it’s dropped into a shot glass filled with rice wine and snake blood.

This is one drink that Count Dracula would enjoy but the same can’t be said for the rest of us. It’s good for virility so if you’re ever having troubles in the bedroom, you know where to look.

This disgusting Greenland dish sounds like something straight out of the dark side of the web. This dish is prepared from the waste of a white brindled game bird, which has a strict diet consisting mainly of willow and birch plants.

The poop is collected during the wintertime when it has completely solidified from the cold weather. Since the birds defecate in the same spot most of the time, it’s easier to gather in large quantities. It’s cooked mainly with Seal oil and meat, and oftentimes, Ptarmigan blood is included for a bit of tasting variety.

Japan is surrounded by water so it isn’t surprising that they love to include a lot of seafood in their daily diet. This includes Medama, which is just the eyeballs of tuna fish. This Japanese dish was made famous across the nation in the ’90s and can be prepared in several ways — from frying to boiling.

The eyeballs contain a lot of Omega-3, so you can swap out your supplements with some eyeballs if you’re feeling a bit daring. Season this dish with a bit of rice vinegar or soy sauce.

Surprisingly, this delicacy has stemmed from The Big Apple — New York City. The worzel, which is an earthworm shaped into a pretzel, is a new dish created by Gene Rurka. It makes you wonder where the idea to turn worms into pretzels could even arise from.

This was made primarily for the hundredth anniversary of the black-tie gala, which is known to serve some unorthodox dishes every year. To make this dish, you need to squeeze out all the juices until all that remains is a thin dehydrated husk. The result should be a crispy, fried pretzel-shaped worm.

Anything way past its expiration date has a good reason for not being friendly for your consumption. For eggs, it’s taken to a whole other level. When you think about aging eggs, what normally comes to mind are cured eggs — where you leave the yolk in salt for a week.

Pidan, on the other hand, specifies that you need to age it in salt, clay, and ash for about three months until the eggs are ready to be eaten. Surprisingly, you don’t catch anything bad with these recipes and some have even said they prefer the taste of these eggs. If they like it, you probably wouldn’t mind it either… or would you?

Some experts say that every year, we swallow a few spiders in our sleep — but there’s a huge difference between voluntarily and involuntarily swallowing a bunch of spiders. Filled with all kinds of nutrients including protein and zinc, fried tarantulas are a delicacy most common in the Sukkot region of Cambodia.

Cambodians turned to this dish during a dark time in their history when food was scarce. It was thanks to these spiders that they were saved from starving. The tarantulas are first rolled in sugar and garlic before they’re tossed in some oil to create a meat-like texture, according to consumers.

From a time when every part of a hunt was consumed and not a single thing went to waste, Canadian wives would use every bit of what their husbands brought back for the day. It was made famous around the early 18th century when nutrition was necessary to survive the cold harsh terrain that Canada was — and is — known for.

After carefully extracting all nose hairs, the snout was then tossed into a pan with some onions and chili to create a warm broth. The broth was left to cook until all that remained was a snout with a jelly-like texture.

If you ever feel like you’re in the mood for some seafood and you end up ordering some rocky mountain oysters, then you are in for a big surprise. This dish looks nothing like it’s given the name because instead of a big ol’ dish of steaming oysters, you will be served bull testicles.

It could be taken as clickbait but translated to food as the name suggests something else. Those who have eaten this dish have described it as rubbery in texture. The taste is similar to venison when cooked normally, and calamari-like when deep-fried.

This blood-filled dish is something that can be found in Europe and Africa, although some Asian and American locations serve it as well. It may sound disgusting to some but black pudding is a dish that provides a hearty meal for many families. Black pudding is made from pork or beef blood, with pork fat or beef suet, and a cereal — usually oatmeal, oat groats, or barley groats.

In Ireland, black pudding is also served as a fried delicacy featured as a breakfast food. Nobles consumed this too but instead used blood from an aquatic mammal rather than a regular pig or cow.

Are you getting tired of all the unhealthy snacks filled with sugar, oils, and other unnecessary calories? Then, why not try a healthy snack of grasshopper instead. It’s filled with all kinds of nutrients, after all!

Found in Mexico, Chapulines have been a classic Mexican snack for a long time. You can eat them as they are, or you could deep fry these critters for a crispy mid-day snack. Most of the recipes for this grasshopper dish have been passed through the centuries and many include lemon, garlic, and salt to keep it long-lasting. Ever tried a grasshopper taco?

Some great snacks and some drinks can go a long way in turning a boring night into a fun-filled frenzy, and this is what Japan thought when making this dish. Every day after work, Japanese workers hit the local bars for a night of drinks that are usually paired with this snack.

It is made from tuna, crab, or salmon and the process includes a 10-day fermentation period. During this time, the meat rests in a mixture of innards from their respective meat sources. It looks like a disgusting brown pile of meat with a salty flavor. Makes you wonder how some people even eat it.

Despite what most people think, bats are far from being dirty, as they spend a lot of time grooming themselves. Still, they do carry different bacteria and viruses, so why would anyone think turning bats into soup is a great idea?

Thailand is the culprit as they cook this dish in a low heat pan until the concoction is ready. It seems to give off an unpleasant odor that’s eerily similar to urine but people usually mask the smell with some chili, onion, and/or garlic.

The witchetty grub is an insect consumed primarily by the aboriginals of Australia and they are high in a lot of valuable nutrients. Also known as meat bush, these grub worms can be eaten raw but unless your name is Bear Grylls, we do not suggest eating these insects before they’re cooked.

When eating these bugs, the wise choice would be to start with the head. Why? They have a defense system that pushes out a brown liquid that you don’t want to find out the taste of. Those who have tasted these cooked worms claim that it tastes like almond-flavored eggs.

The worst thing you could ever do is mistake this dish for ranch dressing or mayonnaise before tossing it into your salad. You would be shocked to find out that this white sauce is actually fish semen. We bet you didn’t expect that.

These sacs, which come from male cod, are used primarily as toppings for rice. You can cook the sperm sacs by grilling or frying them in tempura. It’s also served raw on sushi although you should wait until you’re experienced before going raw. Contrary to its look, this dish has a rich taste if you can ignore the fact that you’re eating fish semen.

Because this dish is eaten in more than a few countries, it might not be as vomit-inducing as the other things on this list but it’s enough to make you cringe. If you like watching Korean dramas, then you probably already know about this dish since they like to show it in almost every episode.

As the feet are usually thin and oily, there isn’t much to eat except a jelly-like layer. To make the taste more bearable, you could try making it spicier, but the bones are sure to annoy you.

This uses almost every part of the sheep except the meat, so if you still feel like trying this Scottish delicacy, then eat your heart out. It’s a very common meal in Scotland, so much so that anyone who was raised here grew up eating this. The proper way to cook haggis includes mincing the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep.

Then, mix it with onions, oatmeal, vegetables, and some spices to create a raw patty-like texture. It is then to be cooked inside the stomach of the sheep until you get a sausage shape filled with innards.

Similar to haggis, tripe is made from the stomach lining but it includes more than a few animals. The texture of this dish is similar to that of a sponge and although it resembles the look of seafood, that’s hardly the case when it comes to the taste.

The flavor is rubbery so unless you are used to chewing on erasers, you wouldn’t enjoy the texture and taste very much. To make this meal more bearable, you can try mixing it with a few sauces if you don’t like the plain taste — or, if you are hardcore and enjoy trying different delicacies, then a side of fried onions may be right up your alley.

When you think about the edible parts of a cow, the best thing you could imagine is a big juicy steak seared with butter. However, in the Middle East, they don’t leave a single part of the cow behind. Khash is a delicacy nowadays in many Arab countries and it includes stewed cows’ feet and heads.

Although the heads are edible, it is a morbid sight and many countries may find the sight uncomfortable and repulsive. Considered to originate in traditional Armenian cuisine, Khash variations are also traditional dishes in Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, North Macedonia, Mongolia, and some Persian Gulf countries.

If you grew up watching SpongeBob Squarepants, then you obviously know Patrick, the titular character’s best friend. However, what you didn’t know is that, in China, people eat starfish. In real life, they aren’t as cute as Patrick, and for many reasons. Starfish are hard and covered in a spiky shell that’s sure to crack a few teeth if you ever bit into it raw.

Most starfish are served dry and the way to eat these are similar to how you would eat a crab. You need to break the leg and peel the shell to get to the meat on the inside — and this is where the surprise comes into play, because you’ve probably never seen green meat before, right? Interesting enough to try?

This is a seafood that’s mainly consumed for its nutritional factor rather than for the taste. It’s one of the most widely known foods with a notorious republican for tasting horrendous. Originating in Sweden, this fermented herring is made to be long-lasting, making it perfect for long trips overseas or outdoors when rations are lacking or almost running out.

It’s fermented with enough salt to keep it from rotting. When the can is opened, it releases a pungent odor that will make inexperienced individuals gag right on the spot.

This might be the most bearable food in terms of looks and taste but frogs are still enough to disgust any person. They often live in murky swamps so it’s easier to catch a lot of diseases and if you don’t know the species well, you might end up with a poisonous frog on your hands.

If so, get ready for some itchy rashes. Edible frogs, on the other hand, might not disgust you as much. They’ve been said to taste like chicken when deep-fried or grilled.

This is another grasshopper dish but this time it takes the form of Asian cuisine. These critters are fried in large amounts with all kinds of spices. Chilli, pepper, and salt are some of the basic ingredients used. After they have been cooked to perfection, you can bite into one.

If you find them to be of similar taste to popcorn, you may be one of the lucky few. If you choose to fry the grasshoppers, it’s important to be aware of the fact that they may be full of juice by the time you bite into one.

It wouldn’t be a list about foods that disgust people without snails, so are you really that surprised? Classic French cuisine and the bane of many food lovers from around the world, this is a dish with as many haters as there are lovers.

It’s pretty divided so don’t judge until you’ve tried it for yourself. To get the best tasting snail, the wise choice would be to try it in an upscale and high-class restaurant because if you try it anywhere else, you may regret it.

Caviar is one of the best-tasting foods with one of the highest prices, and there’s a good reason for the steep price. Escamol, on the other hand, is less sought out. Why? Because it’s caviar but made from insects.

Large quantities of larvae and ant pupae are harvested from a tequila plant and then mixed with some herbs and veggies, which are then fried before being served. It’s said to have a nutty flavor with a texture similar to butter.

If you ever wondered what wood tastes like, this is probably the closest option. Beondegi is a silkworm dish and it is found all over Korea as street vendors hand them out in almost every location.

Koreans enjoy the taste of wood so much that they turned silkworms into a delicacy. The way to cook these is very simple as no oil is required. Just steam or boil until they’re perfectly ready to be consumed. Enjoy a healthy snack of Beondegi if you suddenly get the munchies.

Another insect loved by Asians — how surprising! These grub worms are jam-packed with nutritional value, but it’s always the healthy stuff that often tastes the worst. If you have a strong tummy, then try this dish out. But, prepare yourself to be hit with a wave of gooey richness.

You can spice this dish up like the others on this list for a more bearable eating experience. When cooked thoroughly, they may taste like bacon but just pray that the worm you bite wasn’t pregnant unless you want a second gooey surprise.

Stink bugs make surprisingly good additives when you’re making some stew from an African recipe. These tiny bugs add a surprising crunch to any African meal, but be prepared — they still have a last-minute defense mechanism in which they release a foul-tasting and smelling pheromone that will give you an idea of why it’s called what it’s called.

Your nose will cry as much as your eyes will sting although the discomfort will go by fast. To make sure that they don’t gas you while cooking, you should boil them alive before using them to cook other dishes.

Southern Africa has to be one of the wildest places to go when you’re searching for foods of the bizarre variety. The mopane worm is a thick and juicy bug that the locals say is filled with meat. Grab a handful for a quick source of protein after your workout.

When served alone, these worms are boring to taste. That’s why locals add some sauces to the bugs to provide some additional flavor and to keep the dish from tasting too dry.

These bugs are found in the cousin plant of the tequila tree — the medical tree. But, whether or not the bugs cause drunkenness in individuals is up for debate. It has been said that these worms have some serious effects that make you hallucinate. Recently, though, it was all proven to be false.

Nonetheless, these bugs are still a disgusting experience to eat with regret being felt by your tongue and by your wallet. If we didn’t know any better, we would say that it’s all just a quick money grab to steal your money with false information whilst feeding you random bugs.

Some people love it, some people hate it. Marmite — or as it is more widely known, Vegemite — is a spread that’s most famous amongst Australian consumers. It’s a spread made from yeast extract.

This disgusting slob is extracted from the bottom of many beer barrels that are about to be disposed of. The flavor is highly concentrated and salty with a high sodium count. So, unless you are Australian, you probably won’t love this spread so much.

Saliva is a natural production of the human body and it keeps our mouths lubricated but consuming soup made from the saliva of a random bird is a huge no-no for many people. This disgusting pile of slop is made from spit gathered from a swiftlet bird, which uses its saliva to build its nest.

After the saliva solidifies, it’s ready to be harvested. The jelly-like taste is not something anyone should be risking their lives for. This is just another mark in the long list of weird Asian foods.

Pufferfish may sound like an exotic dish for many inexperienced individuals but those who have tried it know how poorly it can go if this dish isn’t prepared properly. Pufferfish has enough venom to make a grown man cry his heart out and it might just be the last meal you ever try.

This is one of the reasons only trained individuals make this dish. When cooked properly with the correct steps, you will find yourself with an edible plate of what is similar to sashimi.

French waiters have been known for their precaution when dealing with foreign customers because they don’t really know what they’re getting into. This is one of those situations — you just end up saying no to the dish because it’s just raw meat served on a plate.

There’s no doubt that if you’re eating out at a fancy restaurant, the quality of the meat is going to be good. Still, if you don’t like raw meat, then you definitely won’t enjoy this dish.

Keeping in line with the raw meat on this list, this time we talk about cherry blossom meat, which is just raw horse meat. This is more of an upscale meal and the Japanese usually eat this dish in the form of sushi or just on its own.

The nutritional value is said to be good with low fat and calorie count, but unless you’re looking for a wild diet, then it would be wise not to try this at all.

These large ferocious beasts once stood on the top of the food chain and they still do unless you’re armed. Now, it’s our turn to take a bite out of them. This delicacy is found in many Asian, African, and Australian markets.

Surprisingly, many have good things to say about this. According to them, the similarities between chicken, crab, and crocodile are almost the same in taste. So, if you’re in the mood for some lean meat, grab a spear and jump right into your nearest swamp.

We were totally shocked to find out that Guinea pigs are edible; that’s just not something you’d think of when you see one. This protein-packed meal is served in many South American countries and is often roasted whole or served as a casserole.

It is most often served with a side of potatoes or corn, which match well with the flavor of the meat. It may seem wrong to eat something some may call a house pet. We don’t even know how someone can muster the courage.

Now, this next dish should not be surprising at all — although it is a bit sad to see people eating turtles considering that many turtle species are endangered and/or on their way to becoming extinct.

Still, it’s considered one of the best delicacies ever made for many East Asian countries and there have also been some rumors going around that it improves virility in males. Everything except the shell is used to create the broth — the meat, the skin, the innards… not a single part is wasted.

This is the most horrific dish on this list because what you’re eating is a living creature. In an act of torture and violence, the fish is deep-fried alive. When served at your table, you will find that it’s still moving and struggling to breathe.

If you prod the fish with a spoon or fork it will react by twitching. A sight like this is sure to make anyone with a heart lose their appetite.

According to science, the closest things our species has to a cousin are apes. So, how disgusted would you feel to find out that in some African places, people consume ape meat? Not only apes, sometimes giraffes and lemurs too.

It carries more than a few diseases and out of the few, there have been some proven outbreaks of Ebola. This speaks volumes about the negative aspects of what this meat can do. With the current state of the world, we could do without any other disease spreading.

Have you ever wondered what national delicacies exist around the world? You’d be surprised to know what kinds of foods bring smiles to peoples’ faces. So, we’ve decided to take you through a list of some of the weirdest national delicacies that are popular around the globe. Fasten your seatbelt and get a bucket ready – you might need it!

Before Christmas, people in Norway gather to eat a very traditional dish called Smalahove. This odd-sounding meal is essentially a sheep’s head, and it is cooked by boiling or steaming it for several hours.

The dish is then traditionally served with potatoes or mashed rutabaga (Swedish turnip). In some cases, people also cook the brain inside the skull and then eat it fried or with a spoon. According to the people who eat it, the eye is the most delicious part.

Basashi, a raw horse meat dish, is very popular and considered quite a delicacy in Japan. The horse meat is cut very finely and then is served with green onions, ginger, and soy sauce (for dipping).

This type of cuisine belongs to a very broad group of sashimi dishes. Unlike more traditional meat options, horse meat is leaner and tastes slightly sweet. Depending on the maturity of the meat, its color ranges from pink to dark red.

People in Singapore enjoy eating durian, which is also known as the smelliest fruit in the world. Some people claim it has a very pleasant and sweet smell, while others say it is as fragrant as rotting onions, or even gym socks.

Nevertheless, the fruit is hailed as “the king of fruits” in some regions. As you can see here, the fruit is very large and has a thorn-covered rind. The flesh of it can also be consumed, and it is commonly used to add flavor to Southeast Asian cuisine.

Some people say that Zwiebelmettwurst is, without a doubt, their favorite German delicacy. This dish consists of raw minced pork with onions. Zwiebelmettwurst is eaten like a spread on bread.

It is sort of like salami, except it is not smoked and looks more like a paste. You can spread it on anything, but bread and crackers are the most common options. The secret to its tasty flavor lies in the onions, which is what makes its flavor different from other Mettwursts out there.

Cuy Asado is a very popular dish in Ecuador, but it’s also commonly eaten in Peru and the Andes. The dish consists of a grilled guinea pig. In many South American countries, especially Ecuador, it is considered a delicacy.

It is usually prepared for special occasions, and most people find it very tasty. It is also very popular among tourists, especially among those who are curious, and love experimenting and trying new things.

For people in Barbados, a sea egg is considered a delicacy. Basically, it is a sea urchin that you can eat. Firstly, they are harvested by divers who pick them up along the sea bed. After this, the shells are cracked with a spoon in order to release the sea egg.

The roe is then removed but very carefully as it is the only edible part of the sea urchin. You can enjoy it any way you like – stewed, fried, sautéed, or even raw with just a little bit of lemon juice.

Gonimbrasia Belina, in particular, is an emperor moth species, native to the warmer regions of Southern Africa. It is actually a very big edible caterpillar, and it is also known as the Mopane or the Mopani Worm.

For centuries, these worms have been an available source of protein across Southern Africa. Its name, mopane, comes from its preferred food source – the leaves of mopane trees. You can eat them dry, crispy, drenched in sauce, or even with maize porridge. We don’t recommend the latter option but to each their own!

Balut is very common street food in China and the Philippines, and even in Cambodia. The dish is basically a developing duck embryo. The fertilized egg embryo is first boiled and then eaten directly from the shell – bones and all. Grab that bucket before we do!

The bones are still soft enough to chew and swallow. The egg’s incubation period before cooking it is mostly a matter of preference, but most commonly it ranges between 14 and 18 days.

Arroz de cabidela is a dish native to Portugal. The dish essentially consists of chicken, or sometimes rabbit, cooked in its own blood, which is added at the very end to the rice, along with a bit of vinegar to prevent clotting. Mmm… how yum!

The blood is what gives the dish its rich brown color. Cooking with blood is an ancient custom that is still present in several cultures. What’s more, the Portuguese Cabidela can be found in written records from the 16th century.

Considered the perfect breakfast food (by Australians), Australian Vegemite is, essentially, very concentrated yeast extract, which doesn’t really sound that appetizing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really look appetizing either.

It is so black it could be mistaken for tar and it smells odd. But luckily for us, it tastes way better than it looks. Lightly smear the vegemite on some buttered toast and you may experience your very own little slice of heaven.

Sago grub, or sago worm, is also known as ‘Butod’ in Sabah, where it is considered very popular. Butod is most commonly eaten as an appetizer at all kinds of social gatherings.

Even though it’s not much to look at, it is a very good and healthy source of protein. Not many are so brave to eat the wriggling worms as it is. Luckily for those who are less adventurous, you can have Butod sushi or even Butod pizza.

Shark fin soup is considered one of the many traditional soup or stew dishes in Chinese cuisine. Because it’s regarded as a delicacy, the dish is served on special occasions like banquets or weddings.

The shark fins actually only provide the texture, while the flavor itself comes from other ingredients from the soup. Fortunately, substitutes for shark fin soup are now available on the market. This helps avoid the environmental damage which is caused by shark finning practices.

In Japanese cuisine, Shiokara is a well-known, popular dish that is made from different marine animals. That actually doesn’t sound so bad. The dish consists of small pieces of meat served in sort of a viscous, brown paste of the animal’s fermented, and salted viscera.

The viscera (which is raw), is mixed with salt and malted rice. After that, it’s packed into a closed container and left to ferment for up to one month.

Algerian dishes are considered North Africa’s hidden gems. Algerian cuisine is best known for its wide variety of flavors and spices. Some authentic Algerian recipes even date back to ancient Berber and Roman times.

One very popular dish in Algeria is Kercha, or also known as stuffed sheep’s stomach. Yes, you heard that correctly. The dish is served after Eid, and once the sheep is slaughtered, all the meat has to be used. The sheep’s stomach is cooked until it’s very tender.

Frog legs are one of the most well-known delicacies of French cuisine. The frog legs are most commonly fried with parsley and another staple of French cuisine – garlic sauce. Their flavor is not overbearing.

Quite the opposite really, it is very mild, and texture-wise, they sort of look and feel like chicken wings. Most people claim they taste like something between chicken and fish, and that they’re quite delicious.

The Dutch version of this delicacy is soused herring. It is basically a raw herring, which can be soaked in preserving liquid or preserved in salt. There are lots of options when it comes to flavor, varying from vinegar to marinades, wines, and spices.

Because of its preparation method, the herring is very tender. Most people swear that it’s delicious either way, but if you’re in a hurry, you can simply eat it with a slice of bread.

You’re most likely to find tuna eyeballs at Japanese izakayas and restaurants which specialize in tuna dishes. The taste is pretty tame, and it’s said to be similar to octopus and squid. The eyeballs are cooked as bar snacks or appetizers.

The hard exterior of the eye, sclera, is too chewy when cooked, but the inner contents of the eye can be sucked out. The eyeballs can also be braised in soy sauce and mirin, or sautéed in sesame oil and ginger.

Salty licorice, also known as Salmiakki, is Finland’s most popular delicacy. Its distinct and delicious flavor comes from ammonium chloride, which forms by combining ammonia with hydrogen chloride, or hydrochloric acid.

On their own, all three are deadly chemicals. What we get by combining them is a white powder called ammonium chloride. The powder is then added to black licorice, and the end result is Salmiakki. One might say it’s dangerously sweet.

A lot of people in China enjoy eating preserved eggs, also known as century eggs. The dish is made by preserving quail, chicken, and even duck eggs in a mix of ash, clay, quicklime, salt, and rice hulls for several weeks or months.

Over time, the yolk turns dark green or grey, with a very creamy consistency, and a strong flavor, while the white protein turns into a dark brown, translucent jelly, with a salty flavor.

For the people of Israel, P’tcha is much more than a delicacy, it is a culinary heirloom. P’tcha is prepared from jellied calves feet. In Eastern Europe, the dish was served with chopped eggs on Sabbath.

During the 20th century, Jewish immigrants brought the recipe with them to the United States. This way, the legacy of P’tcha continued. Nowadays, it’s most often prepared as an appetizer at Jewish weddings. The dish is also popular among people who have Polish or Eastern European heritage.

Flæskesvær is hailed as a delicacy in Denmark. You can eat it as a snack or even as an appetizer. Flæskesvær is a dish that consists of pig skin cut into strips, and some fat is left on them.

If you’re wondering how they’re made –  first, they’re boiled and then baked with lots and lots of salt. You have to bake them until they’re almost too hard to eat. That’s when they’re perfect and ready to eat.

As enjoyed by many, Soondae is a popular street food in both North and South Korea. It is basically a blood sausage, and it is usually served with liver, but it can also be served with lungs. How appealing…

Some people in Korea fondly remember it as their favorite meal growing up. The dish is made by steaming pig or cow intestines, which are stuffed with different ingredients. The end result is surprisingly delicious, so they say.

Surströmming is a beloved fish dish in Sweden. The Baltic Sea herring, or Surströmming, is commonly used in traditional Swedish cuisine. The fish is fermented for several months (usually six months), and it is covered in just enough salt to prevent it from rotting.

When the container with the fish is opened, the smell of the fish is known to be overwhelming. The fermentation process gives the fish its distinctive smell and taste which is salty and slightly acidic.

A lot of Americans truly love eating deep-fried Oreos. It doesn’t get any more American than deep-fried food. You can usually get them at State Fairs, which makes it a very available dessert that you can enjoy with a chilled beverage.

But if you don’t fancy spending the money, you can quite easily make them yourself at home. You can even add your very own twist to it, making the batter as thick as you’d like. You’re welcome for the tip!

Fugu is a Japanese dish prepared from pufferfish. The dish can be lethal if it isn’t prepared correctly. Fugu must be prepared very carefully in order to remove the toxic part and avoid contaminating the edible parts.

Because of this, only chefs who have been qualified for over three years and who went through rigorous training, are allowed to prepare fugu. A lot of people swear by the fact that it makes a perfect little sashimi dish.

Haggis, Scotland’s very own delicacy, is a savory pudding, made from sheep hearts, liver, and lungs. It is minced with onions, suet, oatmeal, and seasoned with spices and salt. It is then cooked inside the sheep’s stomach.

Although it doesn’t really sound appetizing, Haggis actually has a delicious savory flavor, with a nutty texture. It is also traditionally served during the Burns supper (January 25th), which is the birthday celebration of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet.

Hákarl is an Icelandic national dish. The Greenland shark or some other sleeper shark is cured with a very particular fermentation process, after which it is hung to dry for several months.

But first, the shark is buried underground in a shallow pit and pressed with stones to drain out the poisonous internal fluids. After drying for several months, it’s cut into strips and served. The dish is mostly served during the midwinter festival.

Jing leed is a very common street food in Thailand. It also refers to one of the most commonly used insects for snacks in Thailand – grasshoppers.

The dish is made by frying the grasshoppers and then seasoning them with lots of Thai sauces, and spices like salt, chili, and pepper. The insects are usually fried in very big woks. Some people described the dish as something akin to eating a hollow popcorn skin.

Fried spider is hailed as a regional delicacy in Cambodia, especially in Skuon. The spiders commonly used for this dish are a tarantula species known as ‘a-ping’ in Khmer, and they’re roughly the size of a palm.

The spiders are first marinated in MSG, salt, and sugar, and then fried in garlic. Most people would describe the taste as bland and something between chicken and cod. The texture is interesting, since it’s crispy on the outside, with a gooey, soft center.

This Sardinian dish also called ‘maggot cheese’, is sheep’s milk cheese, which contains live insect larvae. This cheese is derived from pecorino and reaches a decomposition stage, which is caused by the larvae.

According to those who eat it, these little guys are supposed to enhance the flavor of the cheese. Unfortunately, they’re prone to jumping when they panic, so make sure to watch out. A safer option would be to suffocate them in the fridge before eating them.

This is pretty self-explanatory. The eggs are hard-boiled first, after which the shell is removed. Then, they’re submerged in a solution of salt, spices, vinegar, and other seasonings.

The sour liquid reaches the center of the eggs, meaning the egg yolks will taste sour. However, the end result mostly depends on the mixture of the pickling solution. Nevertheless, pickled eggs have become a very popular snack in bars, taverns, and pubs.

Talk about creating a buzz, get it? We’re trying to use humor to hide the grossness of this next food. Basically, it’s like a biscuit. Except, instead of adding chocolate chips, swap them out for wasps.

Wasp Crackers, Japan

Making them is quite the process. Wasp hunters first set up traps all along the countryside to catch them. After that, the wasps are boiled in water. Once they’re dry, they’re added to the cracker mix, which is then stamped in a hot iron cracker cutter.

Chapulines is a very unique and unusual dish, and it is commonly eaten in certain areas of Mexico. If you’re struggling to make out what insects you’re seeing, they’re actually fried crickets (grab the bucket)!  The crickets are collected at certain times of the year (from May to early autumn) and then they are cooked on a flat, smooth griddle called a comal.

Chapulines are usually seasoned with salt, garlic, and lime juice and sometimes with Maguey worms extract. This is supposed to give the dish a spicy-sour-salty flavor.

In several Nordic countries, people enjoy eating Lutefisk. The seafood dish is traditionally made for a Christmas feast. The whitefish (mostly cod) is first dried, put in lye, and then in cold water to remove toxins in order to make it safe for consumption.

After this, Lutfisk is ready to be cooked. It is commonly served with peas, potatoes, Allspice, and béchamel. The texture of Lutfisk is best described as gelatinous.

In Vietnam, Cobra heart dishes are very popular, and you can find them in almost any restaurant. As for the dish itself, the cobra’s neck is broken on the spot.

After that, the heart is located and an incision is made with a knife, which drains the cobra’s blood out into a bottle. Then the heart is cut out and dropped into a small glass, which is then filled with a mixture of snake blood and rice wine. Bon appetite!

This culinary gem of French cuisine consists of cooked land snails. The snails are purged and removed from their shells. After that, they’re cooked in garlic butter, stock, or wine.

Once cooked, they’re placed back into their shells with butter and sauce for serving. Garlic, thyme, pine nuts, and parsley can also be added. Their consistency is similar to clams or mussels, although some people find them a bit more rubbery.

Stink bugs are often used to add flavor to soups, but you can also eat them on their own. Most people say they have a bit of a crunch to them and some even swear they taste like apples.

While they’re boiling, the bugs start to release defensive pheromones in a last attempt to survive. It does hurt the eyes a little, but it is as successful as an onion’s attempt to escape.

Whenever foreigners order steak tartare, French waiters repeatedly ask them if they know what they’re ordering. Most of them know what they’re getting themselves into.

The French dish is made out of raw, top-quality ground beef and is served with onions, pepper, capers, Worcestershire sauce, and various other seasonings. These extras are presented on a separate tray to be added for taste. It’s also usually presented with a raw egg yolk on top of the tartare.

Kangaroo meat has long been a staple for indigenous Australians. It’s very high in protein and low in fat. Its flavor is described as gamey, and it’s served in lots of ways. You can have kangaroo steak, burgers, and even sausages.

Some animal rights groups are very much against hunting and harvesting kangaroos for their meat, but lots of ecologists think farming native animals is better for Australian rangelands than cattle. They also claim this could reduce greenhouse emissions.

Although it’s not as tame as deep-fried Oreos, it is deep-fried. Southern-fried rattlesnake is a dish many Americans enjoy (believe it or not). When it comes to the actual flavor, some people say it reminds them of frog legs – both flavor and texture-wise.

Most experts advise first boiling the meat off the bones, then dipping it in an egg. After that, you can cover it with a mixture of seasoned salt, flour, and breadcrumbs and then deep-fry it. Very crispy.

Starfish is served dry, and it’s covered in a spiny and hard exterior, making it difficult to bite into. According to experts, you have to break off a leg, then use your fingers to pry open the skin to get to the insides.

The center is a green, meaty substance. In order to eat it, you hold the leg open and dig out the meat with your tongue. Sounds like a lot of work! Most people say it tastes like sea urchin or crab.

For a long time, people in Africa have hunted monkeys, rats, bats, snakes, and other kinds of wild animals for food. Dried, cooked, or smoked, the meat provided a good source of protein for the people living in rural areas, where farming domesticated animals was considered too impractical and expensive.

Bushmeat is basically a catchphrase for meat from all sorts of forest and savannah wildlife like lemurs, giraffes, and even apes.

Witchetty grub is a staple of indigenous Australians in the desert, so in a way, the dish is part of the Australian ‘bushmeat’ family. You can eat them however you like, there are lots of possibilities. When you eat them raw, they taste very similar to almonds.

When they’re lightly cooked, their skin makes that satisfying crispy sound like roast chicken, and its insides look similar to a light yellow, runny scrambled egg.

Bird nest soup is an Asian delicacy, which is made from the swiftlet bird’s nest. The swiftlet bird doesn’t collect twigs for its bed but builds it from its own saliva.

The gummy substance goes hard after it’s exposed to air. Since they’re usually located very high up on cliffs, harvesting swiftlet bird nests is very dangerous. In fact, a lot of people die each year trying to do so.