Where do you draw the line at sampling "delicacies" or cuisine from other countries?

Question

For example, I'm an American and I absolutely love sushi and sashimi. I've even begun making it at home.

But I could never consider eating insects as they do as snacks in some countries, or dogs or cats, which I consider as pets.

What's the strangest thing (to you) that you've tried? What would you never try? Why?

Answer 1

I've eaten goats brain which was different, but good. The only thing that grossed me out was that it was served still in the skull, ugh! Other than that I've eaten roasted caterpillars (tasteless) and probably wouldn't eat them again, they weren't bad but how much nourishment do you actually get out of them. I'd rather see butterflies! Stirfried grasshoppers aren't bad, they have a really great crunch to them. Grasshopper cookies were good too. I'm not sure about worms... maybe just to try once, maybe not. I would never touch a dung beetle (hello??? what are they called???) Chitlins (the small intestines of a pig) aren't at the top of my list either... if you don't clean 'em right, yuck. Just the smell makes me not want to try them. Definitely never eat anything with blood in it, ever! I can't think of anything else, I'll try most things once!

Answer 2

I'm very open at trying different cuisines, since i did grow up in the Philippines. I've sampled a lot of things that wouldn't fit in this space, but the freakiest would be the "balut", it's an unhatched duck egg, with the baby duck (dead of course) boiled and served just like that. Some people add salt or vinegar with chili peppers to make it tasty(or tastier if you ask those who really like it). I've tried it once on a dare, never did it again, and i don't think i ever will! I bit on a tiny baby duck foot that got caught in my teeth! It was so horrible.
That, and meat coming from anything that's diseased i will not eat, nor try. And things that just smell too funky cause they were "marinating" for a couple weeks.

Answer 3

The strangest thing I've ever tried was baby shark fin with white rice it was a school project and I had no idea what I was eating but it was really good to my surprise. I draw the line at any thing that look gross i can't identify has wings looks like a bug or worst crap and I don't eat pets like cats dogs snacks mice or horses people today turn any thing into food not me I'd rather starve

Answer 4

As a College student I ate quite frequently with people of different cultures and I sort of draw the line at something that stares back at me. Or any organ meats, even my mom never was able to feed me liver.
Insects might not be too bad, if properly prepared.
But never would I insult a host and pitch a fit if offered a meal, I thought I couldn't stomach.

Answer 5

I love to eat different and unusual things and recipes, specially when I have the opportunity... I have ate entire dishes (not only tasted), Crocodile Steaks with passion fruit sauce, Kangaroo Meat with Balsamic and wine reduction and chutney, Buffalo Roasted beef, and weird but delicious salad of Melon and Red Onion with Vinegar, get drunk with Chichaito, a Dominican clandestine rum made with Sea Turtle Penis... here in Puerto Rico we ate something called Morcillas, which is Pork intestines filled with their own blood and rice (helps to not coagulate) then deep fried on Manteca (Pork Fat)... it is very good with Mondongo (cows and pork innards stewd) and Cuajito en escabeche (Pork stomach in some sort of vinaigrette)...

What about Huevos de Toros Rebosado (Bull's Nuts (testicles) covered with eggs and deep fried)- a true delicacy.

Answer 6

Well, I think it is more of a matter of personal preference. Each one has to decide what he or she will or will not want to eat. I personally do not like sushi. Not that I have tried or I think it is bad, but personally I feel that it is raw meat and with all the bacterial infections around, it scares me. So I drew my line there. So it is a personal preference.

Answer 7

one of the strangest things i've ever been served was a plate of cooked pigeon heads. (Indonesia) quite turned my stomach just thinking about the source. the other custom i have a problem with is the live monkey... still moving etc, while its brains are being scooped out. a chinese delicacy. while in australia the push is to try to cajole tourists into eating live wichety grubs. perhaps nutritional... but disgusting nontheless.

Answer 8

Remember that people in other cultures have been eating whatever it is they eat for centuries, and they aren't all dead yet. My opinion is to go in with an open mind and try it all. One exception - I draw the line at eating poultry that has "bird flu"

Answer 9

If you are with people from another country, you can't necessarily refuse some strange food they give you, it wouldn't be polite. But you can try the lesser of the strange foods. Example...in China, I ate Jellyfish, but not a chicken foot. yummy.

Answer 10

I am not at all adventurous and I am a fussy eater, I have tried calimari and I did not like it.