By Maria Cristina Lalonde/Updated: Jan. 29, 2021 11:48 am EST
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Rocky Mountain Oyster beef testicle jerky
Preserved century duck eggs
Preserved eggs are cured and boiled for days, weeks, or even months (the terms “century” and “millenium” being slight marketing exaggerations) until they ferment. After a lengthy fermenting process, eggs turn a greenish, dark brown color and emit an ammonia-y smell that earned them another appetizing nickname: “horse urine egg.”
Roasted Thai zebra tarantula
Edible tarantulas themselves, even, are not unheard of — in Cambodia, garlic fried spiders are a popular snack. That said, we bet if you bust out a batch of roasted Thai zebra tarantulas at your next PTA potluck, you’re bound to get a few squeals.
Corn smut
Shutterstock
That’s right, get your head out of the gutter. Corn smut is one of the many aliases of huitlacoche, along with “Mexican truffle,” “devil’s corn,” and simply “fungus.” Huitlacoche (pronounced whee-tla-KOH-cheh) is both a plant disease and delicacy that has been revered since ancient Aztec times. The fungal infection looks like fluffy grey clouds and gives corn a unique, mushroom-like flavor.
To this day in modern Mexico, a corn cob with blue-black spores is worth more than a non-infected ear to many chefs. Mexican cocineros fold huitlacoche into a wide range of classic dishes, from enchiladas, to quesadilas, to flan.
Smoked rattlesnake
Once your tin o’ snake meat arrives, you can gobble it down straight from the can (though be careful — the meat contains tiny, brittle bones that should be removed before eating). If you’re culinarily inclined, dump those chunks of meat into a spicy snake stew or chili. Or try fried rattlesnake — a favorite in the south — by battering the pieces in flour and frying them in oil until golden brown.
Fermented Baltic herring
The delicacy is served in Sweden at the end of the summer, generally in outdoor locations to allow the overwhelming odor to dissipate. Some Swedes are known to bury cans in the snow to open on December 25, like the foulest smelling Christmas presents ever.
Earthworm jerky
From the masterminds that brought you edible roasted Thai Zebra tarantula comes earthworm jerky, crafted from “100 percent REAL earthworms.” These skinny ’lil guys have been jerkied with chili, rice wine vinegar, and other spices.
Before you turn up your nose at the idea of eating earthworms, we’ll have you know that earthworms are prized as a delicacy among certain cultures, including the Ye’kuana in Venezuela, the Maori people of New Zealand, and in the Fujian and Guangdong provinces of China. Turns out, earthworms are packed with nutrients, including protein, iron, and amino acids. They’re also rich in copper, zinc, and as much calcium as fresh milk. Want to try earthworms, but are reluctant to shell out the $11 (plus shipping and handling, if you aren’t a Prime member)? Don’t think you can just head to your backyard with a trowel. If worms aren’t farm-raised in safe soil conditions, they could carry parasites and harmful germs. That’s right: Hunting earthworms is a dangerous endeavor best left to professionals.
Before you turn up your nose at the idea of eating earthworms, we’ll have you know that earthworms are prized as a delicacy among certain cultures, including the Ye’kuana in Venezuela, the Maori people of New Zealand, and in the Fujian and Guangdong provinces of China. Turns out, earthworms are packed with nutrients, including protein, iron, and amino acids. They’re also rich in copper, zinc, and as much calcium as fresh milk.
Want to try earthworms, but are reluctant to shell out the $11 (plus shipping and handling, if you aren’t a Prime member)? Don’t think you can just head to your backyard with a trowel. If worms aren’t farm-raised in safe soil conditions, they could carry parasites and harmful germs. That’s right: Hunting earthworms is a dangerous endeavor best left to professionals.
Kangeroo loin
Getty Images
Keen to try? You might be doing your body, as well as the continent of Australia, a favor. According to the Kangaroo industry, kangaroo meat is healthy: high in protein and iron and low in fat. It’s also praised for being versatile and tasty, kind of like lean beef. You can slice, dice, and sizzle the deep red colored meat into everything from tacos to stir fry.
Canned haggis
If you closely follow haggis-related politics, you may remember that import of haggis was banned in the U.S. way back in 1971. That’s when the USDA decreed that “livestock lungs” may not be used for human consumption. The traditional haggis recipe contains 15 percent sheep’s lung, which allegedly contributes to its signature nutty flavor and moist texture.
Thanksgiving flavored soda
“Our holiday pack takes the work, worries and cost out of preparing a turkey dinner, so our consumers can spend more time with their loved ones,” Jones Soda Co. President & CEO Peter Van Stolk explained in a press release. Noting that the company realized families were worried about packing on the holiday pounds, all of the sodas contained zero calories, zero fat, zero carbs, and zero sugar, the release said.
