1. Brewer's yeast sauce
Country of origin: Australia
What exactly is it? How do you describe vegemite? Well, in the simplest terms, it's a brewer's yeast paste, which means it's made from the yeast that's left over from the bottom of a beer keg. It's usually spread on toast, but if you stay with an Aussie long enough, you might see them scooping a can with a spoon late at night.
How is it made? Once the yeast has been collected from the beer, it is time to add other ingredients. These include onion, malt, and celery extracts, which are good sources of vitamins. Vegans don't worry, there are no animal products in this Australian staple. The purpose of Virje Mai is to be out of the eyes of the lover. In addition to toast, you can also add it to soups, meat pies, or any mixture you want to try.
2. Haggis
Country of origin: Scotland
What exactly is it? Scotland's national dish, haggis, is a meat pudding that also contains oats, onions, and various spices and salt. This sausage-like food can include a mixture of meats such as lamb, pork, beef, and venison, but is usually made from sheep offal.
How is it made? Haggis is usually cooked in the stomachs of animals, especially sheep. It's not a short process either. One way to cook a haggis requires boiling it in water for a few hours, while other options include roasting a casserole or even microwaving it (although traditionalists will judge you for that).
3. Grilled guinea pigs
Country of origin: Peru
What exactly is it? If you've ever had a pet guinea pig, you might want to skip this section. Before they became family pets, the indigenous peoples of the Andes kept these animals for food – a tradition that still exists today.
How is it made? The dish is made by steaming the ingredients in a layer of hot rock. It can also be fried or grilled cuy.
4. Fly cheese
Country of origin: Italy
What exactly is it? What is this talking about? People want things they can't have? Not surprisingly, maggot-infested casumasu cheese is not in compliance with the law when it comes to commercial sales.
How is it made? Flies play a bigger role than humans in making this illegal cheese. The flies lay their eggs in the cheese, creating a group of maggots that basically stir the cheese and make it soft. Now, casu marzu is eaten in two different ways. You can grind maggots into cheese or eat them whole. So, what's the problem? Oh, and it's just that maggots can survive a bite and eat your intestines.
5. Rocky Mountain oysters
Country of origin: United States
What exactly is it? Despite their name, these guys aren't actually oysters. Rocky Mountain oysters are actually testicles for a variety of animals (bulls, bison, pigs, and sheep). While the name may not explain the types of animals (and their body parts) that make up the Rocky Mountain oyster, its positional meaning is accurate.
How is it made? First, you have to remove the muscles around the appendages. From there, the dish takes a salt bath for an hour, then adds vinegar and boils. Since oysters are deep-fried dishes, they must be dipped in wine and batter before being fried.
6. Deep-fried caterpillars
Country of origin: West Africa
What exactly is it? Sometimes, an unstable food supply introduces an entirely new food chain. In West Africa, edible caterpillars known as chitoumou help stabilize food security in the region.
How is it made? First, farmers collect caterpillars at different times depending on the location. Then, the first step is to cook the animal with salt and potassium fertilizer. When you're done, fry or cook them again. The final step is to dry the snack so that it is safe to eat.
7. Hairy duck eggs
Country of origin: Philippines
What is it? There is a dish in the Philippines called Balut: a duck egg that is fertilized for about two weeks. There has been a lot of criticism for eating these eggs, so some local schools use these eggs to teach students about the anatomy of ducks before instructing them to eat eggs.
How is it made? To prepare this dish, it is necessary to cook duck eggs over medium heat. After that, there should also be some liquid on top of the duck eggs, which must be poured into a bowl with vinegar and onions. For the harder part of the embryo, the liquid is like broth.
8. Canned herring
Country of origin: Sweden
What exactly is it? The taste of Surströmming is unacceptable to many. The cuisine of northern Sweden has been around for hundreds of years. This smelly delicacy is so loved that there is even a festival named after it, which kicks off the Surströmming season in the third week of August.
How is it made? Surströmming is first salted and then the fish has to stay in jars for a month and basically rots. Although it takes a long time to complete, it is a fairly straightforward process.
9. Stir-fried silkworm eggs
Country of origin: Mexico
What exactly is it? Escamoles is known as the "caviar of the desert". The dish consists of the pupae and larvae of ants. This delicacy is not readily available and therefore becomes a rather expensive commodity. It's just a little embarrassing that these insects are nicknamed "fart ants".
How is it made? First, you have to get them from the highlands of central Mexico. Of course, the first step in making this dish requires cleaning the insects. To get the final product, you have to make a mixture of herbs and vegetables (e.g. onions, peppers). Eventually, all the ingredients will be fried together before they are ready to be eaten.
10. Marinate shark meat
Country of origin: Iceland
What exactly is it? If you've ever dreamed of eating rotting sharks, this dish is the perfect food for you. There are two types of sharks to choose from: the Greenland shark or the basking shark. Interestingly, this tradition began with Viking pagan cuisine, served at a winter festival called "Þorrablót". However, it has since become a staple food in Iceland and is no longer limited to a specific season or event.
The main method of preparation is to cut the meat from the small-headed sleeping shark, which is then fermented and dried for four to five months. The fermentation method is used because the fresh small-headed sleeping shark meat has a large amount of urea, or trimethylamine oxide, and if the meat is left to ferment and rot, this ingredient can be slowly removed; It is more suitable for consumption