The world is full of some truly wonderful, strange new things. Whether it’s clothes, culture, creatures, or even food – there are some wonderful (yet weird) things out there! In this article, we at Aldo’s want to share some of the weirdest food around the world – from cat poop coffee, to fish eyes, to snakes. Come learn with your favorite Italian restaurant in Bergen County!
Weird food from around the world
Some of these items may put you off your lunch, but locally, they’re considered delicacies. Let’s take a deep dive into the world of unconventional delicacies, and see what people around the world eat!
- Cat poop coffee
Guess where the world’s rarest, most expensive coffee comes from? The behind of a cat-like creature found in Indonesia, called the Luwak. The creature eats ripe coffee cherries but can’t digest them, so the coffee beans come out whole, and the stomach acids and enzymes that perform the fermentation process give the beans a special aroma. This coffee is like none other, and can set you back anywhere between $120-300 per pound!
- Fried tarantulas
BootsnAll says: “If you suffer from arachnophobia you probably don’t want to try eating these eight-legged monsters. They’re not tiny little house spiders, they’re great big tarantulas and you can buy them from street vendors in Skuon, Cambodia.
They’re fried whole – legs, fangs and all. They were first discovered to be edible by starving Cambodians in the bloody, brutal days of the Khmer Rouge rule and have gone from being the vital sustenance of these people to a delicacy tourists come from far and wide to try.”
- Tuna Eyeballs
If you visit Japan, don’t be surprised if you see people eating fish eyeballs. It sounds pretty disgusting, but locals claim it tastes rather tame – similar to squid or octopus in taste and texture. There’s none of the gunk you’d associate with slicing up eyeballs, and the food is considered quite yummy in Japan.
While weird may be wonderful, it’s not for everyone. If you want some plain old Italian comfort food, come on over to Aldo’s – your favorite Italian restaurant in Bergen County!
- Black pudding
Also known as blood sausage, this dish is made by cooking congealed blood with various natural flavorings and thickening agents like suet and breadcrumbs, and then stuffing it into a sausage skin. While many people find it revolting, this dish is actually quite popular, and is enjoyed around the world. The end product is found universally tasty. Give it a try sometime! You may be surprised at your own reaction.
- Jellied moose nose
The Canadians sure love their moose (or is it meese?), as is evidenced by this dish. It sounds truly appalling, but locals say it tastes alright. As for us non-locals, it looks as bad as it tastes. From Rough Guides: “Just the name of this snack is a strong contender for ‘weirdest food in the world’. Nose isn’t exactly a choice cut, but that hasn’t stopped some adventurous Canadians from experimenting with nasal gastronomy by boiling them up with onions and spices, removing the hair, boiling again, then slicing and covering with a broth that sets into a jelly.”
- Maggot cheese
From BootsnAll: “This Sardinian cheese is riddled with insect larvae. “Casu Marzu” means ‘rotten cheese’ and is most commonly referred to as ‘maggot cheese.’ It’s now been banned for health reasons but can still be found for sale on the black market in Sardinia and other parts of Italy.
This sheep’s milk cheese is basically Pecorino, which has had the larvae of the cheese fly, Piophila casei, introduced into it. Fermentation occurs as the larvae digest the cheese fats, and the texture becomes very soft with some liquid seeping out. The cheese has to be eaten when the maggots are still alive because when they are dead it is considered to be toxic.”
- Live octopus
Live octopi are cut into pieces, lightly seasoned with sesame oil, and served immediately with the tentacles still squirming in this Korean dish also known as sannakji. Once the octopus is in your mouth, the tentacles will suction themselves to your tongue and to the roof of your mouth. You need to get them off with chopsticks and then chew. Some locals call this part a “party in your mouth”.
For vegetarians, this may be especially hard to fathom. For some tasty Italian food, head over to your trusted Italian restaurant in Bergen County – that’s us! We have some great vegetarian options available, along with some truly tasty vino.
- Hakarl
From Rough Guides: “How anyone conceived hakarl is a mystery, but today it’s an Icelandic national dish. To prepare: first gut and behead a Greenland shark, place in a shallow grave and cover with sand and stones. Leave for two to three months, then cut into strips and dry for several more months before serving: first-time tasters are advised to hold their nose and try not to gag.”
- Bird’s nest soup
You’re probably imagining twigs and moss floating around in some liquid, but it’s actually a lot worse – this soup is made from swiftlets’ nests, which is made out of saliva. Gross factor aside, this is one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans, since the nests can only be harvested three times a year. The soup, served in China, has a high nutritious content, and is also believed to have aphrodisiac properties. A bowl of bird’s nest soup can cost between $30 to $100.
- Puffer fish
This delicacy could potentially kill you. So, while the fish itself isn’t especially weird, the fact that people would risk their lives to eat a properly prepared puffer fish is what makes it a contender on this list. Puffer fish venom is 1,250 times more powerful than cyanide, to give you some context. Only try it from a licensed restaurant, otherwise you could end up paralyzed and eventually die from asphyxiation.
- Snake wine
When in Vietnam, eat as the locals do – and that may mean some snake wine. Yum! It’s shocking, but it isn’t dangerous. And the taste is rather unique. BootsnAll talks about the method of preparation:
“The snake is left to steep in the rice wine for many months to let the poison dissolve in the wine. Ethanol neutralizes the venom so it’s not dangerous. This wine originated in Vietnam, where snakes are thought to possess medicinal qualities, but has spread to other parts of South East Asia and Southern China. Snake wine shouldn’t be confused with the potentially more dangerous snake blood wine, made by slicing the belly of the snake to let the blood drain into the wine and served immediately.”
Unsurprisingly, the weirdest foods in the world are predominantly animal products. While we humans do eat some interesting plants, plants simply aren’t ‘weird’ enough to make it to this list. However, honorable mentions go to cinnamon bark, stinging nettle leaf, the stigma and styles in saffron, fermented tea and chocolate, strawberries (which have seeds on the outside), cactus spines, Romanesco broccoli (yay, fractals!), achocha or ‘fat babies’, and the alien-looking kohlrabi.
So, this was our list of some of the most wonderfully weird food found around the world. Which was your favorite? Tell us! You can get in touch with our Italian restaurant in Bergen County by emailing us at info@aldosofwyckoff.com.
Be open to adventure
While food like live octopus and bird’s nest soup isn’t for everyone, it’s truly an adventure when you get to try something novel. So, keep an open mind, be adventurous, and if life presents you with a chance, grab it before it goes away. Everything has its own unique appeal, and by not trying something, you’re letting go of an opportunity. Think about it the next time you’re offered something weird and shocking – you might enjoy the taste, and then you’ll have a story to tell!
The best Italian restaurant in Bergen County
If you’re craving some delicious Italian food, come over to Aldo’s, and we’ll spoil you with some of the best food in town. Our food is skillfully made by a talented staff, with fresh herbs and ingredients. Our team loves what they do, and it shows in the quality of the food and the ambience of our humble little restaurant. You’ll feel the difference when you eat at Aldo’s.
For more than 30 years, Aldo’s Italian restaurant has supplied his customers with high quality food, great service and good prices. Open seven days a week, this newer location will provide a wonderful space for family dining or special intimate gatherings, featuring 3 separate dining rooms plus an outdoor patio, and private dining rooms.
As one of our new additions, customers will be delighted with a well prepared and fresh brick oven pizza.
Under the same roof you’ll find pane & vino wine bar, a welcoming full bar and liquor store where patrons will enjoy great food and an extensive selection of wine and drinks. Customers may purchase at retail prices and enjoy at Aldo’s Restaurant or you may bring your own.