What's the weirdest thing you've eaten?

[2535Miles]

I'm watching Iron Chef, my nightly ritual and man do they really hook up some weird ingredients. So it got me thinking, what is the weirdest thing you've eaten? For me, it's a toss up between beef tongue, chicken feet, or sharks fin. They don't sound too weird but the presentation is what sealed the deal. When I went to China on business, a few of the restaurants brought out whole chicken feet, claws and everything. The beef tongue was in a stew with mushrooms and it looked like, well a mushroom stew with tongues floating around in it. I could go my whole life without either of those dishes again, but the sharks fin soup... ymmm!

[hc5duke]

Dog. Yes, it was in Korea. Though to be honest, the name of the dish also refers to a goat dish, so I can never be sure what it was I ate...

Assuming it was goat, I guess chicken feet at a dim-sum is the weirdest thing. I've also had turtle soup and shark's fin, but I think the chicken feet looked the weirdest

[DevilAlumna]

Tempura haggis.

[2535Miles]

but I think the chicken feet looked the weirdest
Amen! I'm down with the philosophy of using the entire animal but there is something very unsettling about staring down at a plate of feet.
http://www.friedmanarchives.com/China/Web/Chicken_Feet_5x7_72_dpi.jpg

[Windsor]

Rattlesnake....proving that with enough garlic and butter you can eat darn near anything.

[CameronBornAndBred]

In Japan, I ate sea urchin. It tasted as disgusting as it looked. But I did try it. They figured since we were Americans, we had never had sushi, so they took us to a sushi bar. This scenario repeated itself almost every night we were there.

[devil84]

In Huntsville, AL, I had the most delicious kangaroo stew at an Australian restaurant. It was, bar none, the best stew I've ever had. Tender and scrumptious -- sort of like beef, only better.

[weezie]

Well, I got near a plate of 'prarie oysters" but nearly passed out in fright. Does that count? Who eats those things?! :eek:

[hurleyfor3]

My "first-time sushi" story is that the chef gave me a fried shrimp head. Receiving one is apparently a sign the chef likes you, and custom requires one to eat it when offered.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Well, I got near a plate of 'prarie oysters" but nearly passed out in fright. Does that count? Who eats those things?! :eek:

Frisky cows.:eek:

[SlimSlowSlider]

Kumbi Kumbi, which is Swahili for a kind of ant in their flying stage. They appeared one morning and the kids were popping them in their mouth, alive. They are considered a treat. Not too bad. And a whole lot better than some other delicacies mentioned in this thread.

[CathyCA]

Chicken feet at dim sum in SF.

[2535Miles]

Well, I got near a plate of 'prarie oysters" but nearly passed out in fright. Does that count? Who eats those things?! :eek:
I went to a company Christmas Party in Greensboro and there was a mysterious jar of amber liquid with shriveled "somethings" floating around. I asked what it was and everyone said they were "Rocky Mountain Oysters" and asked if I would like to try them. I politely said no and then watched as everyone in the office grabbed a fork and dove right in. I was disgusted. It wasn't until later in the afternoon that I found out it was actually plum shine. At that point, I dove right in.

Anywho, I've always said that I'll try just about anything once, and I suppose that includes the "special oysters". Though I would prefer it if they didn't tell me what I was eating so I could see if I enjoyed the flavor without the psychological impact of knowing which organ I was about to consume.

[bjornolf]

You asked what it was. You can't complain about them telling you if you ask.

[2535Miles]

You asked what it was. You can't complain about them telling you if you ask.
In the case of plum shine, I most certainly can complain because they lied to me, which then delayed the consumption of the yummy homemade plum shine.

In other situations, I totally agree. If something tastes great, and I really enjoy it, and then find out what it is I'd probably keep eating it.

[hc5duke]

If something tastes great, and I really enjoy it, and then find out what it is I'd probably keep eating it.

Soylent green is people!

[rasputin]

Soylent green is people!

well played.

[2535Miles]

Soylent green is people!
Well played indeed!

[allenmurray]

I had this one time in Alaska. I was in a small Ypik town about 6 hours (by plane) from Anchorage

2 Cups seal oil
1 pound reindeer fat
Berries
Snow

Directions
Boil the oil & reindeer fat together for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Take a bowlful of loose snow (not too powdery) and add oil; beat well to avoid lumps. Let freeze a bit. Then fold in wild berries

They added some sugar for me and my friends as they though we were too "American" to eat it in the traditional way.

You should remain close to a bathroom for a few hours after eating.

[hc5duke]

I had this one time in Alaska. I was in a small Ypik town about 6 hours (by plane) from Anchorage

2 Cups seal oil
1 pound reindeer fat
Berries
Snow

Directions
Boil the oil & reindeer fat together for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Take a bowlful of loose snow (not too powdery) and add oil; beat well to avoid lumps. Let freeze a bit. Then fold in wild berries

They added some sugar for me and my friends as they though we were too "American" to eat it in the traditional way.

You should remain close to a bathroom for a few hours after eating.

I think we have a winner

[2535Miles]

I had this one time in Alaska. I was in a small Ypik town about 6 hours (by plane) from Anchorage

2 Cups seal oil
1 pound reindeer fat
Berries
Snow

Directions
Boil the oil & reindeer fat together for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Take a bowlful of loose snow (not too powdery) and add oil; beat well to avoid lumps. Let freeze a bit. Then fold in wild berries

They added some sugar for me and my friends as they though we were too "American" to eat it in the traditional way.

You should remain close to a bathroom for a few hours after eating.
Wow. Just, wow.

[allenmurray]

I think we have a winner

If I were forced to choose between Agutuk and Soylent Green, I think I might go Soylent Green. The stuff was awful. But it was an honor that they made it for us - apparantly it is something they do only for special occasions or celebrations. On that same trip I had salmon. Wow, did I have salmon.

Two women on the trip asked at the village's (St. Mary's Alaska) only store if there was anyone in town who made any crafts as they wanted to take something home from the trip. There was no tourist traffic in the village, so there was nothing like that at the store. However, the folks at the store knew of a woman who made beaver skin hats and baskets that she shipped to her daughter in Anchorgae to sell there (she trapped the beaver herself). They went to her house and bought two hats. She had a couple of baskets left and they asked her if it would be alright if they brought thier friend Allen back the next day to see the baskets so he could bring one home for the lovely mrsallenmurray. The woman said for us to come back at dinner time.

We entered her home (a 600 square foot cottage) where she had prepared us dinner. Her husband (she was in her 70s, he was over 80, but didn't know how old for sure) had gone out that afternoon to the Andreafsky River (a tributary of the Yukon) to catch fish for dinner. We had salmon only hours out of the river, served with rice, salad (a rare treat there as everything was barged in during the summer and flown in in the winter) and cupcakes. It may be the best dinner I've ever had - certainly the most memorable.

[sue71]

If I were forced to choose between Agutuk and Soylent Green, I think I might go Soylent Green. The stuff was awful. But it was an honor that they made it for us - apparantly it is something they do only for special occasions or celebrations. On that same trip I had salmon. Wow, did I have salmon.

Two women on the trip asked at the village's (St. Mary's Alaska) only store if there was anyone in town who made any crafts as they wanted to take something home from the trip. There was no tourist traffic in the village, so there was nothing like that at the store. However, the folks at the store knew of a woman who made beaver skin hats and baskets that she shipped to her daughter in Anchorgae to sell there (she trapped the beaver herself). They went to her house and bought two hats. She had a couple of baskets left and they asked her if it would be alright if they brought thier friend Allen back the next day to see the baskets so he could bring one home for the lovely mrsallenmurray. The woman said for us to come back at dinner time.

We entered her home (a 600 square foot cottage) where she had prepared us dinner. Her husband (she was in her 70s, he was over 80, but didn't know how old for sure) had gone out that afternoon to the Andreafsky River (a tributary of the Yukon) to catch fish for dinner. We had salmon only hours out of the river, served with rice, salad (a rare treat there as everything was barged in during the summer and flown in in the winter) and cupcakes. It may be the best dinner I've ever had - certainly the most memorable.

That's a great story! :)

[DukieInKansas]

Sea cucumbers, shark's fin soup, and I never questioned the source of my meat.:D

The only time I couldn't eat the shark's fin soup was right after finishing reading Jaws. :eek: Our host in Hong Kong had them leave the fish head so he could eat the lips - fortunately he got involved in explaining the Chinese opera to us and never got around to eating it. In Taipei, beef tongue was served - it hadn't been slice - just came out in one big chunk - I could not eat that.