The most unusual dishes of the countries of the world. Delicacies that scare tourists

The national cuisine of the countries of the world can be so amazing and diverse that some culinary traditions and dishes can shock even the most sophisticated gourmet. Not every brave stranger will dare to try such dishes, but for most locals it is an ordinary and, sometimes, everyday meal. So, let's move the plates away and immerse ourselves in the world of shocking culinary traditions of the countries.

Casu marzu, Italy, Sardinia

Casu marzu cheese is somewhat illegal in the homeland of its origin and is sold from under the counter, is in demand by gourmets around the world and is still produced using ancient technologies that Sardinian shepherds jealously preserve: casu marzu is one of the most bizarre and at the same time well-known cheeses in narrow circles.

Casu marzu translates from Italian as "rotten cheese". Everyone knows cheeses with mold, but this cheese exceeds expectations. Simply put, it is a special sheep's cheese affected by the cheese fly (piophila casei), which lays eggs in the cheese substrate. The larvae participate in the fermentation of cheese, frolic inside and make moves, thereby speeding up the maturation process, after which the cheese becomes soft and creamy.

It is worth noting that when using such a delicacy, the larvae still remain active, there are cases of small fry jumping out of the cheese mass, which adds exoticism to an already spectacular performance.

The tasting time of kasu-martsu is not endless – when the larvae enter the stage of maturation and the cheese begins to exude the smell of ammonia, it is no longer suitable for consumption. If you want to experiment with this product, it is better to do it in the company of a specialist who can determine its suitability for use by eye and smell.

Finnish blood pancakes

Asins pankūkas – black pudding pancakes – the oldest national Scandinavian dish, in particular popular with Finns and Latvians. Bloody pancakes probably originate from Finland, where they are known as veriohukainen, but the Swedes (who call it blodplättar) and Norwegians are also consumers. The composition of the pancakes is traditional, but blood is used as a liquid instead of the usual milk or water.

Historically, it is clear that during the fierce Scandinavian cold weather, local chefs learned to make the most of every animal they hunted, so nothing was wasted. Of course, such a delicacy will be rich in protein and iron, but it is better for the faint-hearted and highly sensitive to be ready for such a breakfast.

Bat soup, Palau

The culture of bat consumption varies depending on the country and region: in some places it is an everyday food served in cafes and sold on stalls, whereas in other areas it is considered an exotic dish. In Vietnam, for example, wing meat is added to rice porridge, in Laos and Cambodia, bats fried on skewers are served as a traditional treat.

With the advent of the epidemic, "bat soup" has become a banned meme, but has not lost its relevance. On the Palau Islands, locals have long mastered cooking bats for food. Bat soup is made with coconut milk with ginger and spices. On the surface, this soup looks ordinary, but you know what will be used as an ingredient here.

Jibashi senbei, Japan

Japan could not leave us without dessert, so it prepared a delicacy for the world – "jibashi senbei" – cookies with wasps. Black earthen wasps are used, which are specially harvested, thermally treated, dried and kneaded into an ordinary sandy dough. Basically, Japanese rice crackers with baked digger wasps. Have a nice tea.

"Centennial Egg", China

Pidan is a traditional Chinese snack delicacy. "Century-old" eggs are cooked, contrary to the name, for only 15-20 days: duck, chicken or quail eggs are kept in a special mixture of tea, lime, salt, ash and clay. Then they are placed in rice husks and straw and buried in the ground. The eggs dug up after a while smell very strongly of ammonia. The protein becomes elastic and translucent and turns dark brown, almost black. The yolk becomes creamy, dark in color — from gray to black with a greenish tinge.

According to experts, the taste of this dish is not so unpredictable – it is compared to something like pate, and it smells like detergent.

Mosquito Steak, Africa

Tired of regular meat? Come to Africa, where you can taste a real black mosquito patty. In the area of Lake Victoria, the number of these insects is so large that it is calculated in kilograms. Mosquitoes gather in black clouds here and catching them with a simple sieve or net is not difficult. In addition, as expected, it is a pure source of readily available protein. The mosquito mass is ground into a homogeneous mixture and cooked like traditional cutlets.

Chapulines, Mexico

The national dish of Mexico called Chapulines is fried grasshoppers. For foreigners, this is an exotic Mexican dish, and local Indians ate chapulines 3,000 years ago. A popular local delicacy is served with various herbs, spices and additional side dishes and snacks.

Durian, Thailand

Durian is just a harmless fruit that is definitely worth trying in Thailand. Durian manages to produce such an aromatic combination that the only comparison that comes to mind is associated with sewage. Durian tastes like rotten boiled onions, you know, right? That is why it is forbidden to bring a local delicacy to hotel rooms, and even more so to take it on board an airplane.

However, such an unpleasant-smelling shell hides the contents, which some connoisseurs find even peculiarly tasty. But there are a clear minority of such gourmets.

Butod, Malaysia

Butod is a strange but surprisingly healthy dish from Malaysia. Traditional food. Sago larvae, called butodes, are consumed dried, fried and.. fresh, that is, alive. About like oysters, but still. The fried butode has a fleshy texture, and the live one has a juicy creamy texture. It's a challenge for a dissident tourist to even touch such a huge larva, let alone eat it, but the natives don't think so. Therefore, butode is a regular snack here.

Shirako, Japan

The shirako dish literally translates as "white kids" — this is the name for fish milk, most often cod in a shell. It is served in different forms, fried, served in dough or breaded, and daredevils eat it raw. Gourmets highlight the delicate creamy taste and sweetness of this dish. Such a culinary miracle is usually popular in all fishing countries, Japan, for example, where it is a delicacy for tourists and a common dish for locals.

Balut, Philippines

In the Philippines, balut is a very popular dish, which is a boiled duck egg, in which a fruit with plumage, cartilage and a beak has already formed. Eggs are eaten raw, with soy sauce, fried or boiled. It's better without photos.

Frog Legs, France

Frog legs or Frog legs (fr. Cuisines de grenouille) is a French dish that everyone has heard about. Usually the paws are fried and served with parsley and garlic sauce. They say it tastes like a cross between fish and chicken.

Surstremming, Sweden

It is rumored that this dish is one of the scariest edible things in the world. In Sweden, surströmming is a pickled herring that smells so strong and unpleasant that most foreigners never dare to try it. Those who still decided to expect some kind of culinary zen, because this is a kind of exam. It would seem that only fermented fish, but how many emotions. And, so as not to seem like this is an extreme gastro-escape, Ulven Island has a Surstreming Academy, a Society of Surstreming lovers and a Surstreming People's movement. Welcome!

Ant Egg Soup, Laos

Laos is not far behind the editorial. The Laotians presented to the world the most unusual soup based on ant eggs. When serving, Laotians add several live ants to the finished dish to add sourness. They say it's spicy.

Tuna Eyeballs, Japan

Japan never ceases to amaze this time. Tuna in Japan is in a waste-free production cycle, even eyeballs can be purchased at any supermarket, they are usually boiled or steamed.

What did you eat that was so unusual? Write in the comments and share your impressions