Food is an amazing thing. Not only does it stop people from being hungry, but it can bring people together and is one of things that make each culture different from others. Food can tell history and most of all, foods are unique. These are some foods from around the world that might seem odd, but are just a part of someone’s culture.

Balut: Balut is a food common in southeast countries and is a street food in which they boil a developing duck egg embryo. Once it’s done boiling, they crack open the shell and eat the inside. All parts of the duck are eaten such as feathers, beak, and bones.

Fugu: Fugu is served in Japan and if prepared incorrectly it can kill someone within 20 minutes to twenty-four hours. This deadly delicacy is actually pufferfish. First open the fish and take out all the organs. This is a crucial step because if the ovaries or liver are punctured then the pufferfish’s poison can get on the rest of the fish. Then they cut the meat of the fish extremely thin, or sashimi style,  leaving only enough of the toxins to numb the tongue a bit. In Japan, it is actually illegal for someone to prepare the dish without the proper qualifications because of how deadly it can be.

Casu Marzu: This food is from Italy and is a cheese made from the milk of a sheep. They let the cheese sit for three weeks. After it is cured they cut the denser exterior off and allow flies to lay eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the maggots start to eat the cheese and their flavor starts to go into the cheese. It is eaten with the maggots inside as long as they are still alive and it is a soft texture. 

Jellied Moose Nose: This food is eaten in Canada and Northern Alaska. It is made by cooking the nose of the moose with other parts of the head such as lips and ears. After adding spices and broth, they let it cool until it solidifies into a gelatin state. This dish is extremely similar to Head Cheese which can be found in many places but is mainly popular in Chile and Columbia. Head Cheese is usually made from the parts of a pig head unlike Jellied Moose Nose.

Tong Zi Dan: This is a food sold by street vendors in China. The food consists of chicken eggs that are boiled. This on its own does not seem odd, but when paired with the fact that they are boiled in the urine of boys who haven’t gone through puberty yet, it definitely earns its place on this list.

Boodog: Boodog is a Mongolian dish where they take the body of a goat or marmot and cut it open. They then fill the body with potatoes, onions, and hot rocks which cook everything from the inside out. 

Shirako: Shirako is served in Japan and it is the sperm sac of a cod fish. It can be served fried or steamed.

Trinidy Acevedo, Staff Writer

Junior Trinidy Acevedo is a staff writer for the 2019-2020 Colonel. She has a strong love for anything horror and has a large collection of T-shirts. She also loves spending time with family and camping.