Bizarre and Disgusting Foods From Around the World

Kopi Luwak Coffee

Kopi Luwak or civet coffee is made by brewing the undigested coffee beans in the crap of the Asian Palm Civet, a weasel-like mammal. The civet’s stomach enzymes break down proteins in the beans giving the coffee a less bitter taste. And even though the coffee is made from feces-beans,is the most expensive coffee in the world, selling for between $120 and $600 USD per pound, and is sold mainly in Japan and the United States.

Casu Marzu Cheese

The name of this Sardinian specialty literally translates to “rotten cheese.” Casu Marzu, otherwise known as walking cheese, is an Italian sheep’s milk variety with a little something extra. You could say it’s alive. Very alive… the “chesse fly”(Piophila casei). These larvae are deliberately introduced to the cheese, promoting an advanced level of fermentation and breaking down of the cheese’s fats. This cheese is a delicacy in Sardinia, where it is illegal. That’ right. It is illegal in the only place where people actually want to eat it, but mountain shepherds continue to produce it in small quantities for the black market. It’s often kept under the table, but only for the most trusted customers. Selling or serving it is punishable by a hefty fine.

Durian fruit

The durian is the fruit of trees from the genus Durio belonging to the Durionaceae family and has been known and consumed in southeastern Asia since prehistoric times, but has only been known to the western world for about 600 years.  It’s hard to imagine a fruit, which smells like a rotting corpse, is considered as the king of all. Durian fruit, has actually been banned in some hotels and public transportation because its reeks. In Malaysia, a decoction of the leaves and roots used to be prescribed as an antipyretic. The leaf juice is applied on the head of a fever patient

Baby Mice Wine

Baby mice wine is a traditional Chinese and Korean “health tonic”. This dandy of a drink has been rumored to taste like pure gasoline. It’s made by dropping little baby mice, eyes still closed, into a bottle of rice wine while still alive (the Chinese think that torturing these little guys adds to the flavor)

Surstromming

What the Swedes call Surstromming anyone else in their right mind would call rotting fish in a can. And, that is basicaly what it is. They get fish, can them and leave it to rot for a long time. Then they open it up and eat it as a delicacy. Swedes describe it as sour. Although swedes admit that its not the best smelling food in the world, it definately makes up for its taste.

Escamoles

Escamoles are the eggs of the giant black Liometopum ant, which makes its home in the root systems of maguey and agave plants. Collecting the eggs is a uniquely unpleasant job, since the ants are highly venomous and have some kind of blood grudge against human orifices. The eggs have the consistency of cottage cheese. The most popular way to eat them is in a taco with guacamole, while being insane.