This article was co-authored by Chef Jeff Woodward and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA. Jeff Woodward is a Private Chef and the Owner of The Rogue Chef based in Branson, Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he has cooked for esteemed clients including The Harlem Globetrotters, Peyton Manning, Mark Wahlberg, and Justin Timberlake. Chef Jeff won the Branson Tri-Lakes News Reader's Choice Award 2023 for Best Catering. He has been the Featured Chef Demonstrator for 2 years in a row for The Women's Show in Springfield, MO. The Rogue Chef has been the Hollister Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Chef, an award published in Tri-Lakes News. Chef Jeff's food has been featured on KY3 Television. He publishes a recipe weekly in the Branson Globe newspaper and monthly in Lost on the Lake Magazine. He published a feature article for Chef Talks in Discover Home and Style Magazine. He has an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College and a Culinary Arts degree with a Certification in Baking from Ozark Technical College.
There are 37 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
How adventurous are your taste buds? Cuisine varies from country to country, and there are some dishes that don’t stick to conventional ingredients. From fried insects to maggot cheese, there are some truly bizarre foods to be found worldwide. In this article, we share some of the weirdest foods in the world and what they’re made of. We take you to South Korea, Australia, Mexico, Italy, and more. Get your stomach ready for a wild ride!
What are some of the world’s strangest foods?
- Balut (Philippines): A boiled fertilized duck egg that contains the embryo.
- San-nakji (South Korea): Live octopus that moves on your plate.
- Durian (Southeast Asia): A tropical fruit with an odor that's been compared to smelly socks.
- Hákarl (Iceland): Fermented shark meat that’s known for its offputting taste.
- Virgin Boy Eggs (China): Eggs soaked in boys' urine.
- Vegemite (Australia): A food spread that’s made from leftover beer yeast.
- Fried Tarantulas (Cambodia): A deep-fried spider snack.
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Expert Q&A
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References
- ↑ https://www.foodrepublic.com/1509512/what-is-balut-origin/
- ↑ https://tastesseoulgood.wordpress.com/2019/10/23/sannakji/
- ↑ https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/casu-marzu-worlds-most-dangerous-cheese
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/casu-marzu
- ↑ https://www.thedailymeal.com/1228180/what-is-hakarl-and-is-it-safe-to-eat/
- ↑ https://andrewzimmern.com/bizarre-bites-birds-nest-soup/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/vegemite-review-23525251
- ↑ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/daring_dining_cambodian_tarant
- ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/what-is-durian
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/10/20/498569984/rocky-mountain-oysters-are-what-we-try-a-dish-of-cowboy-lore
- ↑ https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-09-25/the-one-dish-to-try-in-peru-is-guinea-pig
- ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/urine-soaked-virgin-boy-eggs-are-springtime-taste-treat-china-flna593952
- ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/escamoles-ant-caviar
- ↑ https://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/what-are-kool-aid-pickles
- ↑ https://karolinapatryk.com/how-do-scorpions-taste-like-little-thai-food/
- ↑ https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/12-things-not-to-eat-or-drink-in-thailand
- ↑ https://www.tasteatlas.com/fruit-bat-soup
- ↑ https://redhousespice.com/century-eggs/
- ↑ https://whatscookingamerica.net/history/akutaq_eskimoicecream.htm
- ↑ https://culinarybackstreets.com/stories/oaxaca/chapulines-oaxaca
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/the-strangest-food-i-ever-ate-2-91992
- ↑ https://www.eater.com/2016/9/16/12921932/what-is-livermush-north-carolina
- ↑ https://www.tasteatlas.com/ubre-asada
- ↑ https://vinpearl.com/en/vietnamese-blood-soup-a-must-try-unique-dish-for-travelers
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/188894/what-is-scrapple-actually-made-out-of/
- ↑ https://www.slurrp.com/article/love-at-first-bite-exploring-japans-exotic-tuna-eyeball-snack-1672297985851
- ↑ https://matadornetwork.com/read/beondegi/
- ↑ https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/scotland-travel/crappit-heid-a-brutal-ugly-taste-of-want-stb3zd7mjzh
- ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/cha-ruoi-vietnam-sandworm-omelet
- ↑ https://www.foodrepublic.com/1290848/what-is-huitlacoche-and-how-do-you-cook-it/
- ↑ https://www.mashed.com/1114591/norways-christmas-feast-consists-of-eating-a-sheeps-head/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/haggis
- ↑ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/brief-history-khash-armenias-love-it-or-hate-it-hangover-cure-180968286/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/black-pudding
- ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/what-is-spam-made-of
- ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/jibachi-senbei-wasp-crackers-japan
- ↑ https://www.discoveraboriginalexperiences.com/article/guide-to-the-witchetty-grub-in-aboriginal-cultures






















