Gastronomic tourism is a fashionable and growing trend. And even if you are not going to a new country to spend all your time in restaurants, acquaintance with any national cuisine is an integral part of immersion in a foreign culture.
Today the Top-10 includes the most unusual national dishes from different countries... Sometimes it takes a special courage to taste such a delicacy. But the memories of such an acquaintance with the local cuisine will surely remain for a long time.
10. Durian (Singapore)
This popular Asian fruit is not compared to anything. Its smell, according to various reviews, resembles a decomposing corpse, an athlete's socks, a public toilet. It is not for nothing that it is forbidden to carry durians on public transport in Singapore. But true gourmets claim that fruit has nothing to do with corpses and rotten meat. Truly developed taste buds allow you to experience a mixture of vanilla pudding and onions.
9. Guinea pig (Peru)
These cute little animals are delighted to be served for dinner in the South American Andes. Pigs are baked, fried, grilled. Guinea pigs are called "Kui" here, and their meat tastes like chicken.
8. Tree bloodworm larvae (Australia)
Yellowish larvae oozing sticky secretion have long been held in high esteem by the local aborigines. Although they cause nausea among immigrants from Europe, so it will not work to taste the delicacy in Sydney and Melbourne. But they can be found during a trip inland.
7. Virgin eggs (China)
In the west of Zhejiang province, they came up with the strangest way of cooking eggs - they are soaked and then boiled in the urine of boys who are not yet 10 years old. Locals claim that the dish has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system.
6. Lutefisk (Norway)
A rather strange way of cooking involves soaking dried fish in an alkaline solution of caustic soda. After three days in such an aggressive environment, the fillets are soaked in water. As a result, the meat acquires a jelly-like consistency and a pungent smell. Lutefisk is consumed after heat treatment - frying, baking or boiling.
5. Casu Marzu (Italy)
This cheese is almost impossible to find in a regular supermarket due to hygiene rules. But in local shops in Sardinia, casu marzu is sold to real gourmets. The main distinguishing feature of cheese is the presence of cheese fly larvae, which are involved in fermentation.
4. Balut (Philippines)
This delicacy is said to taste better than it looks. Balut is a duck egg with a formed embryo. Boiled eggs in shells and served with salt, vinegar and spices.
3. Snake soup (Hong Kong)
Hot and sour soup with tofu, mushrooms and snake meat improves blood flow and warms in cold weather. It is served only in traditional restaurants, where snakes are kept right in the main hall in special wooden boxes.
2. Chapulines (Mexico)
Under such an exotic name are the familiar grasshoppers. Mexicans fry insects with salt and chili and then enjoy them as a crispy and savory beer snack.
1. Rocky Mountain Oysters (USA)
Naturally, there is no question of seafood in the mountains. Oysters of the rocky mountains here are called eggs of young bulls, deep-fried. This dish is especially popular with farmers during the spring bull castration season. By the way, not only Americans came up with the original name for the bovine egg dish. The French call a similar delicacy "white buds".