# What is the most bizarre food you ever had???



## mexican mama (Jan 19, 2010)

Been thinking of this idea for days now and in my travels the most biZarre food i ever had was Dinuguan or *pork blood stew*.i had it a couple of times whenever i go back to the Philippines...it takes getting used to but it is an interesting dish paired with puto or rice cake. Some would be amazed why eat blood but it is common dish especially in Asian cooking. The second food that comes to mind is Alfalfa Paletas/popsicles...my friend brought some the other day and it has an interesting bittersweet taste..
WHat's yours????


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## kannan (Jan 19, 2010)

I had some Frog Fry long time back.It was tasty.


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## GrillingFool (Jan 19, 2010)

Bugs at the local bugfest.
Ant enchiladas
Mealy bug cookies
Scorpion stir fry
There were some other dishes too.
Sadly, the dishes themselves were poorly done and
would have been bad without the bugs.
Except the cookies.. the bugs added a nice nutty flavor and
the cookies were good.


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## sparrowgrass (Jan 19, 2010)

Groundhog?  Tasted like beef, and I didn't cook it long it enough, so it was tough.


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## Selkie (Jan 19, 2010)

Smoked bat. It was considered a delicacy on Guam in 1976.

(Actually, I think some things are called a delicacy so that you only have to eat enough to be polite, but not enough to get ill!)


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## CharlieD (Jan 19, 2010)

We have had threads like this before; don't see any reason to repeat.

Having said that I regret to tell you that I have had:

Hedgehog
Squirrel
Snake
Nutria
Pigeon (not that that’s any kind of bizarre food)
Horse


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## Pookahberry (Jan 19, 2010)

*Menudo*

My grandson gave me the recipe for menudo. It sounded so strange but, is O so good


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## mexican mama (Jan 20, 2010)

*bugs*



GrillingFool said:


> Bugs at the local bugfest.
> Ant enchiladas
> Mealy bug cookies
> Scorpion stir fry
> ...




I only had fried grasshopper once and it was interesting...i agree some are badly cooked that u can still taste the liquid that just nasty


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## mexican mama (Jan 20, 2010)

*bats*



Selkie said:


> Smoked bat. It was considered a delicacy on Guam in 1976.
> 
> (Actually, I think some things are called a delicacy so that you only have to eat enough to be polite, but not enough to get ill!)



I wonder if they still serve bats in Guam...wouldn't it be dangerous coz of the bats having rabies??just wondering


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## CharlieD (Jan 20, 2010)

What's "menudo"?


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## velochic (Jan 20, 2010)

This is going to sound really weird, but McDonald's chicken nuggets.  We don't eat fast food.  Several years ago I was at my niece's house when she brought in these nuggets for her kids.  The littlest girl just insisted I eat one of her chicken nuggets.  I did so and thought that it was probably the most surreal and plastic thing I'd ever put in my mouth.  It didn't even taste or feel like food.  My mouth was coated with grease from just the one nugget and I was sick that night.  That was just bizarre.

From a "different" bizarre perspective... probably Kokorech... lamb intestines wrapped on a skewer, seasoned and grilled.  It's a street food in Turkey, where dh is from.


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## Selkie (Jan 20, 2010)

mexican mama said:


> I wonder if they still serve bats in Guam...wouldn't it be dangerous coz of the bats having rabies??just wondering



I'm sure they still serve bat in Guam (a specialty found in private homes - not the store), but as for rabies...??? I don't know. I never thought about it.


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## TheNoodleIncident (Jan 20, 2010)

Menudo

bet it tasted strange


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## Selkie (Jan 20, 2010)

TheNoodleIncident said:


> Menudo
> 
> bet it tasted strange



It's been about 30 years, but as I recall, it was like a gamey but tender jerky. Beef jerky is better.


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## chefkathleen (Jan 20, 2010)

Balut when overseas
Here in FL, gator,armadillo, rattlesnake, to name a few.


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## Selkie (Jan 20, 2010)

chefkathleen said:


> Balut when overseas
> Here in FL, gator,armadillo, rattlesnake, to name a few.



There's a restaurant near me that serves fried alligator tail all of the time and is a very popular appetizer. It's great, especially with a pineapple-peach marmalade dipping sauce! And another place that serves it on Fri., Sat & Sun. as an entree.

I think it's becoming more wide spread than we suppose.


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## chefkathleen (Jan 20, 2010)

I agree. Now that they're off the endangered list, they're easier to come by. Love the idea of the salsa/chutney.


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## qmax (Jan 20, 2010)

So, bizarre is relative to the culture.

Some of the things I have had that are "unusual" from an American perspective:

Jellyfish salad
Lamb brains
Sweetbreads
Sea Urchin roe
Marinated tripe
Durian fruit
Really weird:  Artery soup.


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## wanna be (Jan 20, 2010)

Im going to have to agree with the chicken nuggets.I have never eaten any of these weird things you have all mentioned.I have however had the chicken Mcnuggets ,and they taste like they may contain everything you guys have stated.Everything that is except chicken.


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## mexican mama (Jan 21, 2010)

*Balut*



chefkathleen said:


> Balut when overseas
> Here in FL, gator,armadillo, rattlesnake, to name a few.




I've had balut...as a half Filipino u just got to try balut..i like the liquid part and the egg but i just cant eat the  fertilized duck


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## mexican mama (Jan 21, 2010)

*alligator tail*



Selkie said:


> There's a restaurant near me that serves fried alligator tail all of the time and is a very popular appetizer. It's great, especially with a pineapple-peach marmalade dipping sauce! And another place that serves it on Fri., Sat & Sun. as an entree.
> 
> I think it's becoming more wide spread than we suppose.


my friends love gator tails...i have to try it one of these says


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## Andy M. (Jan 21, 2010)

mexican mama said:


> my friends love gator tails...i have to try it one of these says



I've had alligator and cooked it too.  It was nothing special to me.  Texture like fish, tastes like chicken.


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## mexican mama (Jan 21, 2010)

velochic said:


> This is going to sound really weird, but McDonald's chicken nuggets.  We don't eat fast food.  Several years ago I was at my niece's house when she brought in these nuggets for her kids.  The littlest girl just insisted I eat one of her chicken nuggets.  I did so and thought that it was probably the most surreal and plastic thing I'd ever put in my mouth.  It didn't even taste or feel like food.  My mouth was coated with grease from just the one nugget and I was sick that night.  That was just bizarre.
> 
> From a "different" bizarre perspective... probably Kokorech... lamb intestines wrapped on a skewer, seasoned and grilled.  It's a street food in Turkey, where dh is from.



In the Philippines and other Asian countries they barbecue pig and chicken innards:kidney,heat,liver,intestines..i had ISAW (ee-saaaawww) from the philippines...it was tasty...but u have to make sure that its clean.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 21, 2010)

I was offered and ate some homemade jerky that came from South Africa.  The person offering didn't know what animal it came from, but it was tasty.  For an item that I knew about later, sweetbreads and brains...not crazy about it.


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## CharlieD (Jan 21, 2010)

velochic said:


> This is going to sound really weird, but McDonald's chicken nuggets. ...


 
I don't know if we really can call McDonalds food bizare. BUt if you ask me what was The Most discusting Meal I ever had that would definitely be McDonalds. I ate there twice in my life, oh my gosh., the food in soviet army was by far better. ANd I tell you it was really bad in it's own right.


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## Tessamay (Jan 21, 2010)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I was offered and ate some homemade jerky that came from South Africa. The person offering didn't know what animal it came from, but it was tasty.


 
You're talking about "biltong" (pronounced just how you read it). Its a dried, cured meat. Usually its just beef since beef is easy to come by, but often made from game (Kudu, sprinkbok - kinds of antelope). Ostrich biltong is lovely too. Less fatty than other red meats! Less dry than jerky I think. Often its eaten still moist and pink inside.

Biltong is delicious and one of the things I miss most about South African snack food!

Another unique, but rarely eaten South African thing are Mopane Worms.


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## bigdaddy3k (Jan 21, 2010)

I ate a worm taco from a street vendor in Mexico City. Eh not something I will order if anything else is available. The "worms" are the same worms found in bottles of mescal.

Menudo is delicious. Don't dis menudo.


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## msmofet (Jan 21, 2010)

squirrel
rabbit 
eel


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## spork (Jan 21, 2010)

A Caribbean goat head.  Shared with a gang of friends, it was very "Lord of the Flies."


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## mexican mama (Jan 22, 2010)

*worm taco*



bigdaddy3k said:


> I ate a worm taco from a street vendor in Mexico City. Eh not something I will order if anything else is available. The "worms" are the same worms found in bottles of mescal.
> 
> Menudo is delicious. Don't dis menudo.



I haven't had this yet and im dying to try..i too love menudo..i guess in life to each hi/her own happy eating


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## mexican mama (Jan 22, 2010)

*Lord of the Flies*



spork said:


> A Caribbean goat head.  Shared with a gang of friends, it was very "Lord of the Flies."



Nice reference on the Lord of the Flies...
I now remember that Asian also eat the brain of an animal, my brother loves pigs brain sauteed with garlic..me im not so fun of it..plus it has a high cholesterol


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 22, 2010)

Tessamay said:


> You're talking about "biltong" (pronounced just how you read it). Its a dried, cured meat. Usually its just beef since beef is easy to come by, but often made from game (Kudu, sprinkbok - kinds of antelope). Ostrich biltong is lovely too. Less fatty than other red meats! Less dry than jerky I think. Often its eaten still moist and pink inside.
> 
> Biltong is delicious and one of the things I miss most about South African snack food!
> 
> Another unique, but rarely eaten South African thing are Mopane Worms.


 
I do remember now she said it was springbok.  Quite tasty, I love jerky!


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## vagriller (Jan 22, 2010)

Nothing too bizzare considering the items already mentioned, but I grew up in the PNW eating venison.

Buffalo
Deer
Elk
Moose
Antelope
Rabbit
Gator
Tacos in Tijuana, not sure what was in them


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## babetoo (Jan 22, 2010)

mexican mama said:


> Nice reference on the Lord of the Flies...
> I now remember that Asian also eat the brain of an animal, my brother loves pigs brain sauteed with garlic..me im not so fun of it..plus it has a high cholesterol


 

i love pork brains and eggs, a childhood treat. my dad and i ate it, no one else in family


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## tzakiel (Jan 23, 2010)

I think the ones that top my list are


Raw horse meat
Jellyfish
Durian
Foie gras (not so bizarre)
Blood sausage (not bizarre either)


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## radhuni (Jan 24, 2010)

I had tastes fried 'Polu' (cocoon of muga silk worm Antherea assamansis) in my in-laws place.


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## mexican mama (Jan 25, 2010)

*durian*



tzakiel said:


> I think the ones that top my list are
> 
> 
> Raw horse meat
> ...


 
How did u find durian?


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## GB (Jan 25, 2010)

mexican mama, there is a Viet Nam restaurant near me that sells a durian shake. I have yet to try it, but will next time I am there. I have never seen fresh durian though.


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## mexican mama (Jan 25, 2010)

*cuisine*



radhuni said:


> I had tastes fried 'Polu' (cocoon of muga silk worm Antherea assamansis) in my in-laws place.



what kind of cuisine is that??


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## CharlieD (Jan 25, 2010)

vagriller said:


> ...venison.
> 
> Buffalo
> Deer
> ...


 Bizare? Those are some of my favorits meats ever.

Oh, yeah just remember I had a dog once. Or I should say the dog. I had Korean friends who kept this large mut(sp?) very friendly, veru cute, very lovely dog, one day I came over for a diner, it was really hard to hold what I ate in, after I found out who we were eating.


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## Selkie (Jan 25, 2010)

I once had a piece of beef from a pet bull that had the name, "George". It was the fact that it had a name that grossed out some of the more squeamish!  It's interesting to see people's reactions when their food comes from a creature they've had a personal experience with.


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## GB (Jan 25, 2010)

Selkie said:


> I once had a piece of beef from a pet bull that had the name, "George". It was the fact that it had a name that grossed out some of the more squeamish!  It's interesting to see people's reactions when their food comes from a creature they've had a personal experience with.


This reminds me of a part in Douglas Adam's book The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe. The travels end up at this restaurant and a talking cow comes to their table, introduces himself, and proceeds to recommend different parts of his body and steer the diners away from other parts of his body. Before the cow came out on of the diners asked if they were ready to meet the meat. Cracks me up every time.


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## bigdaddy3k (Jan 25, 2010)

tzakiel said:


> I think the ones that top my list are
> 
> 
> Raw horse meat
> ...


 


mexican mama said:


> How did u find durian?


 


GB said:


> mexican mama, there is a Viet Nam restaurant near me that sells a durian shake. I have yet to try it, but will next time I am there. I have never seen fresh durian though.


 
I have access to a few asian groceries and have found whole durian in nets in the refrigerated/freezer section. Did you know there is a law that you cannot bring durian into a public building in Japan?


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## GB (Jan 25, 2010)

I think that law in in place in many other Asian countries as well.


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## Robo410 (Jan 25, 2010)

Horse meat chorizo-absolutely the best ever! (Costa Rica) 
Duck innards stew (like pork blood stew) so good...addictively good

love all those Brit and Euro things like black and white pudding, blood sausage etc (scrapple!!! yeh!!!)

Love sweatbreads kidneys liver cheeks tongue etc.  I have goat's nuts in my freezer right now. 

Have not cared for insects except those that are underwater (crab lobster shrimp etc.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 26, 2010)

Selkie said:


> I once had a piece of beef from a pet bull that had the name, "George". It was the fact that it had a name that grossed out some of the more squeamish!  It's interesting to see people's reactions when their food comes from a creature they've had a personal experience with.


 
Every year my Uncle would tell Mom to "Come on out and pick your cow and pig" then he would insist she name them.  The picking out happened when they were still babies, of course.  Mom refused, she told my uncle to call her when her pig and cow were wrapped up nicely in white paper and she could pick it up from the butcher.   And I never ate any animal that I raised for 4-H, but I did eat some of my friend's pig once when her parents bought it at auction at the end of the year.


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## vagriller (Jan 26, 2010)

Selkie said:


> I once had a piece of beef from a pet bull that had the name, "George". It was the fact that it had a name that grossed out some of the more squeamish!  It's interesting to see people's reactions when their food comes from a creature they've had a personal experience with.


 
When I was growing up my family raised chickens, mainly for the eggs. Once in a while we would butcher some though (the less prolific egg layers) and eat them. Even though I fed them and cleaned out the coop, I never had a problem eating them. Probably because I hated them. Something about scooping droppings into a wheelbarrow in sub-zero temperatures, plus the fact that they often pecked my legs didn't strengthen the bonds between boy and fowl. BTW, my job in the chicken butchering process was to pluck the feathers after my dad chopped the head off and dunked them in a scalding pot of water. My mom got to remove the entrails. Lucky her! I couldn't even be in the house when she did that. Ok, who's ready for lunch?


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## radhuni (Jan 27, 2010)

mexican mama said:


> what kind of cuisine is that??



Assamese cuisine, my DH is Assamese.


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## lubos (Apr 24, 2010)

Some sort of a green pickled egg on a China Air flight back from Beijing. I felt like those kids in "Gods must be crazy" who couldn't figure what to do with butter. It was the foulest thing I ever had in my life.


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## mollyanne (Apr 25, 2010)

I think cow's milk is bizarre. We are the only living beings on the planet that drink someone else's milk. Reminds me of a question Bill Waterson once asked, "Who was the first guy who looked at a cow and said, I think I'll drink whatever comes out of these things when I squeeze 'em?"


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## BigAL (Apr 25, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> I think cow's milk is bizarre. We are the only living beings on the planet that drink someone else's milk. Reminds me of a question Bill Waterson once asked, "Who was the first guy who looked at a cow and said, I think I'll drink whatever comes out of these things when I squeeze 'em?"


 
We aren't the only ones.  Cats and dogs love cows milk.  I've also heard of dogs nurse'n kittens before, never happened here.  

Bizarre for me would probably be sushi or some fast food.  Sushi, I really like it but it is still bizarre for us and where we live.  

Fast food, had the McRib *once*.


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## mollyanne (Apr 25, 2010)

Humans are the only species to continue to drink milk after being weaned and are the only species that choose to drink that milk from another species. Cats and dogs only drink cow's milk when humans give it to them (always gives them diarrhea, btw). Cats and dogs in the wild don't drink milk. Humans also sometimes choose not to breastfeed their infants. Mother cat's don't put their kittens on supplemental milk (formula). If a baby animal looses it's mother it will suck on another animal for survival...and when weaned that will stop.
...just sayin'


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## BigAL (Apr 25, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> Humans are the only species to continue to drink milk after being weaned and are the only species that drink milk from another species. Cats and dogs only drink cow's milk when humans give it to them (always gives them diarrhea, btw). Cats and dogs in the wild don't drink milk. Humans also sometimes choose not to breastfeed their infants. Mother cat's don't put their kittens on supplemental milk. If a baby animal looses it's mother it will suck on another animal for survival...and when weaned that will stop.
> ...just sayin'


 
I love to debate, notice that?   Cats and dogs hang around the milk barn, we never had to give it to them...we had to keep them away!  BUT you are right, we are the only ones to continue to drink milk.  We also are the only ones to cook our food.  No wonder aliens don't like to stay here long.  We are a different "species" in so many ways, but that is another subject for another time.

See ya, Molly 
AL


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## frozenstar (Apr 25, 2010)

Here's mine:
1. Dog
2. Snake
3. Durian
4. Balut
5. Bugs from Thailand (Grasshopper, Worms)


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## buckytom (Apr 25, 2010)

i couldn't think of much that i considered bizarre. maybe monkfish liver sashimi? carp eyeballs? nothing that crazy.


i'm waiting for someone to post ortolan, or cuy. now those are a bit weird.

oh, fyi: never dress like a goat near robo.


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## MoodyBlueFoodie (Apr 26, 2010)

The most bizarre and repulsive food to date was ahl chige or korean fish egg stew with big pollack roe eggs. They were all big with veins, plump and eww groooossss!


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## mollyanne (Apr 26, 2010)

Sure, and why not finish it off with a nice warm cup of the most expensive coffee in the world...Kopi Luwak* (made from digested beans in cat feces). It was actually mentioned in the movie, "Bucket List" by Morgan Freeman to Jack Nicholson who was boasting about his "extra delicious prized coffee"...funny movie!

Oh, is everyone enjoying their breakfast this morning? 

*No, I've never had this...no way!


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## bigdaddy3k (Apr 27, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> Humans are the only species to continue to drink milk after being weaned and are the only species that choose to drink that milk from another species. Cats and dogs only drink cow's milk when humans give it to them (always gives them diarrhea, btw). Cats and dogs in the wild don't drink milk. Humans also sometimes choose not to breastfeed their infants. Mother cat's don't put their kittens on supplemental milk (formula). If a baby animal looses it's mother it will suck on another animal for survival...and when weaned that will stop.
> ...just sayin'


 
Cobras seek milk.


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## buckytom (Apr 27, 2010)

and bad flute players...


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## kadesma (Apr 27, 2010)

YEE Gads you guys and here I thought Biroldi was gross when first served it.
kades


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## ThaiTeaGal (Jun 2, 2010)

frozenstar said:


> Here's mine:
> 1. Dog
> 2. Snake
> 3. Durian
> ...



Durian stinks! I can't stand the smell, but my parents love durian. Every time my mom brings home a durian, I have to leave the room or the house because it smells so bad. 

I've had....
-pork blood soup
-oxtail soup
-pork bung


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## Robo410 (Jun 3, 2010)

ok so I cooked the goat nuts (testicles...animelles in Larouse) very tender and tasty




Robo410 said:


> Horse meat chorizo-absolutely the best ever! (Costa Rica)
> Duck innards stew (like pork blood stew) so good...addictively good
> 
> love all those Brit and Euro things like black and white pudding, blood sausage etc (scrapple!!! yeh!!!)
> ...


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## Claire (Jun 6, 2010)

Hmmm ... can't think of much that compares to this.  Sushi, yes.  I love raw beef.  But nothing truly weird.  Have eaten shark and snake, but not what you'd call weird.  Oh, and mollyanne, in many cultures, humans don't drink milk after being weaned.  Yes, cats and dogs DO love cow's milk, but you feed it to them only if you like to clean up the mess afterwards.  When I needed to get some food into my pets, I chose cottage cheese, which didn't cause the squirts.


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