What are the three strangest things you've eaten in your lifetime?

[mudbug]

If you're Eastern Indian, it could include a tuna fish sandwich!

I'll start (off the top o my head):

1. Sea Cucumber aka sea slug.

2. Pig's Brain, was told it was eggs when I was 8.

3. Raw, fresh water salmon. To think, I was expecting it to taste like sushi! (Stick to the fish from the salty sea!)

[foodnfoto]

Sea Urchin...yeaccchhh!

Natto Beans-tastes like.., like.., um...oh, never mind.

A three-year-old pink petit four that we found underneath an old bakery display case. A little explanation: it looked as perfect as the day we unwrapped them and I won $50 on a bet. Tasted fine, though a little dry.

[momoreg]

Not on purpose, mind you, but I once ate the chopped up family jewels of a bull (floating in soup), and wasn't told until afterwards what it was.

Really beyond disgusting!!

[Suzanne]

I second the UGH!!!!!!! on natto. The only food I have ever had that I will never, ever, EVER eat again. Indescribably ... not delicious. (I'd even venture sea cucumber again, depending on the sauce.) Of course, in my family a Big Mac is just as much the object of revulsion.

[marthaoncrack]

Okay, here goes:

I ate fried squirrel brains when I was a kid in the South.

I have eaten sea urchin (eeeeyyeeccchhh!!)

And I have also experienced Dunkin Donuts....

[roon]

Escargot- couldn't keep it down, though I suspect it was either the sauce or perhaps the fact that I was 14 at the time. I knew full well what it was- my sister and I both agreed that "I'll eat some if you do". I'd try it again.

Cow's tongue. This I bought at a schlathof in Germany. I always wanted to try it, so I got it and followed the recipe. It looked rather odd- I'm not sure if I cooked it right, but it was rather tasty.

some kind of goat cheese- hubby and I were vacationing in the south of france- got a cheese platter at a restaurant with all kinds of yummy cheese. Chris tried one and said I ought to taste it but it was a "little strong". Gag. Ick. Most vile, awful stuff I ever had. Don't get me wrong, I've had good goat cheese! but this particular kind (don't know specifically what) was awful. Bleargh.

[nancya]

I shoulda known better than to read this thread.

<blurk>

[daavery]

you pikers

lets see - in the nagano japan area:

equine sashimi ( raw horse meat)

saute'ed ( on soy sauce) bee larvae

natto - all over japan - i even like it

in the osaka area:

puffer fish sashimi - deadly if not perfectly prepared

various goat cuts in turkey and jordan

[momoreg]

Equine sashimi!?!
There goes my breakfast...

[shroomgirl]

Natto~ is that the Japanese ferminted soybeans that have an outrageously strong harsh flavor...if so that.

Grey gelantinous roll in a San Fransican Dim Sum Restaurant, I have no clue what it was....then or 15 years later now.

well....I guess to a non-cajun sucking crawfish heads would be pretty gross....

[coolJ]

Durian fruit
Jelly fish
Seaweed soup

[roon]

Can I add one more? There's this Korean restaurant- they serve dried anchovies with the other kimchi dishes...I mean whole dried anchovies- heads and eyes and all. My mother loves them. I tried one (I'll try anything once) but aside from the ick factor, they were way too salty.

[Risa]

These items don't really seem strange to me but they appear to be strange to some of you judging by previous posts:

Pig ears -- not the dried out ones that you give to the dog.
All sorts of dried fish and squid
Jellyfish (yum! they actually go well with the pig ears)
Cow brains and other innards and parts -- same goes for cow
Balut -- but just the yolk part, don't even show me the baby duckling
Natto -- I like them also
All sorts of seaweed
Seitan and other meat substitutes (strange if you're not a vegetarian)

List goes on and on. I'll usually try anything at least once. How else would I know if it tastes disgusting?

*Oh the topic said three... I guess I can't count*

[marthaoncrack]

I almost forgot -- I won a "Who Can Eat The Weirdest Thing at Dim Sum" contest once. I ate chicken feet. DEFINITELY wasn't worth it just to win the dumb contest.

[mudbug]

Of course, what is normal or common to some seems outrageous to others. The purpose of this post was not to gross one another out but rather to gain new perspectives. It's always interesting to find out what people perceive as their top three (or more). Sometimes it's out of curiosity, sometimes peer pressure, sometimes ignorance because we're kids, or someone didn't tell us. It's always intriguing to discover what some consider gourmet, others wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. Of course it can be influenced by where and how you grew up. Some people grew up eating these things practically every day and have never thought twice about it.



marthaoncrack,
sea urchin? I'd love to have some!
chicken feet? I think the presentation is what the problem is.

roon,
cow's tongue? personally, I couldn't handle the texture.
whole dried anchovies? Usually you're supposed to eat a tiny bit with a mouthful of rice. This cut's down on the flavor saturation. Also why so many Asian dishes are so flavorful. They're not meant to be eaten singly, but rather with rice in your mouth at the same time.

daavery,
very intriguing... I assume this was all primarily eaten in Japan?
equine sashimi (raw horse meat)? where and why?
saute'ed (on soy sauce) bee larvae? where and why?
puffer fish sashimi? was it delicious? what did you think?
Have you had blue fin tuna?
various goat cuts in turkey and jordan? assuming you wouldn't list this unless they were prepared unusually...

shroomgirl,
Grey gelantinous roll? You inquired about this in a previous post didn't you? Was it savory or sweet? (Somehow we'll figure it out!)
"guess to a non-cajun sucking crawfish heads would be pretty gross..." assuming this is not an issue with you, "More for us!!!"

coolJ,
Durian fruit? what did you think? the aroma is supposed to be quite strong...?
Jelly fish? how was it prepared? It's delicious no matter how I've had it.