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What's the one thing you would never eat, even for money?

8K views 69 replies 39 participants last post by  siduri 
#1 ·
I came across of this topic from some foreign forum I was visiting and I've read a lot of weird answers.

But anyway, I would say one thing I would never eat even if they give me money are insects...the ones they eat in Survivor reality show...that's gross, I would never eat that.
 
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#2 ·
Insects are right up there with me.  One of the specialty candy stores in the market sells lollipops with insects in them.. they are creepy enough to look at and I couldn't imagine eating one.

One of the cooks was telling me yesterday about this street food they sell in the Phillippines.  It is a goose egg with a young goose chick inside.. I think he said the embryo was fourteen days old or something like that.  They cook it up and sell it on the street like we do hot dogs in North America.. apparently it tastes like chicken noodle soup.  He wants to try it.. I think it's nasty!
 
#3 ·
I heard it was duck eggs ..................yeah, not eating it either.
 
#4 ·
I worked in Uganda some years ago and in the outdoor markets they had small hills of roasted termites for sale. I couldn't resist, I bought a small bagful. Their wings were off and I ate a small handful: they had a woody, smoky flavor but not really too bad. I had not thought I would eat these, either.

I grew up eating pork and beef brains that my mother cooked from time to time--they are not bad at all; the consistency is like soft scrambled eggs, flavor is something like marrow.

Yum!
 
#10 ·
I come from a country which boasts of haggis as a national dish. However, I have tried durian fruit (once) - and no amount of money would persuade me to try it for a second time!
Althought I've never had it, (a shame, being of Scott decent myself) I have heard that Haggis is actually quite tasty.
 
#11 ·
The egg with and embryo is a Balut and I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole. Insects too are on my no list. Some textures really gross me out and anything with a pungent foul smell like durian might be hard for me to eat. Time will tell though I might not like the idea of something but I will usually try it once anyway. With trying insects though I wouldn't beable to eat it if it was still moving.  
 
#12 ·
The egg with and embryo is a Balut and I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole. Insects too are on my no list. Some textures really gross me out and anything with a pungent foul smell like durian might be hard for me to eat. Time will tell though I might not like the idea of something but I will usually try it once anyway. With trying insects though I wouldn't beable to eat it if it was still moving.
I'm a retired Chief Petty Officer, so back in the day we had to go through an initiation to be inducted into the Chief's Mess. Though I can't give details, I have Balut stories that would curl your hair. :)
 
#13 · (Edited)
I'm open to most anything.  I enjoy eating balut and request it frequently from my mom when she goes to the farm to buy chickens and duck.  Add a little Vietnamese coriander and salt and pepper... delish.  I think if you are brought up around it, it is less frightening.

I've tried durian and I can't really get past the smell.  But the one thing I probably would not eat is casu marzu (maggot cheese).  Also I can't stand the taste of fish mint.
 
#14 ·
I'm open to most anything. I enjoy eating balut and request it frequently from my mom when she goes to the farm to buy chickens and duck. Add a little Vietnamese coriander and salt and pepper... delish. I think if you are brought up around it, it is less frightening.

I've tried durian and I can't really get past the smell. But the one thing I probably would not eat is casu marzu (maggot cheese). Also I can't stand the taste of fish mint.
:O I might try some of these things some day don't think I will ever be eating maggot cheese.
 
#15 ·
If presented with a dish of something and 1 US Dollar, I would have a different reaction than that of being presented with that same dish and say, 5 million dollars.  A large television audience might also weigh the decision one way or the other.

mjb.
 
#16 ·
Sadly, I would never do well on reality shows that, um, encourage you to eat non-traditional foods.  Texture is such an issue that I cannot eat cottage cheese with grapes in it.  When I did my flight training I was always the first to vomit if I smelled anything even remotely vomitous.  Moral (to me) issues kick in when even thinking of something like Balut (I get irrationally (to most) angry when I even see road kill...  such unreasonable waste) so the idea of eating anything I could consider a pet is a balking issue.  Industrial farming of animals also makes me furious.

Through survival training the idea of eating bugs became less objectionable.  They are really high in protein when you need it.  Unfortunately, the best ones to eat are the most disgusting: maggots, slugs, and grasshoppers (vile, crunchy little bastages)  Personally, I'd much rather munch on the inner bark of pine trees.(very tasty if you are very hungry... kinda like cucumber, but the cucumber that has shriveled in the back of the fridge...)

Maybe its a girlie thing for me, but I have trouble killing my dinner.  Fish, mussels, and lobster cause me trouble.  I still really enjoy the flavour of them, but the cooking (aka killing) part causes me pause.  I can convince myself that if they were wild, they led the best life they could while they could, and so their end is not a waste.

This leads me to what you could never pay me enough to eat.  Some may scoff, some may laud what it is I am missing out on.  Still, I have never, nor will I ever, eat fois gras.  Happy food tastes better.  You could never pay me enough to eat a tortured soul.
 
#17 ·
Sadly, I would never do well on reality shows that, um, encourage you to eat non-traditional foods. Texture is such an issue that I cannot eat cottage cheese with grapes in it. When I did my flight training I was always the first to vomit if I smelled anything even remotely vomitous. Moral (to me) issues kick in when even thinking of something like Balut (I get irrationally (to most) angry when I even see road kill... such unreasonable waste) so the idea of eating anything I could consider a pet is a balking issue. Industrial farming of animals also makes me furious.

Through survival training the idea of eating bugs became less objectionable. They are really high in protein when you need it. Unfortunately, the best ones to eat are the most disgusting: maggots, slugs, and grasshoppers (vile, crunchy little bastages) Personally, I'd much rather munch on the inner bark of pine trees.(very tasty if you are very hungry... kinda like cucumber, but the cucumber that has shriveled in the back of the fridge...)

Maybe its a girlie thing for me, but I have trouble killing my dinner. Fish, mussels, and lobster cause me trouble. I still really enjoy the flavour of them, but the cooking (aka killing) part causes me pause. I can convince myself that if they were wild, they led the best life they could while they could, and so their end is not a waste.

This leads me to what you could never pay me enough to eat. Some may scoff, some may laud what it is I am missing out on. Still, I have never, nor will I ever, eat fois gras. Happy food tastes better. You could never pay me enough to eat a tortured soul.
Dan Barber owner of Blue Hill did a really wonderful speech at Taste3 about this man who raises geese for natural foie gras. They arn't force fed and are extremely happy. Please take the time to listen to it its really very cool.

He also did a wonderful speech on sustainable fishing practices. Which is here.

Hope you enjoy it.
 
#18 ·
 I had my own list of things I wouldn't eat unless I was starving and maybe not even then but after reading everyone's replies, my list has grown.  I wouldn't eat snake meat, I don't care how it's prepared and seasoned. Monkey meat,  blood pudding, brains, tongue, chitlins, the list goes on but everything on it was once alive or it's life force, blood.  If I actually had to kill anything, I don't think I could eat it.  The mere description of slaughtering a cow or a pig is enough to turn me into a vegetarian for months.  I think the smell and sight of a slaughterhouse would make me a vegetarian for life.

I can't think of any vegetables, fruits or grains that I absolutely wouldn't eat.
 
#20 ·
durians make me physically ill, just the smell will mess me up.
pass on baluts and maggot cheese....there is also a cheese that is sooooo strong it's almost black and is a veined cheese, blanking on the name but will not go near that.

Any part of the pig, chicken or lamb can be tasty......working with pigs ears presently. 
 
#21 ·
Shroom,


I agree with everything you said. One more cheese I will add to that list is "Casu Marzu"....It might be still banned but even if I could , there would not be enough money to make me eat it........oh just the thought ......has me in knots....

pied de cochon ? why yes,  cooked in pickling spices with molasses.....
 
#22 ·
I've never had the opportunity to try "maggot cheese."  It certainly does sound repulsive.  Otherwise, I eat most of the other stuff pretty regularly.  For instance, "chipulinas" as an accompaniment to mezcal.

At some point, many of us made the decision not to let our cultural prejudices control our palates.  If other people eat and like something, we're willing to give it a try.  My personal response is almost always positive when I do.

Plus, let's be frank.  It's can be a lot of fun to gross other people out.

For me the real turn-off is poorly prepared food. 

Vivan gusanos!  Gusanos vivan!
BDL
 
#23 · (Edited)
the Casu Marzu and "maggot cheese" are the same cheese. Saw it on the Fword. It's banned because if you don't chew all the maggots they sometimes live long enough in your belly that they have eaten themselves free and cause internal bleeding at best.. no, thank you.

BDL have you really eaten a Balut? If so, that's extremely awesome, I just don't think I could control my gagging after I bit into it. The new asian market I go to has them, I just stare at them in fear and awe of people that can eat them.
 
#25 ·
Having eaten luxury Chinese foods such as shark fin, bear paw, etc. on a regular basis as a child, I personally will not eat any of these things today.  I have explained the ecological issues of the consumption of foods of this type with my parents and they both honored with my decision.  This decision still shapes the way I look at exotic food.
 
#26 ·
Having eaten luxury Chinese foods such as shark fin, bear paw, etc. on a regular basis as a child, I personally will not eat any of these things today. I have explained the ecological issues of the consumption of foods of this type with my parents and they both honored with my decision. This decision still shapes the way I look at exotic food.
Forgot about sharks fin....saw footage once of the poor things being chucked back - alive - after their fins had been cut off.
Not on my menu either.

If an animal is not humanely raised (ok doesn't apply to sharks) and humanely killed and fully utilised -count me out
 
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