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Gag Me With a Bull Penis: Disgusting Dishes From Around The World!
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By Glenn Mueller
eDiets Contributor
Normally, it is my friend Shawn "Bacon Candy" McKee who talks to you about disgusting foods. After all, he is the current editor of the Worst Foods newsletter.
Readers email him their "Hall of Shame" foods, such as deep-fried Twinkies and sugary butter balls. Sometimes Shawn is even brave enough to prepare these recipes and eat them on camera.
But with all due respect to the Worst Food fans out there, it doesn't take that much courage to eat a sizzling piece of bacon dipped in brown sugar. In order to find some entrees that can make even the most iron of stomachs turn cartwheels, you have to do a little globe-trotting.
Now, before I completely gross you out, I should point out that I have not actually sampled most of the items on this list. Perhaps the most adventurous thing I've eaten is Haggis. I must say, the idea of eating sheep guts (heart, liver and lungs) boiled in the animal's stomach for up to three hours did not originally appeal to me when I visited Scotland. However, after a few hours of tossing back pints in a Glasgow pub, I worked up enough courage to try this ummmm "delicacy." It wasn't bad, though I don't have a compelling desire to try it again anytime soon.
But Haggis is mild in comparison to many of the other entrees enjoyed around the world. Here is just a mere sampling of the disgusting dishes out there:
Sheep Head: At least in Scotland, they are smart enough to only eat the sheep's innards. In Iceland, you can order a full-figured sheep head, complete with the eyes and everything. Or, if you're only in the mood for a snack, some sheep's head jam should do the trick. What can I say but "ewe?!"
Bull Penis: As humorist Dave Barry is fond of saying, "I am not making this up." Believe it or not, the male cow's member is rumored to be an aphrodisiac in parts of China. And that's no bull!
Baalut: I know the egg has been hailed as both "incredible" and "edible," but this popular Filipino dish is a shell of a way to eat them. First, you take a fertilized duck or chicken egg. Then, you bury it in the ground for about a month. Finally, you dig it up and soft-boil it. Now, scoop the half-formed chick out with a spoon and scarf it down. No wonder they call it "the treat with feet."
Roasted Cicada Larvae: I know Greece has been hailed as the birthplace of modern logic, but eating the larvae of these winged bugs doesn't seem to make much sense to me. Even if the great Aristotle himself did once sing the praises of this tasty treat. Who knows? Maybe the famous philosopher was drunk at the time. After all, Monty Python did describe him as "a bugger for the bottle."
Drunken Shrimp: I'm all for having a few drinks and going out for sushi, but, in this case, it is the shrimp that have the benefit of getting drunk. In China, they will serve you a bunch of live shrimp swimming around in a bowl of rice wine. In fact, I've heard that many Chinese folks like to catch the critters with chopsticks and bite their heads off. Wow! What a waste of perfectly gonopod rice wine!
Maggot Cheese: Evidently people in Sardinia actually cover cheese in cheesecloth and leave it out so that flies will lay their eggs in it. Then, they wait for the aforementioned eggs to hatch. Finally, they spread the cheese mixture on a piece of bread and eat it -- live maggots and all! Sounds like something Joe Rogan would have served up on Fear Factor.
Monkey Brains: I thought this was just a creative twist in the old Indiana Jones movies, but apparently people really do eat this stuff! In fact, Korean aficionados say the brains tatste best when eaten out of the open skull of a living monkey. The real question is: If you eat enough monkey brains, will you go ape shit?
Rocky Mountain Oysters: Well, people eat the bull's penis, so why not the testicles, too? The male cow's testicles, known as criadillas in Spain, are peeled, washed, rolled in flour and pepper and fried up in a pan. The problem is, I'm not sure if I have enough cajones to eat them! -
Do you know of any other disgusting dishes from around the world? Are you brave enough to tell us about the grossest thing you've ever eaten? Post a comment below!
Like this post? You might also enjoy:
-- Random Food Trivia Quiz
-- Best Dieting Jokes
-- Fright Night: Attack of the Giant Movie Snacks!
Comment by 
said... - Friday, May 16, 2008 2:27:00 PM
I've seen deep fried guinea pig (called cuy) in Ecuador. However, I did not have the pleasure of tasting.
Comment by jeff said... - Monday, May 19, 2008 4:03:00 PM
I am astonished to know these unique dishes. How can people eat these kind of stuff?
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 1:15:00 AM
What gets me, is the animal cruelty involved - monkey brains out of the open skull of a living monkey??? people are sickening. I will try most odd foods, but not where the animal is still alive.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 1:53:00 AM
I just need to correct one thing: FYI: the balut is a fertilized egg that's around 16days old, it's inspected daily to ensure a healthy chick and then hard boiled, and sold as soon as possible,the shelf life of balut is only 1day. so if you buy it, it's warm and freshly cooked. To eat balut, you must eat it as soon as you buy it. BALUT IS NEVER BURIED AND THEN DUG UP FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION WHICH THIS ARTICLE CLAIMS.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 2:02:00 AM
whale meat, blubber, and tongue fermented in blood. tangy! (Inupiaq Eskimo dish, "mikigaq")
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 2:25:00 AM
There is nothing wrong with Rocky Mountain oysters, they are fresh clean and very good fried,, rather eat them anyday than a dirty old crawfish that has been crawling around in swampy water
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 3:55:00 AM
Roasted cicada lavrae??? I'm born and raised in Greece and there's no such thing here!!! in China maybe?? Or are you confusing "tzitziki" (=cicada in greek) with "tzatziki" (=yogourt, cucumber & garlic dip)??? hahahahahahahahaa that's an original!!
Comment by 
oldschool mark said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 4:51:00 AM
i am from the philippines. it's spelled "balut". and the taste ROCKS!!!
actually, i find your section kinda INSENSITIVE about these food that come from other cultures. have you at least TRIED them? your imagination is quite limited. mind you, these cultures/foods are probably even OLDER than yours, and you only have developed hamburger and fries...
Comment by oldschool mark said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 4:53:00 AM
i am from the philippines. it's spelled "balut". and the taste ROCKS!!!
actually, i find your section kinda INSENSITIVE about these food that come from other cultures. have you at least TRIED them? your imagination is quite limited. mind you, these cultures/foods are probably even OLDER than yours, and you only have developed hamburger and fries...as your saying goes: don't knock it till you try it!
Comment by lastminute ferienhaus said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:21:00 AM
I can make friend shawn bacaon candy and he talk to me any disgusting foods.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 7:08:00 AM
Well, I've tried a couple of those (haggis and rocky mtn. oysters) and although I wasn't fond of the first, I absolute loved the "oysters", lol. While in South America I found a place that served a dish made with newborn baby birds...no, didn't try that one!
Comment by Pirate-Rabbit said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:28:00 AM
In all of the countries I've visited, one thing has become clear: food is deeply rooted in culture and history. I'm sure that many cultures across the globe would be terrified of what goes into a hot dog, or how on earth we can stomach a fried food festival. That being said we as a culture have developed our own tastes and traditions and many may look just as strange to other cultures.
Remember, it wasn't 40 or 50 years ago that Sushi was a daunting prospect to many westerners, or that McDonalds was an innovative new idea.
Just some food for thought.
Comment by anonymous said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:37:00 AM
My fiancee is from Ecuador and ,in fact, they do eat guinea pig (cuy). The restaurants that sell this dish have cuys that are alive. The customer picks the living cuy and then the cook prepares the cuy. As to my finacee they are great and very tasting. I personally would never eat one!!!!!
Comment by luvzturtles said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:38:00 AM
When we were in China, our tour guides ate a delicacy known as "stinky tofu." A few in our group tasted it and claimed it was disgusting! I'm not sure how they made it, but the smell was more than enough for me!
Comment by anonymous said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:38:00 AM
My fiancee is from Ecuador and, in fact, they do eat guinea pig (cuy). The restaurant that sells the cuy has them alive and the customer can pick which one they want, according to size and how appealing they look. The cook will kill the cuy and prepare it right there. I personally think that is horrible and will not eat one.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:43:00 AM
Being Greek, living in Greece, having a town house and a summer house where guests from Greece and abroad parade all the time, loving to cook for family and friends and hence having hundreds of cook books- some of them belonging to my great grand mother- I assure you that there is no dish in Greece with roasted cicada larvae!I ve searched encyclopeadias, history books, talked to professors of folk history, to cuisine researchers, noone ever heard of such a thing. Where on earth did you find such nonsense?
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:49:00 AM
these stuffs are so gross. however would try the fried testeciles
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:52:00 AM
some hispanics i know eat blood sausage, blood of cow is inserted into some animal intestines and left to dry, known to treat high blood preasure and other things, in humans.
P.S. i've never tried it
CHIQUITA
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 10:11:00 AM
heyyy and people here will not even eat bread with a little mold on it!!!! Any true Southener knows about "mountain oysters" and pickled pig feet...
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 10:13:00 AM
I have eaten a soup called "cow cod soup", it is basically the penis and testicles of the cow and believe me, it is delicious. I have also had fried goat's brains and that is also delicious. Every culture has their own disgusting foods, but, hey, some of the foods that we eat in Canada and the United states are discusting to people of other countries. Now eating the monkey brains while the monkey is still alive is just darn right cruel, disgusting and wicked.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 10:19:00 AM
I see some people getting kind of defensive over the dishes mentioned. I don't think the author is intending to insult anyone so relax, for one thing. I think that foods like this do point out that they were more than likely created out of necessity to get the most out of the animal being used for meat. Since in most cases around the world now, people don't have to worry about making sure their bull will last a long period of time so they don't have to eat the "member", but it has become tradition so they continue to do so anyway. My family is from the UK and while I'm extremely proud of my heritage, I see no need for Haggis anymore, but it's tradition so people continue to eat it. It all depends on how you're raised. I'm a very picky eater, but even if I had been raised eating sheep's innards, the idea of fertilized duck fetus is still very unappealing. Then again, that's not my part of my culture, so it would be odd to me. I'm sure there are items in diets around the world everyone finds odd, but there's no reason to get all bent out of shape over people thinking your delicacy is strange.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 3:36:00 PM
"Cajones" = drawers (like in a desk or dresser). If you're referring what goes into the type of drawers one wears, that would be "cojones!"
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:42:00 PM
I´m from Ecuador and in restaurants you don´t get to pick the live animal. You just find them roasted in a stick. They look rats without a tail. Indigenous people consider it gourmet food.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, May 20, 2008 11:17:00 PM
I wish you would'nt have used curse words , but it was a very interesting and factual piece of information .How odd the dishes were ! I guess if they like that dish they can eat it . (But not me )How do people stomach that stuff ?
Comment by oldschool mark said... - Wednesday, May 21, 2008 2:03:00 AM
check out this site:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2906134/BeijingFastFood
this is my point: it's a culture thing. gross or not, people eat this stuff....make that a BILLION of eaters!
to tell you the truth, i got HUNGRY just viewing these photos of delicacies.
excuse me while i go out and order some balut to crave my appetite!
Comment by said... - Thursday, May 22, 2008 4:17:00 PM
Wow! And my husband thinks cottage cheese is weird. I must say that I was unknowingly given rocky mountain oysters and thought it was rather tasty...until I was told what it really was.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, May 28, 2008 5:40:00 PM
i cant even understand what type of person would eat these things, it makes me disgusted!. you might as well be a cannibal!!!! animals are living creatures that aren't polluted like 90% of the world.i would sooner eat a human than a poor monkey.at least the human would have deserved it!!!
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:00:00 PM
Cassis is a blackcurrant liquor, not cinammon. please !!!! anonymous
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 04, 2008 7:43:00 PM
I just read your article and the numerous people who responded with a complaint that your research with respect to cicada larvae is faulty.
Sorry but I have to agree. I know that some cultures favour the flavour of cicada larvae and/or mosquito eggs to boot (wouldn't you get a buzz out of that snack??? tee hee), but NOT FROM GREECE.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, April 07, 2009 7:04:00 PM
THATS SO FUNNY THE MAGGOT CHESSE SOUNDS GOOD. LOL THE MONKEY BRAIN THING IS FUNNY ALSO. IT REMINDS ME OF INDIANA JONES.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 4:42:00 AM
I am Greek and I can assure you its the first time I actually see written that we eat the larvae of the cicadas.... As far as I am concerned this is totally wrong and offends me. thank you.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 8:24:00 AM
There is no such thing as monkey brain as a dish in Korea and clearly, judging by some of the other comments, a few more facts in this article seem to be pure fiction. It's called research. Try it!
Also: The writer seems very immature and close-minded. Just because there are dishes that you find normal and are used to, does that mean that they are 'acceptable and right' in global standards? Then why should you insult and ridicule something from another culture, just because you are not used to it?? What a silly, silly writer.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 3:41:00 PM
To the Anonymous writer who questioned the validity of this article:
There most certainly IS a dish in Korea of live monkey brains. In fact, watch the movie Faces of Death (the original). You will see the monkey brought out, put into a special table where only its head sticks out (it knows - it is howling and fighting the whole time), and then watch some disgusting tourists beat it on the head then eat the brains from the bashed skull. Yes, it's true.
So, do your own research before criticizing the research of others. What an ignorant, ignorant commenter.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 3:46:00 PM
Incidentally, Anonymous who doesn't believe this is true, take a look at this:
http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/The-8-Most-Cruel--Controversial-World-Delicacies.91674
You asked for it- your proof is here.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:19:00 PM
Hey---"cajones" are drawers (as in a dresser or chest of...)
"cojones" are what you need to be brave enough to eat the Rocky Mountain oysters!
Comment by said... - Thursday, April 16, 2009 11:02:00 AM
Greek Anonymous:
You've obviously never read your countryman Aristotle's work. Roasted cicada have a long history in Greece. Best eaten when the larvae is about to hatch, supposedly.
Do a search on ASK.com for Roasted Cicada Larvae. You will be surprised.
Comment by said... - Friday, April 17, 2009 4:07:00 PM
Balut is a healthy food.It had not been buried in ground for a month though. It is a fertilized egg that is thoroughly boiled and eaten while hot. You think it's gross ? Try Filipino dish called "dinuguan". It is animals' innards simmered with spices and blood. It sounds gross, but it is sooo good.
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