Food has helped to shape language, tradition and gut-sizes for as long as we’ve been able to explore beyond our own turf. Sometimes we try new dishes to gain a small cultural insight, and sometimes just because it’s different. But for better or worse, some of these foods slip under the radar, and we think they’re worth a try:
Durian fruit
No, there isn’t a gas leak in the house, someone is probably just eating a durian fruit. This spike-armored ball of stink can be found throughout most of Southeast Asia. It’s native to Thailand, where you can get fined just for cracking one open in a confined public space. While it’s probably the most potent fruit—or any edible thing—you’ll ever whiff, its taste is actually sweet and mild. You probably aren’t going to stock up on these, but you have to try it at least once in your life, preferably in the company of an unsuspecting friend.
Headcheese
Why should zombies have all the fun? Try ordering some headcheese in Europe and find out what brains really taste like—well, close to the brain, anyway. Headcheese is jellied meat taken from the head of a cow, pig, or sheep and served as cold cuts. It can be prepared in dozens of ways, and is found everywhere from Portugal to Poland. It might sound a little off-putting at first, but like most delicacies, this dish requires some bravery on the part of the diner. It’s savory, it’s unique and it’s a treat worthy of an adventurous palette.
Oyster Omelet or Oyster Pancake
You’ve probably had them on the half-shell, spiked with cocktail sauce or even with champagne vinaigrette drizzled on top. But these little guys are delicious in the Taiwanese style omelet found in the southern-most provinces of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Imagine a handful of succulent oysters wrapped in a warm egg blanket, swimming in chili sauce and lime juice, then fried in pork fat. This is by all accounts a satisfying and addictive snack that will probably end up spoiling your dinner, if not becoming it.
Injera
This delicious flatbread is native to the horn of Africa and is a staple of Ethiopian cuisine. More tangy than sour, it’s a simple bread that resembles pita, only oversized, fluffy and riddled with pockmarks. Its soft, spongy texture makes it easy to tear into strips and use as edible tongs. But apart from how delicious the bread is—and trust me, it’s disgusting how much of it you can eat on its own—the yeasty treat is only a complement to the traditional meat and vegetable pureè served on top. Good starting points are Doro Wot (chicken in spicy chili paste) and Ye’abesha Gomen (Ethiopian-style collard greens).
Dondurma
Think you’ve tried every kind of ice cream possible? How about the kind that gets whipped in the air and stretches like bubblegum? This Turkish delight is technically ice cream but with a few special ingredients native to Turkey that gives it a twist: Salep, which is a kind of flour, and a tree resin called mastic. This resin has been harvested so much for this bizarre confection that you can only get it in Turkey. And don’t feel slighted if a dondurma vendor boomerangs it back from your hands after giving it to you, spins it around, and finally returns it. It’s somewhat of a playful tradition.
Help add to our list of interesting food by telling us about some culinary curiosities you’ve tried.
