Most obscure food you have eaten

[Tabonga | 2,317]

In the dive bars in South Dakota there were always a jar with picked eggs on the bar and these really thick and really greasy potato chips called K chips.  Neither of which one would touch if sober.  They went great with cheap beer though. (I am not sure which made what palatable but they  worked well together.)  The combination of the eggs and beer did make for some potent reminders the morning after - you had to be careful lighting a match at that point in time!

[Reed Rothchild | 9,516]

1 hour ago, RH said:

Taking a different direction (towards "sweets") I seem to be the only American that likes Swedish licorice (the salty kind) and I like "The Beverly" coke product you use to be able to try at World of Coke or at Disney World years ago.

The Beverly wasn't a soda intended to chug but was a pallet cleanser.  Understanding that, and sipping it, I found it refreshing and suited towards it's intended purpose. 

Literally everyone at WoC: 

 

[Gloves | 11,771]

I'm very boring with food, probably the most "obscure" thing I've eaten is caviar, and it's just salty & fishy.

[TylerBarnes | 184]

I am a big seeker of odd foods. I am the one in my family and friends group that will always pick the weirdest thing on the menu.

Things I have had the pleasure of trying: 
Chipulines (Crickets)
Natto (Fermented Soy Beans) 
Uni (Sea Urchin) 
Escargot (Snails) 
Venison (Deer) [not uncommon here in Texas]
Gator
Jellyfish
Dorian Fruit
Frogs Legs


Things I still would like to try: 
Escamoles (Ant Larvae) 
Geoduck (Clam Species) 
Balut (Semi Developed Duck Embryo) 
Umeboshi (Japanese Sour Plum)
Fugu (Blowfish) 
Casu Marzu (Maggot Cheese) 
Haggis (Sheep Intestines)

Edited February 10, 2020 by TylerBarnes

[PineappleLawnchair | 88]

28 minutes ago, RH said:

My son has a severe peanut allergy and since we basically 100% keep all forms of peanut out of the house, I miss Mary Janes soooooo much more.  But, I miss boiled peanuts the most. I only allow myself to get the cajun kind once when we are on vacation in Myrtle Beach, because most convenient shops have them down there.  I will literally drive myself to a gas station, eat a giant cups worth outside the shop and then drive home and have my clothes cleaned so that my kids doesn't get it on or near him.

Is that weird to anyone? Maybe? I don't know.  When you love a certain food and have to avoid it because of someone else, you only want it all the more and you do what you have to do. I also think my wife still cries over missing peanut butter every now and then, but at least she can have almond butter which is close.

Jesus, how life destroying is peanut butter that even a recess means you have to decontaminate. Also, try Sunflower seed butter, it's a pretty good substitute, tastes much closer to peanut than something like Almond would.

[RH | 4,898]

1 minute ago, PineappleLawnchair said:

Jesus, how life destroying is peanut butter that even a recess means you have to decontaminate. Also, try Sunflower seed butter, it's a pretty good substitute, tastes much closer to peanut than something like Almond would.

Yea, we use to have sunflower butter around.  We stopped because now that my son is in school, he's always in the "allergy" class, where peanut or nut-derived byproducts are not allowed.  So, there's no point.  We can eat it around the house but we just don't.

It's pretty bad for my son, though.  We use to eat at Texas Roadhouse all the time.  We had noticed that in general my son always had a skin rash, so we went and had him allergy tested when he was about 18 months old.  The test came back with a "severe peanut allergy".  Considering that Texas Roadhouse is nothing but one large peanut, we probably did the dumbest parent move we ever did and actually went to Texas Roadhouse the night of his test.

My wife ate a peanut and handed him a fork, and we spent the night in the hospital and after that never again brought them into our house and if we are around peanuts, we do severe clean up as to not bring it back into the house.  I mean, looking back we both feel like idiots going to TR but I don't know what triggered my son's reaction that night because he'd eaten in that restaurant probably 15-20 times before (they had a good weekly deal at one point) and we had even eaten peanuts at the table too.  He never had an issue until that night, but it scared the mess out of us.  Supposedly, people with severe allergies tend to have progressively worse reactions with each subsequent incident, so I guess that since we had done the pin-prick test that morning and then went into a place with peanuts on the table and in the air was to much for his immune system to take. So, since he almost went into anaphylactic shock, we've basically walked away from peanuts as a household, never to return.

But, if you ever catch my wife at a place without my son and they have a bowl of Reese's cups be careful because she might eat the whole thing. I'm not really a peanut butter guy, but I do enjoy the occasional Mary Janes and Butterfingers and also I grew up eating boiled peanuts every summer because my grand father would farm them.

[Tabonga | 2,317]

28 minutes ago, Gloves said:

I'm very boring with food, probably the most "obscure" thing I've eaten is caviar, and it's just salty & fishy.

I can mail you some lutefisk if you like.

Or some goat cheese - my grandfather used to eat some that looked (and smelled) like they came over with Leif Erikson.......

[Gloves | 11,771]

1 minute ago, Wandering Tellurian said:

I can mail you some lutefisk if you like.

Or some goat cheese - my grandfather used to eat some that looked (and smelled) like they came over with Leif Erikson.......

Is goat cheese considered obscure? I eat that somewhat regularly, especially on burgers.

But yes, if you can mail me lutefisk and it not "go bad" (worse?) then please, feel free.

[Tabonga | 2,317]

2 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Is goat cheese considered obscure? I eat that somewhat regularly, especially on burgers.

But yes, if you can mail me lutefisk and it not "go bad" (worse?) then please, feel free.

Goat cheese is common - just not the hard lumps that my grandfather ate - he used to drive clear across the city to a specialty store (this in a city teeming with Scandinavians of one stripe or another) to get them.

[guitarzombie | 924]

2 hours ago, arch_8ngel said:

Do you also eat those Mary Jane's peanut butter bars?  Or chick-o-stick?  You're THAT guy?

I dunno what chick-o-stick is but I have had those MJ bars, they're cool too haha.  I like candy corn as well.

[Tabonga | 2,317]

9 minutes ago, guitarzombie said:

I dunno what chick-o-stick is but I have had those MJ bars, they're cool too haha.  I like candy corn as well.

They are fairly similar to a butterfinger - but in a tube shape.  Not as flakey as a butterfinger (at least when relatively fresh - those are obnoxious when they harden) - which is better is up for debate.  But if you like one you will like the other.

Edited February 10, 2020 by Wandering Tellurian

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

7 minutes ago, Wandering Tellurian said:

They are fairly similar to a butterfinger - but in a tube shape.  Not as flakey as a butterfinger (at least when relatively fresh - those are obnoxious when they harden) - which is better is up for debate.  But if you like one you will like the other.

I thought they were supposed to be notionally chicken flavored, hence the name.

I like Butterfingers well enough, but had a bite of a chick o stick at camp as a kid and wanted to throw up.

[Kguillemette | 1,544]

Spoiler

 

I've eaten most organs. Kidneys, which are pretty good, beef liver, veal sweetbreads, cow brain( the worst...) RMO, duck liver(which is amazing as a spread on toast with goat cheese!)

 

Can't do foie gras anymore. Its just a fucked process used to make it.

I love lots of different cheeses, though I'm not sure how odd they would be considered. Maybe something a little unique like Boucheron, a ewe's milk cheese, which is one of my favorites. I also love D'affinois and other rinded creamy cheeses.

[Tabonga | 2,317]

4 minutes ago, arch_8ngel said:

I thought they were supposed to be notionally chicken flavored, hence the name.

I like Butterfingers well enough, but had a bite of a chick o stick at camp as a kid and wanted to throw up.

It is my understanding that they were originally called chicken bones (I assume since the outer shell had to be "broken" in order to eat it - but another company had a candy bar named that - so the name was changed to chick-o-stick - I read somewhere that this was because the cocanut coating somewhat resembled a chicken skin.)

[Tabonga | 2,317]

Since we have deviated to candy bars (at least a little) - here is one i suspect no one but me has ever had:

https://www.ebay.com/i/383198498100?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=383198498100&targetid=858219882363&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9028824&poi=&campaignid=6470552634&mkgroupid=90044703518&rlsatarget=pla-858219882363&abcId=1139336&merchantid=6372224&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm4TyBRDgARIsAOU75spaBcuVHvwY7ZjM6LIc76wNQxJ95zvBAKUjcgMSaIQGzaBHqCwvFikaAsQ6EALw_wcB

They were a 7 piece candy bar that was basically a bridge mix in a bar.  In the late spring/summer they would make them in milk chocolate and in the late fall/winter they would make them in dark chocolate.   

They stopped making them in 1979 and sold the rights to the 7 Up beverage company - which never liked the candy's name but couldn't do anything about it since the candy bar preceded the soda.  So the odds of the name surfacing again are slim to none -  someone could likely make the same (or similar) bar under a different name. 

s

Edited February 10, 2020 by Wandering Tellurian

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

9 hours ago, RH said:

Yea, we use to have sunflower butter around.  We stopped because now that my son is in school, he's always in the "allergy" class, where peanut or nut-derived byproducts are not allowed.  So, there's no point.  We can eat it around the house but we just don't.

 

Sunflowers aren't nuts, so he should be able to take that to school?

My kiddos' entire school is a nut-free zone, but SunButter is fine (and tastes close enough to peanut butter for my picky younger one to eat it)

[RpgCollector | 900]

I grew up on a farm. We made homemade head cheese and scrapple.working in the LA valley I have eaten Tripas (like it crunchy) and Cabeza burritos.

[Jeevan | 8,910]

Oof, not gonna lie, most of this sounds disgusting .  Now that I have read these posts I did forget I ate frog legs as well.  They were very delicious and actually did taste like chicken.  I have heard of most of these things and think I will stay away from most .  Some I have not and will google when I get home.  Keep them coming.  Interesting to see what all is out there.  I had a conversation one time with my boss, he is from the Ivory Coast, and he told me about goat's head soup.  He said it is amazing, but I don't think I will ever choose to legitimately try it unless I don't know what it is .  He has told me of fish eyes and chicken feet and the thing on top of the rooster head.  Swears they are all delicious.  Apparently they fry everything over where he comes from as well, which may make everything taste good.

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

Pretty sure you could deep fry a sneaker and have it taste amazing if you used the right batter.

I thought frog legs tasted more like shrimpy chicken than actual chicken.

I did go for a pickled egg from a jar in a bar one time while moderately intoxicated.   Purple part was good, the yolk was even more disgusting than usual.

[Jeevan | 8,910]

21 minutes ago, captmorgandrinker said:

Pretty sure you could deep fry a sneaker and have it taste amazing if you used the right batter.

I thought frog legs tasted more like shrimpy chicken than actual chicken.

I did go for a pickled egg from a jar in a bar one time while moderately intoxicated.   Purple part was good, the yolk was even more disgusting than usual.

could have been the way it was prepared on the frog legs.  the place I tried them at soaked them in buttermilk and apparently that is what takes the fishy/shrimp taste out.  

[Grondorr | 49]

I've eaten (or drank) some things that some might consider weird or gross but nothing too crazy:
- 1000 year old egg (Chinese delicacy)
- Salted duck egg (Chinese delicacy)
- Chicken feet (Chinese delicacy)
- Stomach soup (Mexican Menudo)
- Stomach soup (A variety of Chinese mala hotpot)
- Fish eyes (plucked them out from a whole grilled fish)
- Some very stinky cheeses
- Raw calves liver (Liver sashimi, which is illegal in Japan, but legal in the US if you can find it)
- Raw minced pork meat (Known as Mett in Germany)
- Korean Stinky fermented cabbage (Kimchi)
- SPAM
- Vienna sausages
- Scrapple
- Pig's feet
- Himalayan Buttered tea
- Sea squirts
- Sea cucumbers
- Snails
- Calf brain
- Raw ground beef (tartar)
- Raw fish (sushi)
- Raw sea urchin gonads (sushi)
- Frog legs
- Various fungi
- Venison
- Natto
- Alligator
- Crawdads (Crayfish)
- Various types of fish eggs, including caviar

Edited February 11, 2020 by Grondorr

[ninjistar | 517]

I kept seeing this topic pop up this week. I wasn't sure what to make of it. I don't feel anything i've eaten would be considered terribly exotic, but I think that's an exercise left to the reader. Some of my oddities:

- Venison (beef-tip style over noodles, jerky, steaks, and ground)
- Uni 
- Spam musubi (freaking delicious)
- Elk
- Ostrich
- A variety of ethnic foods that, depending on where you live or have traveled, may be considered "exotic": Korean, Japanese, Cantonese, Thai, Indian (but really, any major metro area has these)
- Chicken tikka masala pizza

I love trying new foods, but it doesn't happen too often these days. Some of the stuff folks have mentioned here sounds massively gross to me (i.e. sea cucumber). But... you never know until you try it!

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by ninjistar

[Jeevan | 8,910]

21 hours ago, cartman said:

Nothing crazier than liver. 

Liver and onions is a delicacy for some here in indiana.  My wife eats chicken liver and gizzards from time to time, i am not a fan.  Although I ate liver in chili once, didn't really have a flavor that I could taste, but it was in chili.

19 hours ago, RH said:

Taking a different direction (towards "sweets") I seem to be the only American that likes Swedish licorice (the salty kind) and I like "The Beverly" coke product you use to be able to try at World of Coke or at Disney World years ago.

The Beverly wasn't a soda intended to chug but was a pallet cleanser.  Understanding that, and sipping it, I found it refreshing and suited towards it's intended purpose. 

Beverly you say, I looked it up and it said it was marketed in Italy to drink before dinner as a way to help digestion.  Weird, but maybe it helps?

18 hours ago, PineappleLawnchair said:

God i wish i could remember exactly what it was, but it was some African dish the teacher's, well, "wife"(Something about Green cards) had us make in Middle school. Also stuff like Mochi, Yan Yan(like Pockey, except higher quality), and i guess Venison, because unless you go the old fashon way, deer meat is not easy to get a hold of

 

https://www.ktownmeatsandcatering.com/  Venison is on the menu.  I would buy it, but my wife doesn't want to eat bambi.  She says I can eat it as long as I dont tell her .  Had deer burgers at work cookout one time.  They were the best bambi I ever had!  Guy shot the deer and we enjoyed it very thoroughly that night, made like 20 burgers, they were a little thinner, and all but 2 were gone by the end of the night.  He ate them the next day for lunch .   

7 hours ago, RpgCollector said:

I grew up on a farm. We made homemade head cheese and scrapple.working in the LA valley I have eaten Tripas (like it crunchy) and Cabeza burritos.

Oof, you like your gross stuff dontcha .  Maybe I would try the cabeza burritos, but IDK.  As long as it is just the meat portion of the head area and not like brains and such.

4 hours ago, Grondorr said:

I've eaten (or drank) some things that some might consider weird or gross but nothing too crazy:
- 1000 year old egg (Chinese delicacy)
- Salted duck egg (Chinese delicacy)
- Chicken feet (Chinese delicacy)
- Stomach soup (Mexican Menudo)
- Stomach soup (A variety of Chinese mala hotpot)
- Fish eyes (plucked them out from a whole grilled fish)
- Some very stinky cheeses
- Raw calves liver (Liver sashimi, which is illegal in Japan, but legal in the US if you can find it)
- Raw minced pork meat (Known as Mett in Germany)
- Korean Stinky fermented cabbage (Kimchi)
- SPAM
- Vienna sausages
- Scrapple
- Pig's feet
- Himalayan Buttered tea
- Sea squirts
- Sea cucumbers
- Snails
- Calf brain
- Raw ground beef (tartar)
- Raw fish (sushi)
- Raw sea urchin gonads (sushi)
- Frog legs
- Various fungi
- Venison
- Natto
- Alligator
- Crawdads (Crayfish)
- Various types of fish eggs, including caviar

Very big variety of stuff you have eaten there.  I would stay away from 90% of it .  

[cartman | 195]

40 minutes ago, Jeevan said:

Liver and onions is a delicacy for some here in indiana.  My wife eats chicken liver and gizzards from time to time, i am not a fan.  Although I ate liver in chili once, didn't really have a flavor that I could taste, but it was in chili.

I don't like liver it has that iron type of taste to it but it's a good form of diet. Very little calories.

[Jeevan | 8,910]

honestly thought it was mushrooms because it had that look and texture