Posted on 05/05/2010 8:53:35 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Delicacies in other countries may seem disgusting at first glance, but chefs and dietitians say they can be delicious and nutritious.
Just imagine the protein and minerals in an appetizing course of balut, followed by warm Casu Marzu, sizzling boodog and a refreshing bite of hasma for dessert.
Technically that's boiled duck fetus, maggot-ridden cheese, a beheaded goat stuffed with stones and frog fallopian tubes. The whole meal is a good source of protein.
Below is a list of foods you may find disgusting, delicious and perhaps nutritious -- if you can only bring yourself to try them.
Corn Smut, or Huitlacoche
For years farmers in the U.S. tried to avoid the fungal infection called corn smut. But Americans are discovering the tasty treat people in central and southern Mexico never stopped eating.
"It looks like a stalk of corn that looks like a brain, it's all lumpy but it's grey," said Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Once the fungus infects the corn, the kernels expand and change color to various shades of grey and black. As the fungus grows it also changes the corn's flavor and adds nutrients.
"It has tons of fiber, it also has beta-glucans which it's a kind of carbohydrate, and it's got a lot of other free sugars, which is very unusual for a mushroom," said Gerbstadt.
Corn smut, called huitlacoche in Latin America, also adds cancer protecting antimutigens and lysine to the corn, Gerbstadt said.
SNIP
Escamoles, or Ant Eggs
Only one percent of people in the U.S. refuse to eat eggs in some form, according to the Vegetarian Resource Council.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
This would make a great picnic.
Andrew Zimmern Ping!
Oh wow! And I thought I did something noteworthy when I ate escargot...
Somewhere, someone was the first person to eat a raw oyster.
PING
Yark!! I like adventure as well as the next fellow, but this sounds a bit intense..
The Boodog sounds great!
I’d go for some of that.
I can get all this stuff at WholeFoods, right?
I will not eat veal because of the inhumane confinement of the calf. Nor, will I eat goose liver pate because of the inhumane force feeding of the bird. Perhaps, I could think about some of the other oddities.
LOL
YARGH!!
I agree!
Deep Fried Twinkies.
YUM BALUT!
Can’t be worse than eating raw oysters, or deep fried prarie oysters!
It’s also available at Parts of Foods too.
I love natto! I wish I could eat it for breakfast every day.
Nothing beat Durian fruit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.