Bizarre Cultural Foods You Won't Find In Your Local Restaurant

Trying out different cuisines is one of the easiest ways to learn about other cultures, though some individuals may be hesitant about it, particularly if they are picky about what foods they eat. The food sources, preparation methods, and different ways foods are presented all vary from culture to culture. Sometimes foods from other cultures can become quite popular, causing them to be found just about everywhere, with other cultures presenting their own spin on it, but in many other instances, certain cultural foods are still considered a bit bizarre and thus, are not often found in restaurants.

Witchetty Grub

Named after the bush they feed off (the witchetty bush), these larvae have been known to be a staple in the diets of Aboriginal Australians. They are said to taste like almonds or lightly cooked nuts and are thought to be high in protein. Witchetty grubs live about two feet under the ground. When they are handled, they release a brown liquid as their defense mechanism, which would be enough to divert just about anyone's attention. After they are dug up, they can be eaten raw, or they can be cooked in hot ashes until their skin is crispy, similar to roasted chicken skin. The cooked center is yellow like a hard-boiled egg yolk. Yum!

Stinkheads

Stinkheads, which are from Alaska, got this name for a reason: they stink. Stinkheads are fermented fish heads that produce a nauseating smell. Fermentation is a preservation process that can prevent the rapid rate of spoilage. However, this process has been associated with the spike in E.coli outbreaks in Alaska in the mid-eighties. But, this does not seem to stop many who are addicted to the taste of this cultural food. The salmon heads are placed in a cloth sack and buried in a barrel underground for about a week. Once dug out of the ground, they are simply mashed with a fork and served as is. The smell may be terrible, but it doesn’t seem to bother those who love the taste.