If I spot something unusual on the menu chances are I’ll opt for that. I’ve crunched my way through scorpions, nibbled locusts and enjoyed ostrich steak.
...a slice of lemon with your seafingers and barnacles?
While on a photographic assignment for The Cape Verde Experience I came across two local delicacies new to me: perceves (sea fingers) – they look a bit like purple fingers, you break off the end and peel off the skin to find the meat which is a bit like squid and cracas – I was served a lump of rock covered in barnacles and something resembling a knitting needle to poke around with! I’m sorry to say they were rather disappointing and more trouble than they are worth (but they were the only let down on my trip and I’ve since been back to the islands of Cape Verde on holiday).
Without a doubt the worst thing I ever eat was in Senegal, a really lovely country with very friendly people and some excellent restaurants (many with a French influence reflecting their colonial past). On a three day whirl-wind photography trip for The Senegal Experience I was invited to dinner at Hotel Espadon in Saly, a great hotel in a beautiful location on the beach. When I saw sea eurchins on the menu I couldn’t resist ordering them. My host suggested rather than have all six to myself that we have one each and I’m so glad he did. Imagine not-quite-set jelly made of seawater and that is pretty much it. Truly revolting but glad I tried it… just the once!
I’d love to hear your stories of the worst / best / most unusual thing you’ve eaten while traveling so please do leave a comment.
The bar over the sea at Hotel Espadon
live anemone, japan. NO THANK YOU.
Have to agree with you on that one! Sounds dreadful ..and LIVE. That’ll be ‘No, Thank you’ from me too! Thanks for the feed back.
Hiya Kathryn. While I haven’t eaten anything that unusual (being vegetarian means you usually don’t eat the weird things – like bugs), I did make a list of my best meals had on my trip from Melbourne through Asia and Europe to London. It’s here if you’d like to read it: http://hop-skip-and-jump.blogspot.com/2011/10/good-bad-and-ugly-my-meals-around-world.html
Raw meat balls! I think I’ll pass on that one, thank you