What is the most bizarre ("exotic") food you had the courage to sample?

SFC Mark Merino — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 20:13:50 -0400

As service members, we had the opportunity to go to many places most civilians will never visit in their lifetime. Some of the spreads included things we didn't even know existed. What are some of the things you subjected your taste buds to? Was it worth the effort, or did your taste buds die in place?

Nattō (なっとう or 納豆?) is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. natto. Some eat it as a breakfast food. Nattō may be an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and slimy texture. Hitomi just had a bowl of her decomposing goodness. I gave it a shot....this may be the last time we speak.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 8 at 2015 8:29 PM

PO1 John Miller — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 20:29:30 -0400

Balute and hagus.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 8:35 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 20:35:54 -0400

Amy dish cooked by my ex-wife

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 8 at 2015 9:10 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:10:18 -0400

Yama Sakura 47, Hokkaido Japan 2005. I took part in a home visit program and went home with a Japanese officer and dined on a traditional Japanese meal with him and his family. Now they prep you by telling you that this is a huge honor and the family goes all out on the meal similar in nature to what we do for a big Thanksgiving dinner and not eating something would be insulting. Still couldn't prepare me for the meal. Noodles, exotic seafoods - most raw, rice and a lot of heat. Man do they like hot and spicy. So here I am, with 2 other US officers, slurping, smiling, choking it down and trying not to gag. The family especially grandma and the kids were getting a kick out of us. Most Japanese do not have a lot of interaction with westerners so this was an exciting experience for them as well. Luckily, lots of sake!!

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Jun 8 at 2015 9:10 PM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:10:36 -0400

i've had snake and alligator.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 9:11 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:11:54 -0400

Habu sake count?

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jun 8 at 2015 9:15 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:15:36 -0400

I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food. Although I try not venture into the insect category if I can help it. I guess I've had silkworm, scorpion, bird's nest, shark fin soup, fish maw soup, and so much more.

I'd have to say scorpion would be mine.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 8 at 2015 9:15 PM

PO1 John Miller — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:15:46 -0400

I've also most likely eaten dog or rat meat in Mexico.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jun 8 at 2015 9:17 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:17:20 -0400

Many years ago, as I opened my mouth to decline a taste of Kimchi, I had a mouthful of it!

Response by SGT Richard H. made Jun 8 at 2015 9:17 PM

SGT Richard H. — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:17:42 -0400

Escargot (snails) on a trip to Paris is about as adventurous as I've gotten. They were actually pretty tasty.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Jun 8 at 2015 9:17 PM

MAJ Raúl Rovira — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:17:49 -0400

Crickets in BBQ sauce. It came in a bag like Doritos.

Response by SSG Kenneth Lanning made Jun 8 at 2015 9:32 PM

SSG Kenneth Lanning — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:32:37 -0400

I bought a "burger" from a street vendor while I was in Bosnia...

Response by SA Harold Hansmann made Jun 8 at 2015 9:49 PM

SA Harold Hansmann — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:49:14 -0400

Pot stickers from a street vendor in Okinawa Japan

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 9:56 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 21:56:27 -0400

In Korea, Dog was my favorite "exotic" meal. I ordered it in a restaurant on two different occasions. I had it stewed and BBQ'd. I have to say it was delicious and I would definitely order it again.

In Iraq/Kuwait, I had the opportunity to eat fresh camel. It was also delicious. We bought the fresh meat from a local "grocery" store and then grilled it up. We ate first as steaks and then we cut up the meat and may camel tacos. One of my Soldier's mother had mailed him some homemade tortillas and salsa and we went to town. 10 out of 10 would eat camel tacos again.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 10:36 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:36:52 -0400

I ate raccoon jerky while stationed at Bragg, the verdict is still out on whether it was roadkill or not.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2015 10:43 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:43:19 -0400

Almost forgot, while at al taqqadum air field in 2003 they allowed locals onbase to sell the GIs crap and there was a food stand (probably operated by insurgents providing Intel to get is mortared every other night) that had what looked like nyc meat on a roaster. Everybody was sick for a few weeks til our guts got used to it. Great food, but eventually they were kicked off the airfield.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jun 8 at 2015 10:47 PM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:47:56 -0400

In the course of my duties as the G-5 Civil Military Operations NCO in Korea I was invited to a celebration by a village chief in honor of his reelection and they had "Slain the Fatted Dog"

Response by Col Lyman Faith made Jun 8 at 2015 10:48 PM

Col Lyman Faith — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:48:36 -0400

Vegemite.

Response by SFC Maury Gonzalez made Jun 8 at 2015 11:01 PM

SFC Maury Gonzalez — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:01:43 -0400

Sampled a gator nugget in Charleston, it did taste like chicken

Response by 2LT Scott Armstrong made Jun 8 at 2015 11:02 PM

2LT Scott Armstrong — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:02:44 -0400

Does continuing to eat a Chicken a la King MRE after finding and tossing a full chicken talon/foot in it count? If not, then alligator meat.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 9 at 2015 12:54 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 00:54:39 -0400

Several far east versions of Rocky Mountain Oysters. We'd hammer the local beer until we didn't care what we ate.

In SERE school rabbit eyes were in high demand.

Tried Fugu (Pufferfish) once. Glad the guy cut it up right.

Really liked the White Bait in New Zealand.

Response by SGT Hector Rojas, AIGA, SHA made Jun 9 at 2015 12:58 AM

SGT Hector Rojas, AIGA, SHA — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 00:58:34 -0400

Bull testicles and cow brains.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Jun 9 at 2015 1:05 AM

CPT Chris Loomis — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 01:05:09 -0400

I've eaten a cockroach... Two different times.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Jun 9 at 2015 1:41 AM

Capt Mark Strobl — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 01:41:12 -0400

"Rocky Mountain Oysters" --First and only time I didn't make it to the head in order to vacate my stomach. Afterward, I felt sympathetic to the poor bull. Felt like I owed him an apology. Never. Again.

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Jun 9 at 2015 2:22 AM

PO1 Tony Holland — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 02:22:38 -0400

Had monkey meat on a skewer from street vendor in Subic Bay - mistakenly thought
it was chicken; was tricked into a dog meat steak supper by French Foreign Legionnaires
in Madagascar following a case of beer with three of them in the hot equatorial sun.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 10:12 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 10:12:50 -0400

Camel, it was served with spaghetti style noodles.
Alligator and Ostrich, both as burgers, but a bunch of places serve them in NYC.

Response by SGT Kevin Brown made Jun 9 at 2015 1:08 PM

SGT Kevin Brown — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 13:08:29 -0400

Ox tongue, squid or possibly a live maggot casserole (not sure if that one counts though, I didn't know they maggots were alive until half way through the meal when I noticed them moving).

Response by LTC Gavin Heater made Jun 9 at 2015 7:43 PM

LTC Gavin Heater — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 19:43:48 -0400

I've eaten dog in Korea and cat in Thailand, as well as Praying Mantis in Thailand. All part of special meals, not pets or street snacks.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 9:28 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 21:28:12 -0400

A 10.5 oz glass of Rakia that had to be downed in one shot. Then I had to do the next 6.5 oz of booze to prove myself a man and meet the 17 oz standard.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jun 9 at 2015 9:35 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 21:35:08 -0400

Gator and shad Roe.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 10 at 2015 1:54 AM

PO1 John Miller — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 01:54:57 -0400

I've also eaten questionable meat on a stick in Thailand, probably monkey meat.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 5:20 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 05:20:59 -0400

As a civilian, I vacationed in Ecuador and ate live ants, piranha, and all sorts of other delicacies. Here in Korea, I've eaten gaegogi, which is dog meat. The lemon ants tasted way better than the dog!

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 7:22 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 07:22:25 -0400

Dinuguan. It's a Filipino dish. I liked it, and yes, I knew exactly what it was before trying it. I'm a huge fan of Andrew Zimmern, and that's where I saw it first.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 1:53 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 13:53:37 -0400

Balut

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 4:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 16:48:51 -0400

crickets. but probably took more courage to eat chicken down range in afghanistan.

Response by SGT John Willis made Jun 10 at 2015 4:53 PM

SGT John Willis — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 16:53:32 -0400

Octopus and squid when in was in Japan for a FTX with the 6ID

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 6:08 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 18:08:47 -0400

Manama, Bahrain I had the chance to order a pigeon via delivery service. Not at all what I should have done. The pigeon was wrapped tightly in tin foil and it was near impossible to get any meat from it. The taste was ruined by the fact that it was a pigeon. That's about the weirdest thing I've eaten.

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Jun 10 at 2015 6:54 PM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 18:54:05 -0400

Japan, 1988, Sea Urchin......then the eel backbone fried in tempura....

Response by MSgt E. W. Forbess made Jun 10 at 2015 7:15 PM

MSgt E. W. Forbess — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 19:15:22 -0400

Raw sea urchins while snorkeling in S. Italy. (I have to admit -- we had a few beers as an appetizer first...)

Response by SSgt Thomas L. made Jun 10 at 2015 9:23 PM

SSgt Thomas L. — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 21:23:39 -0400

Nattou is a staple in my house. My kids love it. It's actually very good for you. When my parents came to visit Okinawa last year, we went to the fish market in Naha and got some yakkogai, a giant sea snail. Ate it raw with some raw octopus. Quite good!

Response by SSgt Thomas L. made Jun 10 at 2015 9:29 PM

SSgt Thomas L. — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 21:29:24 -0400

Oh, and my grandfather used to make an Italian delicacy, cappuzelle. Roasted lamb's head. The eyes were the hardest to get past, but the cheek meat and tongue were amazingly good.

Response by SSgt Cedric Hathway made Jun 10 at 2015 10:52 PM

SSgt Cedric Hathway — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 22:52:24 -0400

Balut while at Subic Bay, which is a fermented duck egg! One that's it, it was worse than all the crap I had to do to become a Golden Shellback!

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 2:42 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 02:42:05 -0400

While in Israel in 1981, working with the INP, my host/partner and I were honored guests of the Bedouin Tribal Chieftain in the Negev. On our way there, my partner remarked that I will not recognize any of the food and the coffee is thicker than tar. Major Eleazar Ben Yahir hit that nail on the head. To this day, I have no idea what we ate, but I couldn't get back to our barracks compound and my room quick enough to take some Gaviscon!!!

Response by CW3 Craig Linghor made Jun 11 at 2015 3:56 AM

CW3 Craig Linghor — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 03:56:39 -0400

Scorpion, duckhead and locusts in China....yummy. Blowfish in Japan. Bird nest and Bugs in Thailand. Durian in the PI. If it looks, smells or tastes like shit it's gotta be good for you right?

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 7:06 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 07:06:34 -0400

Natto with rice is awesome!

Response by SSG Tina Herndon made Jun 11 at 2015 7:28 AM

SSG Tina Herndon — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 07:28:27 -0400

Blood sausage in Argentina. YUCK!

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 7:33 AM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 07:33:11 -0400

Durian. Smelled like rotten almonds or something...tasted sorta like almonds too. Wasn't that bad, but I wouldn't try it again lol. My place stunk of it for awhile....

Response by Sgt Daniel Albrecht made Jun 11 at 2015 7:38 AM

Sgt Daniel Albrecht — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 07:38:03 -0400

This thing call MRE you might of never herd of it but if you eat too many you will not be able to poop. They come in all different flavors and at the time it tasted ok. But after is another story. They would give us boxes of these MRE's to eat for weeks at a time. I will never touch one of thes MRE's again.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 11:14 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 11:14:57 -0400

SFC Mark Merino In Puerto Rico, for us, Christmas means, along with other plates, MORCILLAS! (blood sausages). Ofently people buys a pig, alive, kill it, drain the blood and fill their guts with the blood. Some mix the blood with rice just to make more but there are some that make them just from blood. Rice and pigeon peas, pork, boiled green bananas and morcillas! That's our traditional Christmas plate. Ok, I'll stop, I'm already drooling!

Response by PO1 Glenn Boucher made Jun 11 at 2015 12:36 PM

PO1 Glenn Boucher — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 12:36:06 -0400

Being stationed on several ships out if Japan I would say eating street wok fried beetles in Thailand, Balut (day old duck embryo) and Tomilok (an extremely long looking oyster is the best description) in the Philippines.

Response by MSG D. Layne-Sheffield made Jun 11 at 2015 1:47 PM

MSG D. Layne-Sheffield — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:47:03 -0400

Squid and alligator. Neither were that bad. I would actually eat them again.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 1:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:48:22 -0400

I ate a bag of dog biscuits when I was drunk once. Does that count?

Response by Lt Col Sam Skaggs made Jun 11 at 2015 1:52 PM

Lt Col Sam Skaggs — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 13:52:29 -0400

I was once "treated" to "century eggs" by some coworkers from the Republic of Singapore Air Force. I'm certain they enjoyed my reaction far more than I enjoyed the eggs. lol

From Wikipedia: Century egg or pidan (Chinese: 皮蛋; pinyin: pídàn), also known as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg, thousand-year-old egg, and millennium egg, is a Chinese cuisine ingredient made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing.
Through the process, the yolk becomes a dark green to grey color, with a creamy consistency and an odor of sulphur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, translucent jelly with salty or little flavor. The transforming agent in the century egg is its alkaline material, which gradually raises the pH of the egg to around 9–12, or more during the curing process. This chemical process breaks down some of the complex, flavorless proteins and fats, which produces a variety of smaller flavorful compounds.
Some eggs have patterns near the surface of the egg white that are likened to pine branches, and that gives rise to one of its Chinese names, the pine-patterned egg.

According to a persistent misconception, century eggs are or were once prepared by soaking eggs in horse urine. The myth may have arisen from the pungent odor of ammonia (a side-product of protein breakdown) given off by century eggs, which is reminiscent of urine.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 2:41 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 14:41:11 -0400

Natto paste with rice. Kegogi stew and meat platter. Silkworm larvae. Chicken feet.
I enjoyed my time in Korea.

That said, my family origins are rooted in Louisiana so I eat anything.

Oh and haggis, black pudding (blood sausage), calf pancreas, scrapple and chitlins.

Response by PO3 Chooee Lee made Jun 11 at 2015 2:41 PM

PO3 Chooee Lee — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 14:41:36 -0400

Olongapo Zambales PI. Unborn baby octopus.

Response by SSG Donald Mceuen made Jun 11 at 2015 2:57 PM

SSG Donald Mceuen — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 14:57:27 -0400

When we came out of the desert we went to every resturant we could find
we ordered shrimp at one and when they brought it to us it looked rotten
i would not even use it for bait but when we were told that is was good we
tried it and it was very good. But we had been eatting mres for 3 months
so crap would have tasted good.

Response by PO1 John Juarez made Jun 11 at 2015 3:34 PM

PO1 John Juarez — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 15:34:32 -0400

Balut baby!!! In the Phillipines when my ship pulled in there!!

Response by PO1 John Juarez made Jun 11 at 2015 3:35 PM

PO1 John Juarez — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 15:35:49 -0400

Iguana in Panama, Rocky Mtn oysters in various places in the US. Kim Chee in Korea ( and still eat it today!)

Response by SGT Richard H. made Jun 11 at 2015 4:31 PM

SGT Richard H. — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 16:31:06 -0400

Just thought of another one...Lutefisk. My (Norweigan) grandpa used to make it all the time, but I only ate it once. It's like mushy fish in a tomato stew and tastes like the fish was rolled in borax.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 5:40 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 17:40:56 -0400

I ate an octopus pizza when we were in Palermo...It was really good! Always try something new, you never know if you don't try~

Response by MAJ Bill Maynard made Jun 11 at 2015 6:42 PM

MAJ Bill Maynard — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 18:42:54 -0400

MREs!

Response by SPC Ei McS made Jun 11 at 2015 7:42 PM

SPC Ei McS — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 19:42:24 -0400

Roasted dragonflies: Eritrea.
Termite patties: Cameroon

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 9:46 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 21:46:50 -0400

Born and raised in the Philippines so I grew up eating bizarre food :)...I'm always down to try other exotic ones too but I think balut is the best one in my book.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 11:51 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 23:51:46 -0400

Pickled and Dried baby crab.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 12:01 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 00:01:06 -0400

I haven't seen where anyone has mentioned Kimchi. One does not set foot in South Korea without a proper introduction to that Number One favorite!!!

Response by PO3 Dennis Martinez made Jun 12 at 2015 12:37 AM

PO3 Dennis Martinez — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 00:37:55 -0400

DEEP FRIED OCTOPUS BALLS IN JAPAN

Response by LTC Lewis Cox made Jun 12 at 2015 3:34 AM

LTC Lewis Cox — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 03:34:20 -0400

In Vietnam our Cambodian troops used their bayonets to chop up a 14 foot Python (carried in a coil, over the shoulder) they last for many days, alive. They skinned it and chopped it up on a log they split. They Mage little ball size servings and fried it. Taste terrible! Very gritty, bones chopped up also. We only ate One, that was Enough!

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 9:04 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 09:04:44 -0400

Nothing too crazy but when I was stationed in Italy, I had the best steak I have ever tasted. I found out shortly after finishing that it was horse steak. I felt so bad for eating Mr. Ed...but man was that a good steak!

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 10:56 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 10:56:14 -0400

I grew up overseas so I have a list of the strange stuff I've eaten.

But the top is easy: Eyeball taco. Hands down.

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Jun 12 at 2015 12:56 PM

Maj Mike Sciales — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 12:56:15 -0400

I was invited to an organizational luncheon at a wedding palace near Kunsan, ROK. I went through the line putting small amounts of all the different items on my plate to try and get an idea of what was tasty or less so. There was an earthen jar with a brown kind of pasty material and I put a glop on my plate. I went and sat at a long table with about 15 other folks (I was near an open window and below us a happy couple was getting filmed) and started eating. I put a bite of the brown material on my chopsticks and popped it in my mouth. Immediately I was overwhelmed with the impression I had put some dog crap in my mouth. I've never eaten dog crap so I really couldn't say it was dog crap, but everything in my mind was screaming that. I started feeling clammy and thought I needed to hurl and almost blew it out the open window, but I thought of that poor couple and what a bad international incident it would make, so I swallowed it and drank a bunch of water. When the clamminess left me I got up and searched for the jar -- but it was gone from the buffet line. Now it might have been taken off to be refilled but it also might have been removed by some nasty kid who put some poodle crap in the jar just to see if anybody would eat it. Certainly I'll never know, but that beat everything else - including sheep brains in Saudi.

Response by MSgt Michael Durkee made Jun 12 at 2015 2:04 PM

MSgt Michael Durkee — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 14:04:56 -0400

This is one of the most exotic that I've had, Cuttlefish in it's own ink and sake.

Response by LCDR Jeffery Dixon made Jun 12 at 2015 2:55 PM

LCDR Jeffery Dixon — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 14:55:50 -0400

Hong Kong. Cobra snake blood with a side of bile.

Response by COL Ken LaPlante made Jun 12 at 2015 3:16 PM

COL Ken LaPlante — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 15:16:53 -0400

LMAO at the many responses! For me two instances stand out: 1) while our 1-504 PIR was at the Jungle Operations Training School; at the "you do not have to go w/o food in the jungle class", we were lined up to sample snake and monkey -- Cool, I am from KY! As the Co Cdr, I took the last place in line behind my 1SG; arriving at the 'mess table' TOP handed me my portion: one each Howler Monkey's hand! As I looked at it, TOP said "Chill, CPT, it is left hand, like you -- and tastes like "chicken" [no it did not!].... I gnawed on the dang thing so my paratroopers would not think me the 'wuss'; and 2) during a deployment in South Korea, my ROK SF Counterpart decided he needed to take me and my Tm Sgt to a local spot he just loved. We were in "isolation" but that did not stop us from sneaking out. He had some local security folks close the restaurant so we did not get 'captured' and ordered a plate of everything. When it came, my Tm Sgt and I recognized about 10% of the offerings, some of the food was still moving.... Tm Sgt gulped, mentioned something about "flashback to Viet Nam" and we ate [nothing tasted like chicken rather most tasted like spoiled fish and wet road kill] and made it through the meal. Later that night, I met my Tm Sgt in the latrine where we chuckled between upchucks!

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 4:08 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 16:08:08 -0400

SFC Mark Merino I recognize those beans! I've had them!

They're Japanese and you can buy them in a paper cup off the shelf at a convenience store.

They taste pretty good and the cup isn't half bad either (I have ways to get revenge on people trying to play "let's gross out the foreigner" on me). =P

Response by TSgt Jack Manigold made Jun 13 at 2015 9:29 AM

TSgt Jack Manigold — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 09:29:19 -0400

When I was in the Marine Corps. I went to visit a friend stationed in Costa Rica. We had a few beers and started "double doggin" each other to do things. When my turn came up, we were standing in front this cart selling deep fried items. My buddy grabs the least appetizing thing on the cart. Not to be outdone, I "man" up and end up eating a lightly battered deep fried tarantula. The legs and outer body were a little crispy, but the inside was a little too gooey. I ate the tarantula quickly as humanly possible and washed it down with some whiskey right afterwards. I would not recommend fried tarantula to any one! It has a taste that I cannot describe. The only positive thing from the experience, comes from the looks on people's faces when I tell the story.

Response by COL Jeff Williams made Jun 13 at 2015 1:29 PM

COL Jeff Williams — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 13:29:45 -0400

Dog in Africa, Cow brains in Spain and goat brain, tongue and liver here in the UAE

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2015 10:42 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 22:42:40 -0400

Roasted grasshoppers from Brazil, yes, if you didn't keep a lid on them, those suckers would jump all over the place!
Alligator, crawdads, snakes, and Rocky Mountain Oysters; Louisiana and the American West is full of unique delicacies, and the best way to sample them is to get off the beaten path and go native!
But the most unique foods I ate were those sampled and consumed as child, Old World recipes from Norway, or worse - the Great Depression Era, when no part of a butchered animal was spared. These foods were staples at family Christmases for years: lutefisk, a codfish soaked in lye, then steam-cooked. It smells God-awful! To eat it, you smother it in melted butter, open your mouth, and sort of let the gelatinous fish just slide down your throat! Fortunately, the Norwegians are far more talented at baking, and there are scores of scrumptious pastries to kill the after-taste in your mouth. Then there's the blood sausage, which my Dad's German uncle who married into the family would always bring along to contribute to the feast. As the name says, blood sausage is made from pork rind, barley, and pork blood, which is carefully collected at the time of slaughter. As you might guess, this is a quite moist and juicy delicacy!

Moving away from the pleasures and pains that were holiday dinners around our family's tables, there were those surprises one would get out of the blue when staying for a weekend with Grandma and Grandpa H. Remember how I mentioned farm kids of the Depression? Nothing could prepare a young future Warrior quite like the curveball of the cow's tongue sandwich! Served on rye with horseradish, "It'll put hair on your chest!", boasted my Grandpa. Or an other occasion, when dinner consisted of a side course of cow's brain soup! WTF? Were these people the Beverly Hillbillies before I was born? My Grandpa's rule was you had to try something before he would let Grandma break out the PB&J or some other plan B. So thanks to Grandpa H, I've eaten parts of livestock best reserved for the pet food can!

Response by SSG John Erny made Jun 15 at 2015 6:20 PM

SSG John Erny — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:20:22 -0400

Rattle Snake followed by picked goose hearts. Rattle snake is a little chewy and it does not taste like chicken, close perhaps but not the same. Pickled goose hearts were tasty!

Response by SSG John Erny made Jun 15 at 2015 6:30 PM

SSG John Erny — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:30:04 -0400

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uFjZUVp6QA

Surströmming, this may be the strongest smelling food in the world, most people puke when they try to eat it!

Surströmming

Surströmming Challenge! Olinselot and the Phamdamily try to eat Surstromming - fermented fish that is the worst smell in the world. Raw Egg Challenge: https:...

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jun 16 at 2015 3:37 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:37:29 -0400

Not the strangest but certainly one of the grossest. The Iraqi's used to fish carp out of the drainage canals - the same ones filled with raw sewage and garbage. I never touched it.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 2:27 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 14:27:48 -0400

Back in 2005, I was one of the US liaison officers for an Iraq security conference hosted by the Egyptian government in Cairo. As a treat, our hosts took us to Fishawi's, the oldest restaurant in the ancient Khan el-Khalili district. The real "treat" was to be the Kawari or as the Iraqis called it, Khash, which consists of sheep's head, stomach et al. When asked by my hosts if I enjoyed it, I forced a smile and responded "Na'am saidi. Mumtaz." Once was enough.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 2:57 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 14:57:21 -0400

Response by SFC Marty Thompkins made Jun 20 at 2015 4:46 AM

SFC Marty Thompkins — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 04:46:33 -0400

When I was in Korea, I was asked once to try some star fish. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

SFC Marty K Thompkins (Ret)

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Oct 8 at 2018 5:07 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 17:07:15 -0400

Tamilok, Or "Woodworm".