One man's trash is another man's treasure. While this phrase refers more explicity to possessions, it holds true for foods eaten all over the world. People in other countries --- or even in the same countries! --- eat some dishes that you wouldn't consider touching in a million years.
Rocky Mountain Oysters
This misleading dish actually contains no oysters whatsoever. They're actually the flattened and deep fried testicles of young bulls.
Puffin Heart
Imagining somebody eating the heart of one of these cute birds is simply horrendous. However, puffin hearts are considered a delicacy in Iceland.
Balut
The balut is a dish made by boiling a live, fertilized duck embryo. You can even see the incipient duck's body as you eat it. The dish is served in South East Asia.
Surstromming
These fermented Baltic herring are eaten out of cans in northern Sweden. A recent Japanese study has found that surstromming releases the most putrid odor of any food in the world.
Hakarl
This Icelandic delicacy is made by fermenting a basking shark and then hanging it to dry for 4 to 5 months. It's said to have an ammonia-rich smell and intensely fishy taste. Renowned chef Anthony Bourdain has described the dish as “the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing” he had ever eaten.
Casu Marzu
Some cheese made from sheep's milk doesn't sound that bad at all; in fact, it actually sounds pretty good. This particular style of cheese, however, also contains live insect larvae that can launch themselves 15 centimeters when disturbed. Doesn't sound so yummy anymore…
Tuna Eyeballs
These gigantic fish eyes are sold very cheaply in nearly every Japanese grocery store. It's supposed to taste like squid after it's boiled, but the thought of biting into something's eye is just too gross.
Nakji
As if eating a raw octopus weren't bad enough, nakji is eaten whole. Yup, people eat whole octopuses. Not only is it gross, but nakji is dangerous as well, as several deaths each year are reported from choking on the suction-cup-spotted delicacy.
A-ping
If you are squemish around spider then you definitely should not try this Cambodian delicacy. A-ping is a species of tarantula that is fried and served on a stick. Cambodians today will eat them like candy!
Haggis
You've likely already heard of this Scottish delicacy. The meal is made from the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep. If you are forced to eat this revolting dish for some reason, we recommend a lot of salt.
Ikizikuri
This dish is banned in several countries, and is considered one of the most brutal meals in the world. The preparation consists of a chef filleting a still-living fish and serving it up with the heart still beating. Some customers will even request that the fish swim around in the aquarium after it's filleted to show that it is still alive.
