weird food

When in Rome, do as the Romans. In Iceland, this means taking a nibble of hakarl decomposed shark. The shark is buried to ferment in its own fluids for several months, then cut into strips and hung up to dry.

Another drink supposed to have beneficial health properties is baby mice wine, wine filled with well, you guessed it. Thankfully, we couldnt find a picture.

Cockscombs, the fleshy growth on the top of chickens heads, might not strike you as an immediate supper ingredient. But in Italy, theyre a crucial aspect of a famous sauce called cibreo. Combs also have a place in French gastronomic history, where they were traditionally used as garnishes.

The Swedish like nothing more than a bit of herring - preferably as sour and fermented as possible. The smell of surstr?mming is so strong when you open the container that its generally eaten outdoors.

The name sounds rather exotic, until you discover that this American dish is actually nothing more than deep-fried bull testicles. It was reputedly a favourite of the American Wests cowboys, and is often found at festivals.

Last year, a coffee called Black Ivory became one of the worlds most expensive brews, at $1,1000 per kilogram. For that price, you can expect a smooth, full taste.... and perhaps a slight earthy hint of elephant dung. Yes, this coffee is made from beans eaten by Thai elephants, then plucked from their droppings.

Bored of eggs boiled, scrambled or fried? Then try yourself a balut ? a fertiliized duck embryo boiled in the shell.

With a nickname like that, its little wonder this traditional Alaskan snack hasnt caught on. Eaten by the indigenous Yupik people (pictured), it involves chopping the heads off fish and burying them in the ground with their innards until they achieve the required tang.

Largely a dish of the past, these used to be popular in the Central United States until mad cow disease became a concern. Although people still eat them, serving brain from a cow that is over 30 months old at slaughter is no longer legal in the United States.

Ant larvae harvested from the roots of the agave plant, these are considered to be a delicacy in Mexico. In fact, they are sometimes even referred to as insect caviar . It is said that they taste like butter but slightly nutty.