Five Things I Never Thought I’d Eat… But Did

I got to know amazing bloggers and wonderful people from all around the world, and learned that no matter the country, language, religion or traditions we have something in common. We all feel citizens of the world. That’s the reason why I thought at launching a guest post series titled ‘Beyond Borders‘. I believe it’s part of a common philosophy (at least, I hope): passion, solidarity and the desire to share is a force that makes you feel close to people even if you are geographically far. Because the distance and the language do not matter when there are common passions and ideals. And ‘Borders’ are first of all in our minds.

This first guest post is special. Not only because it’s the first one, but as it’s written by Keith Jenkins. Keith is running Velvet Escape, an amazing travel blog. But first and foremost he is the person who from the very beginning, without knowing me, gave me a fabulous support and lots of fantastic advice. Thank you, Keith!

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Five Things I Never Thought I’d Eat… But Did

One of the best things about travel is that you get to try the many different cuisines around the world. My favorites include Malaysian, Italian, French, Japanese, Thai and Mexican. It takes quite a bit of courage to challenge your boundaries and sample certain food around the world. Our values and perceptions obviously play a big role in determining our tastes but I certainly recommend approaching new cuisines and eating customs with an open mind. Leave your judgments behind and let your curiosity get the better of you. Going local is, after all, the best way to truly experience and appreciate the culture, customs and food of the countries you visit.

Having said that, it’s not always easy to ‘go local’. Some of our values weigh very strongly at times when it comes to types of food we eat. Moreover, there are many strange dishes out there that would make the strongest amongst us cringe. When I’m faced with such a situation, I sometimes like to challenge myself and just go for it, even if my mind screams in protest. Here are five things I never though I’d eat, but did, and lived to tell this story.

Bull testicles

Deep Fried Bull Testicles

I saw them for the first time at a grill house or churrascaria in Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil). I steered clear of them and chose the tenderloins. When I returned to my table, a gentleman in my group had a testicle on his plate. He saw me eying it and asked me if I’d ever tried it. I shook my head.

He then smiled, said I should, cut a portion of the testicle and handed it to me.

I didn’t have the time to say ‘no thanks’! The sight of his knife slicing through the testicle made me squirm very uncomfortably in my chair. I looked at it on my plate and tried to convince myself it was a meatball. I put my fork into it (ouch!) and raised it to my mouth. I munched on it twice and swallowed it quickly. The only thing I remember was a salty juice, which I swiftly washed down with a big gulp of cerveja!

Whale meat

Whale Meat

Curiosity did indeed get the better of me when I sat down for dinner at a restaurant in Reykjavik (Iceland). There it was on the menu: whale carpaccio!

I ordered it and it came served on a bed of rocket salad. The meat is dark red and has a gamey taste. At the end of it, I thought, “Ok, been there, done that, never again”!

Green tree ant

Green Tree Ant

I was on a short trek around Whitsunday island (Australia) when our guide stopped at a tree. He picked up a little green ant and started to explain the medicinal qualities of the ant’s butt. The Aboriginals use it, amongst others, as an aphrodisiac. The guide asked if anyone wanted to give the ant’s butt a lick and everyone took a step back.

I guess I was in an adventurous mood and volunteered. The concentrated lime taste was quite extraordinary. And, no, that quick lick did not do any wonders to my libido!

Python

I’ve seen snake in menus on various occasions during my travels through Asia but I never felt compelled to order it. Until recently, snakes always made me cringe.

One day, I was in a restaurant in Siem Reap (Cambodia) with two good friends. One of the dishes offered was grilled python. We talked about it and decided to go for it, along with the grilled crocodile. The python had a tough, meaty texture and not a lot of flavor. The crocodile, on the other hand, was surprisingly tender, like chicken and tasted great off the grill.

Pufferfish

The pufferfish or fugu is a poisonous fish which can paralyse a human being, leading to asphyxiation and, eventually, death. Despite the dangers, it is a popular dish in Japan. Only specially-trained chefs are allowed to prepare a fugu dish.

Fugu sashimi

Many years ago, I was in Tokyo with my sister, her husband and his boss. I saw the pufferfish in a tank and my brother-in-law told me about its poisons and how the Japanese love the fish. Sensing my curiosity, his boss ordered some fugu sashimi (raw fugu) for me to try. It arrived at the table and I was very nervous. I prayed that the chef had done his job well in preparing the fish. The wafer-thin slices of fugu arranged in the form of a chrysanthemum flower looked beautiful on the plate. It tasted, well, like fish. I wasn’t paralysed and I didn’t get a stomach ache – the chef did an outstanding job!

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About this guest writer:

Keith Jenkins is a thirtysomething who lives in Amsterdam and writes about his travels on his Velvet Escape blog. In addition to being a travel blogger, Keith offers travel writing services as well as social media consultancy and marketing services. He is also the co-founder of the Global Bloggers Network, a community that helps individual and corporate travel bloggers grow and monetize their blogs

Visit Keith’s amazing blog, Velvet Escape and follow him on Twitter.