Weirdest Thing You've Ever Put in Your Mouth

A liver or the blood of some kind of animal in my mouth. I was told that it's very good for you, but I find it to be disgusting tasting and wanted to throw up afterwards.

I got nothing on you people.

Durian. Why people eat it, I'll never know. As Yaniger would say, an unpleasantly long finish.

A fried oyster (never to be repeated in this lifetime, either), fried catfish roe sac (I was so pi$$ed at my Great Aunt for THAT surprise on my plate), and roast opposum (at deer camp when I was a teen, and not told what is was until after) are about the weirdest things I've eaten.

[Jenise]

So what did possum taste like?

As a lad in my sub teens, and living on a farm my brother, my neighbors, and myself would go camping. We took our dogs and a sack of cooking gear that we pulled along on the Red Radio Flyer wagon. We took our dogs who were half brothers and a real team where it came to rabbit hunting. We also had fishing poles, a 22 rifle and occasionally a single shot 12ga shotgun that would knock you down and stomp you. We fed ourselves on these outings having stolen some "taters" some lard, salt & pepper. So, I have eaten freshly killed rabbit, raccoon, possum, and crow. The crow was the worst of the bunch! All this within a half mile of our homes.

I love to nibble on whatever I find along trails when hiking. I regularly eat wild salmon-, thimble- and black- berries. There are deciduous and evergreen "currents", rosehips and the most often surprising to my hiking partners is stinging nettle leaves. Folded carefully to put the stingers inside, they are a fresh green with a pleasant and mild taste.

Nettles, yes. Some other things like Durian, why??

Anyone ever tasted beche de mere? More colourfully known as sea slugs? Imagine okra made of meat in terms of slipperiness of texture (I know, I know, you can cook non-slippery okra if you do it right), without much flavour. Not my favourite. (I do have a really lewd sea cucumber story from my days of teaching Scuba, but it isn't family rated so I won't repeat it here)

There are far worse things, though. A friend that spent some time in South East Asia told me of some fo the things that he had seen but for the most part declined to try. Fetal duck eggs (with the partially developed little duckie inside), and stir fried mice were two that I'd probably have passed on too.

If one doesn't regard uni, sweetbreads, foie gras, octopus or nettle as weird, what I'm left with is the preserved nutmeg fruit that a student brought back with him from Malaysia. The taste was overwhelmingly nutmeggy (a megadose of terpenes for those for whom that term has any meaning) and not particularly pleasant. When I quizzed my student, he admitted not liking its taste, either, but defended his decision with the explanation that his sister loved them. Yeah, right...

Mark Lipton

p.s. I've also eaten braised sea cucumber in China, but that's not really weird, or is it?

p.s. I've also eaten braised sea cucumber in China, but that's not really weird, or is it?

What did they taste like?

'm pretty open to new foods. Some things that people list as weird here (ankimo, sweetbreads, raw oysters, tripe, jellyfish, bunny. blood sausage, nettles) are things I've eaten plenty of times (if not regularly). I've had squirrel, raccoon, Rocky Mtn oysters, brains. Durian and lamb eyeball are one time experiences for me, no real desire to repeat. I've never had scorpion or sperm sac of fugu (or any part of fugu), but would try if I had a chance. Back when I ate desserts I had chocolate covered ants. There was an article in Sacramento Bee when I was there last week about insect offerings at state fair, including recipe for a Bee (larvae) LT sandwich. But apparently there were also maggot sandwiches, and that might be the one thing I'd stop at.

Anyone ever tasted beche de mere? More colourfully known as sea slugs? Imagine okra made of meat in terms of slipperiness of texture (I know, I know, you can cook non-slippery okra if you do it right), without much flavour. Not my favourite. (I do have a really lewd sea cucumber story from my days of teaching Scuba, but it isn't family rated so I won't repeat it here)

Countless times; I happen to like the stuff.

Actually, most everything mentioned I have eaten - except 'possum, squirrel, cat, dog, etc. Some people of my country eat dog (the northern provinces), but I will not willingly. Same goes for cats, mice and the like.

I've tried locusts, but didn't like the stuff. Love percebes (the barnacles mentioned above), a delicacy in Spain.

There are far worse things, though. A friend that spent some time in South East Asia told me of some fo the things that he had seen but for the most part declined to try. Fetal duck eggs (with the partially developed little duckie inside), and stir fried mice were two that I'd probably have passed on too.

That's called "balut" here. I used to pop 3-4 of them at a time after long drinking sessions when I was a student. I don't eat them anymore though as I now find them too heavy on the belly.

As regards durian, a lot of that comes from Davao, one of our southern provinces. I can't stand the smell of it, so I don't eat it (but I have tried it). Alligator, crocodile, frog, snake, I've had them all. No big thing. Normally, though, I'm more than happy with more conventional eats.

As for okra. A couple squirts of lemon juice will cut the sliminess immediately and the flavor stays in tact. FYI.

[Robin Garr]

As for okra. A couple squirts of lemon juice will cut the sliminess immediately and the flavor stays in tact. FYI.

Sauteeing it for a while will accomplish the same purpose. I loves me some okra - Mary planted about six of them in our garden, so we have plenty this summer. Nom nom nom ...

Fire extinguisher. Yes, really. When I was about three, I noticed a red can high in a cabinet above our stove. I thought it was a hiding place for canned whipped cream. Boy was I surprised!

As for okra. A couple squirts of lemon juice will cut the sliminess immediately and the flavor stays in tact. FYI.

Jo Ann, do you squirt the okra before, or after cooking? This is an idea the intrigues me.

[Jenise]

Fire extinguisher. Yes, really. When I was about three, I noticed a red can high in a cabinet above our stove. I thought it was a hiding place for canned whipped cream. Boy was I surprised!

Ha! Like me, same age, at the grocery store with mom eyeing a small, narrow, pointy shaped item that looked like a green bell pepper, which was a favorite food. So I popped that bad boy into my mouth. I could have used your fire extinguisher about then.

Mountain oysters of lamb. Fried. Very tasty. Beef and pork hearts. Sweetbreads.

Rabbit liver and kidneys are one of my favorite parts of my favorite animal. This is the best liver there is, FYI.

BTW, raising rabbits for meat is easy in most settings. No noise or bad smell. Easy to process. Low fat, delicious meat.

As for okra. A couple squirts of lemon juice will cut the sliminess immediately and the flavor stays in tact. FYI.

Jo Ann, do you squirt the okra before, or after cooking? This is an idea the intrigues me.

During cooking, as it begins to get a fairly good sizzle (about 2-3 minutes in). Give a good squirt with half a lemon, then continue to saute. Your pan should be fiarly hot so that it is a saute rather than a steam. You will notice there is no ropiness. Then add liquidy ingredients (such as tomatoes) if you are making an okra stew.

[David M. Bueker]

The weirdest thing?

Red slate from the Niersteiner Pettenthal.

Nah, volcanic rock from the Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg.

I've had durian once. It's the pod that stinks. The flesh inside is rather mild, like a cross between a banana and a faint pineapple.

One night, while driving, I became thirsty and noticed a half-full Pepsi bottle in the cup holder. So I removed the cap and took a big mouthful. One of my sons, who chewed tobacco at the time, had borrowed my truck earlier and used the bottle for spitting in. I almost caused an accident getting stopped and to the side of the road to get the door open.

Fire extinguisher. Yes, really. When I was about three, I noticed a red can high in a cabinet above our stove. I thought it was a hiding place for canned whipped cream. Boy was I surprised!

Okay, if we are going to tell stories from when we were 3, I will relate a story my parents have told me: When I was about 3 years old, one afternoon my father and his father were working on a car together. One of the car doors was open, and being a curious child, I stuck my finger into an opening and pulled out a blob of grease. Just as my grandfather noticed and began to yell "No, Shlomo, no!" I stuck my finger in my mouth and sucked off the grease. Thank goodness I don't remember that.

I also don't remember eating the varnished pretzel on a pin that my parents bought me at the Anderson pretzel factory, but they have a photo of me wearing the pin, and they've told me many times about how as we were driving home my father asked me where my pretzel was, and I responded "I ate it."

[Jenise]

I also don't remember eating the varnished pretzel on a pin that my parents bought me at the Anderson pretzel factory, but they have a photo of me wearing the pin, and they've told me many times about how as we were driving home my father asked me where my pretzel was, and I responded "I ate it."

Oh this made me laugh out loud. That is so CUTE!