Top 5 Most Disgusting Foods Ever.

There are a lot of bad things coming out about HFSC (High Fructose Corn Syrup) lately, and it has inspired me to make a list of completely organic and 100% nasty foods. While I have seen many blogs about gross foods, I'd like to take the time to make my own.

*Disclaimer: Some of the following foods will put you off your lunch*

#5- Kopi Luwak
Ah, I love the smell of coffee in the morning. Don't you? Well, you'd probably think twice if you ever smelled this type of coffee. Kopi Luwak is an especially nasty coffee made from the beans of coffee berries which had been previously eaten by the Asian Palm Civet. That's right, that fancy cup of coffee you might be drinking could be previously expelled from a wild animal. Rethinking that second cup of Joe, eh?

#4- Haggis
The Scots aren't known for their culinary expertise, which is why this particular dish gets a spot on my list. Haggis is a traditional Scottish meal that contains sheep bits(heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Tasty, no? Don't think you've ever eaten an animal stomach before? You couldn't be more wrong. If you've ever had a meal that contains tripe, you've had it. That's right. For all my Hispanic friends who've ever had Menudo to cure their hangovers, you've just eaten a differing version of my #4.

#3- Pizzle
Ever wonder what that "rawhide" you gave to your dog is really made of? Pizzle. Or, for those of you not versed in old English, bull penis. This may not be of concern for you, unless you've unknowingly eaten it somewhere. Many cultures use pizzle in their foods, as it is low in cholesterol and high in protein. So, before you give your dog that tasty treat, or eat the mystery meat in that soup, ask yourself "Should I buy this thing a drink first?" You never know. You could be going mano y mano with a bull's...er, naughty bits.

#2- Curtled Milk Blood Custard
The Maasai tribe is a very interesting tribe. It's a patriarchal society. The men are fierce warriors. The women are the Kenyan eqivalent of homemakers. And one of their cutoms is to drink/eat the curtled milk of their cattle. Mixed with blood. Cow blood. Enough said.

#1- Cazu Marzu Cheese
Oh no! The cheese is moldy! Pfft...mold is the least of your problems. You could have Cazu Marzu, also known as "maggot cheese". Made from Pecorino cheese, it goes well beyond it's aging process into decomposition. It's crawling with larvae of the Cheese Fly. It's too gross for me to completely type the details out, so I'll just leave you with a link to the Wikipedia page. Don't forget to properly store your cheese!

How To Tell If You're A Foodie.

Foodies seem to be coming out of the woodwork these days, and with them comes a revolution in the preparation and consumption of what we used to think of as ordinary, as well as extraordinary, food. From the simple, to the insane, to the lavish, foodies love it all. But how do we tell the true foodies from the fakers? Here's a list of "symptoms" to help you figure out if you or someone you know is a die-hard or a faux-gourmet.

-All conversations relate to food in one way or another. Do you always jump on the chance to talk about food? How about the latest food fad, restaurant, etc? Do your conversations start off normal, but somehow end up being about food? True, anyone could talk about these things, but a true food aficionado is passionate about their opinions when it comes to what they put in their mouths.

-You've tried foods most of your friends and family wouldn't touch, or have never heard of. Have an adventurous palate? All foodies do. While you don't have to seek out the strange and disgusting to be a foodie, one key is keeping an open mind. Sure, that fruit may look like a big clump of poo, but it may very well be the most amazing thing you've ever eaten. How would you know, unless you try? A good foodie will try just about anything once (barring anything they may be allergic to).




If you know what any of these fruits are, you needn't read further!

-You plan vacations around food. Once again, it's true that just about anyone can hear about some fantastic restaurants through our various media sources these days, only a culinario will plan an entire vacation around food. If you find yourself wanting to go to San Francisco, not just for the beauty and history, but for the fresh seafood, you might be on to something. If you want to go to Michigan to not only taste some of the best blueberries around, but pick them as well, you've absolutely got foodie fever.

-You're like a kid in a candy store inside specialty gadget stores. If you jump for joy at the sight of the latest in food gadgetry and technology, you are absolutely 100% a foodie. Specialty stores, such as Williams Sonoma, cater to the foodie population with their ever-growing collection of pots, pans, microplanes, and just about anything else you could think of. They have things I've never personally seen outside of The Food Network. If the thought of getting cooking gadgets as gifts soundly like a dream come true, you've got the bug!


I'd love to hear from any and all foodies about other ways to tell if someone is a foodie-kindred, or any other info they'd like to share (good restaurants, weird/yummy foods, newest gadgets, etc). Feel free to comment and share with me!