Bird's Nest Soup
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In Thailand's caves, tiny birds called Swiftlet's construct their nests with interwoven strands of salivary laminae cement. These nests are harvested and boiled to make birds nest soup. Hong Kong and the US are the biggest importers. A bowl will cost you $30-$100 US dollars in Hong Kong. Locals believe the soup helps digestion, raises libido, improves voice quality, cures asthma, and increases concentration.
Geoduck
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Actually it is a Canadian and US salt water clam….not a duck. They look like big fat slimy elephant trunks. Their life expectancy is about 146 years, probably because the are buried under two to three feet of sediment depth. They sell in Asia for about 30 per lb.
Baby Bee Larvae
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Are popular in China and Japan. People often deep fry or fry with a soy and sugar sauce. They look like maggots. Locals believe bee larva improves stamina, reduces hair shedding, and cures aches.
Shark Fin Soup
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A fisherman cuts the fin off of a live shark and then throws the still living shark back into the sea. The finless shark is unable to move and will either suffocate or be eaten by other marine life. Shark fin soup is a Chinese delicacy and a symbol of wealth or prestige in their culture. Raw shark fins (of any species) are skinned, bleached, and dried or frozen. Then when the cook is ready to make the soup, the fin is soaked to soften it, and boiled in chicken broth. Wives tale claim to cure cancer, enhance appetite, and be an aphrodisiac.
Fugu
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Is a Japanese puffer fish. Some of it's organs produce tetrodotoxin, a deadly, quick-acting poison. If not prepared correctly and detoxified correctly it will kill you when you ingest it. Therefore, in Japan, only licensed cooks are allowed to prepare fugu. Still, thousands die each year from poisoning. A plate will cost you $15-$200 dollars.
Balut
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Is a fertilized duck egg that contains a nearly-developed embryo inside. In the Philippines people boil and then eat the shell and all. Some people eat them with chili or soak in vinegar. In Vietnamese cooking the embryo is allowed to get old enough to have bones and is actually recognizable as a duck.
P'tcha
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Eaten in Jewish European and US cultures. Calf hooves and bones are boiled and then minced or pounded into a paste and refrigerated to make a jelly. Sometimes garlic and vegetables are added then strained from the boiling process.
Bull Penis
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In China you can order this dish steamed, roasted, or boiled. To boil- the penis is sliced into strips and dropped into a pot of stock. The strips curl up when they are done. Apparently at the Guo-li-zhuang restaurant, you can order an array of penis …..deer, goat, tiger, buffalo, rhino, etc. It is served with a lemon or chili sauce. Supposedly it is good for a number of ailments and increases the libido in men.
