Down the years of
travelling through 150+ countries, I tried a lot of different types of food. It’s only natural that that will happen. After all, we are backpacking through all different sorts of terrains, weather, plants, cultures and nature. You don’t grow oranges in the Arctic Circle, you don’t whack out a pork loin and a stout in Saudi Arabia and you don’t fry a kangaroo in Honduras. I am completely not a fussy eater. I will eat anything and everything, but a lot of it – only once to try and often never again. I’ll stick to Ulster Fry, pierogi and pizza at my most beautiful. Curiosity killed the cat. On my journeys this has meant trying turtle, zebra, deer, guinea pig, kangaroo, dog, crocodile, whale, octopus, seaweed and all sorts of unusual food dishes or snacks. Here are are a quick top 5 for today.
5 Of The Most Unusual Food I Tried On My Travels
1.Wallaby Bolognese, Devonport, Australia
Australia is full of unusual animals not seen elsewhere – wallabies, kangaroos, possums, duck-billed platypus, koalas etc. If you have a look at the choice of
aboriginal food available you will be pleasantly surprised. When in Tasmania, I made my own
Wallaby bolognaise and shared it with a group at a party. I included some unusual ingredients including apples and carrot and it tasted good.
Wallaby Bolognese, Australia
Wallaby Bolognese, Australia
2.Zebra Steak, Windhoek, Namibia
On my last big trip (February 2020) as COVID was beginning, we were in Windhoek in Namibia and found out about a restaurant called “Joe’s Beerhouse” in Windhoek, Namibia. I was staying in Windhoek at the
Chameleon backpackers and walked down to Joe’s. In here – the speciality is that almost all of the animals you saw on safari or in the wild, you can then eat them at night. For dinner I opted for the zebra steak and it was delicious.
Zebra Steak, Windhoek, Namibia
Zebra Steak, Windhoek, Namibia
3.Turtle Soup, Kaiping, China
In the barely known city of Kaiping (also known as Hoiping) which houses some incredible
UNESCO World Heritage Sites we headed for a night of constant unusual food types. AT least to me – if not the Chinese. Starter was eel fried rice, then for the main we mixed
Turtle Soup with other dishes. The turtle soup didn’t even feel like a soup!
Turtle Soup in Kaiping, China
Turtle Soup, Kaiping, China
4.Roasted Guinea Pig, Aguas Calientes, Peru
On Christmas Day after the epic 4 day Inca Trail in 2010, what better choice for Christmas Dinner in Peru than the local speciality Cuy Al Horno – Roasted Guinea Pig. That’s exactly what I did in the hot waters town of Aguas Calientes of an afternoon. I have to admit I didn’t really enjoy it and I won’t try it again but I’m glad I did.
Roasted Guinea Pig, Aguas Calientes, Peru
Roasted Guinea Pig, Aguas Calientes, Peru
Roasted Guinea Pig, Aguas Calientes, Peru
5.Bosintang, Seoul, South Korea
“Bosintang” is dog meat soup. I tried it once, only once and only out of curiosity. My family have a dog, Rocky and I love him. But some breeds of dog are used for meat and this was available on many of my backpacking days through South Korea, North Korea and China. On 20 trips to China, I always said no to dog. Then one day in South Korea, in Seoul my best travel mate Millwall Neil and I decided to have the dog meat soup with rice and beer. It was disgusting – the worst food I have ever eaten I believe. Two years later in North Korea, I was offered dog again and I declined. “You’ll never change what’s been and gone” – Noel Gallagher.
Bosintang, Dog Meat Soup in Seoul, South Korea
Bosintang, Dog Meat Soup in Seoul, South Korea
Friday’s Featured Food: Bosintang (Dog Meat Soup) in Seoul, South Korea
As the Polish say, Smacznego!
