7 of the World’s Most Exotic Foods

1. Balut. Popular in Southeast Asia, this boiled fertilized duck egg embryo (beak, eyes, head, and all) is best eaten with a dash of sea salt and, for first timers, your eyes closed. 

2.  Cobra hearts. Considered an aphrodisiac by the Vietnamese, the cobra's fresh heart (just killed, best when still beating) is eaten raw, often followed by a gulp of cobra blood or some rice wine.

3. Puffer fish. Because Japan’s fugu contains tetrodotoxin—a lethal, paralyzing poison for which no known antidote exists—chefs must be specially licensed to serve the fish, which over the years has resulted in deaths.

4. Jellied moose nose. Alaskans prefer the term “boiled moose snout” for this northern delicacy, which is cooked until it is gelatinous and served with onion, garlic, and spices.

5. Casu marzu. Although it’s technically illegal, you can buy this sheep’s milk cheese, or pecorino, on Italy’s black market. It’s eaten after it has been allowed to become infested by maggots.

6. Fruit bat soup. Drop a fruit bat (often still alive) into boiling milk; add sea salt, ginger, onions, and scallions; simmer; and serve.

7. Fried tarantulas. Cambodians call these a-ping and serve them deep-fried with sugar, salt, and garlic. Aside from their usually squishy abdomens they are crispy and chewy; pull off the legs and eat those first.

—Robert Kiener (Kiener, who lived in Guam for two years, has sampled items 1 and 7 on his list.)