The world's weirdest food

How hungry would you have to be to eat a brain sandwich? What about some fried spider? Read this to find out about the world’s weirdest food.

Preparation

Match the unusual food with the country, and write a–f next to the numbers 1–6. If you don’t know, have a guess!

1. …….. USA                       a. Horse milk beer
2. …….. Japan                      b. Brain sandwiches
3. …….. The Philippines      c. Jellied moose nose
4. …….. Norway                  d. Duck egg (with embryo inside)
5. …….. Mongolia               e. Smoked sheep’s head
6. …….. Canada                   f. Tuna eyeball

1. Check your understanding: matching

  Read the questions and write the correct part of the world.

Scotland                USA                Japan                Italy                Iceland (x2)                Korea                Asia, Africa and South America

Which part of the world …

1. … has a dish which is not that tasty, but offers the diner a thrill of danger? _____________
2. … eats an animal which is cut up into pieces while still alive? _____________
3. … gets valuable nutrition from eating small creatures? _____________
4. … offers a dish that probably needs lots of ketchup? _____________
5. … eats a fish that has undergone a period of chemical change? _____________
6. … likes a dairy product that houses some baby insects? _____________
7. … doesn't waste much of the animal when they produce a well-known local dish? _____________
8. … eats chunks of food on small wooden sticks? _____________

2. Check your vocabulary: gap fill

  Complete the gaps with a verb from the box.

jump                mix               slice                chew                wriggle                                           disturb                choke                boil

1. To make haggis, you ______________ the heart, lungs and liver with the other ingredients, put it inside a sheep’s stomach and ______________ it for three hours.
2. In Korea, they ______________ up the baby octopus and serve the tentacles as they continue to ______________ around.
3. You have to be careful to ______________ the tentacles fully, to make sure they don’t stick in your throat and ______________ you.
4. The tiny worms in Casu Marzu cheese can ______________ 15 cm if you ______________ them. 

Discussion

Which of the foods mentioned would you be willing to try?   What’s the weirdest food you’ve ever eaten?

Answers

Preparation
1. b 2. f 3. d 4. e 5. a 6. c

1. Check your understanding: matching
1. Japan 2. Korea 3. Asia, Africa and South America 4. USA 5. Iceland 6. Italy 7. Scotland 8. Iceland

2. Check your vocabulary: gap fill
1. mix, boil 2. slice, wriggle 3. chew, choke 4. jump, disturb