DESTINATION  X  THE FOODIES

Traveling is a joy – you get to go sightseeing, hit the beach, meet new people, and most importantly, dive into some local cuisine! Some food is amazing, some need you to get a little bit outside of your comfort zone, and others are just totally insane! We take you on a little journey around the world with the good, the bad, and the ugly, at least in terms of food.

The Good

Lablabi

Tunisia is not only known for its amazing beaches and luscious greenery, but also for its cuisine and love for spicy food and tuna. Lablabi, a Tunisian soup-like dish, is traditionally eaten for breakfast and widely available in many local restaurants. It is a hearty meal, containing chickpeas that are in a flavored thin soup, served over pieces of stale bread and topped with a poached egg and a seasoned dressing. Typically, it is garnished with tuna and olives.

Cataplana

Native to the Algarve region, it is a combination of different, delicious seafood like prawns and clams, mixed with sausage. A cataplana efficiently contains the flavor and heat of the contents in the dish, making it uniquely flavored and scented. Definitely not something to miss if you visit Portugal this summer! Interesting fact: the dish got its name from the cataplana pan.

The Bad

Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties

Scotland is a lovely country engulfed in mystery and history, but they do have their share of ‘weird’ dishes. Haggis sounds cute and cuddly, but really is a savory pudding made from sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach (although now often in an artificial casing instead). Neeps are basically Scottish turnips, while tatties are the potatoes. Feeling hungry yet?

Kokoretsi (Kokoreç)

Turkey isn’t just for enjoying grilled Kebab and lovely dolma. There are also dishes that make your back curl if you think about its ingredients! Kokoretsi consists of grilled lamb or goat intestines wrapped around seasoned internal organs, including hearts, lungs, or kidneys. In Istanbul, you might find it in small eateries, but the authentic ones are sold on wheeled food carts on the street.

The Ugly

Balut

Balut, a famous Filipino delicacy, is a 16-to-21-day-old fertilized duck egg that contains not only a yolk but also a semi-developed duck embryo. Balut vendors tend to come out in the late evenings or at night. We’re not sure how that came to be, other than that its appearance may be enough to put off the squeamish, so perhaps best to eat it in the dark!