Part of the culture of travelling is immersing yourself in your surroundings, and if that means eating a few questionable delicacies along the way then so be it!

Some local delicacies are enough to make your stomach turn, but if you don’t try them, then how will you know that you don’t like them? Throwing yourself into something that is out of your comfort zone will help you to grow as a person, and will create memories that you laugh about and look back fondly upon.

If you’re looking for a way to make memories and you’re not into adrenaline fuelled activities or anything that’s too dangerous, then I would recommend sticking to the local delicacies, as you will gain the same sense of satisfaction without the risk!

China:

In China, there are so many different bugs and insects and different delicacies for you to try, that it’s hard to choose which one to try. Some people will go straight in and eat a chocolate covered lotus, whilst others find that they are more comfortable chowing down on chicken feet. For me personally, either sound overly appetizing!

On Chinese markets, fried grasshoppers, centipedes and scorpions are a popular street food and can be found in many Chinese markets. These are sometimes dipped in a potent liquor in order to enhance their flavours.

As well as the more commonly eaten insects, there are also these things called bee larvae which are often used as a side dish (not for beginners). In China, bugs offer a source of protein, there are an abundance to go after and they are cheap to produce. This is one of the many things that funds local communities and pumps money back into the local economy.

So, you may be wondering which delicacy I chose to eat and as a beginner, I thought that insects would be too much for me to handle, instead I opted for the chicken feet, which are rubbery and strange, but also quite tasty! This encouraged me to try something a little bit more daring on my next adventure.

Mexico:

Mexico is known for their strange and spicy delicacies, such as worms in tequila. A plague of locusts sets upon Mexican farmers every year, which can be pretty terrible for their economy. So, for Mexicans, eating these locusts is not only a tasty delicacy, but it’s also a necessity in order to save their crops and their economy.

Locusts have therefore become a traditional mexican cuisine and there is even the mention of eating locusts in the sixteenth-century Spanish records of expedition and conquest.

Some of the more traditional recipes include locusts and grasshoppers, along with eggs, chorizo and spices. This is a dish that’s way more up my street, all of the spices and rich flavours together made for a very very tasty dish. Dare I say that I would eat this again? Because I most certainly would!

Britain:

As an American in Britain, pretty much all of the food that I was served seemed to be a bit of a delicacy. It’s safe to say that out of all of the countries, it took a lot more effort to get used to this style of cuisine, but there are also HUNDREDS of McDonalds, so I began to feel more at home eventually!

After doing a little bit of digging past all of the sausage rolls and pies, there seems to be an insect revolution growing. With crickets and mealworms living at the heart of this revolution, there really are some strange and wonderful recipes such as cricket protein pancakes.  

British cuisine is a true melting pot of flavours and cultures. This is due to their rich history of immigration and cultural embracement. Many nationals across the world make a UK visa application on a daily basis, so it’s not surprising that there is a whole host of cultural cuisines to delve into.