Disturbing Dishes: 10 Meals That Cross the Line

Most of us don’t usually think about how disturbing our meals might appear to others. Many people have dietary restrictions, such as vegetarians, vegans, or those with allergies. When hosting a dinner party, it’s common to ask if any guests have such restrictions. However, the idea of a meal being evil or disturbing doesn’t usually cross people’s minds.

That said, some meals are considered evil in the eyes of those who have been served them. Here’s a list of the most disturbing meals ever served for dinner.

Foie Gras

Foie gras means “fatty liver” in French, and it’s a popular dish in Europe. It’s made through a process called “gavage.” Workers force pipes down the throats of male ducks twice each day, pumping up to 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of grain and fat into their stomachs, or geese three times a day, up to 4 pounds (1.8 kg) daily.

This causes the birds’ livers to swell up to ten times their normal size. The birds are so overfed that they can barely stand, and this feeding method leads to a liver disease called hepatic lipidosis. The process is inhumane and barbaric. Despite these documented practices, foie gras is still considered a delicacy in many European countries. The sale of foie gras is banned in California and about a dozen other countries; New York City’s ban is still tied up in the courts.

Fish Eyes

It may seem wrong to eat another living creature’s eyeballs as if you were eating the animal’s very soul. However, fish eyeballs are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and are considered delicious. They’ve been compared to a natural version of “Gushers” candy, despite the nauseating image it creates.

Fish eyes are a delicacy in many non-Western countries. They are filled with nutrients that are beneficial for the heart, eyes (ironically), and brain. Promoting the consumption of fish eyes can help create more sustainable fishing practices. While it may seem disturbing to some, this meal is actually a good idea.

Smalahove

The Norwegian dish, smalahove, is a traditional meal made from a sheep’s head. It’s a holiday dish, typically served just before Christmas. A typical serving consists of half a head; the ear and eye are eaten first as they are the tastiest parts and best eaten while still warm. The head is boiled or steamed for about three hours and served with mashed rutabaga and potatoes. Some people like to cook the brain inside the skull, but others prefer to fry it as a side.

Smalahove has been eaten in Norway for centuries and was originally popularized by the poor because the wealthy didn’t want—or need—to eat the head. They didn’t know how delicious and full of nutrients it was, so it was easily accessible for the lower classes. Eating another mammal’s head and face is disturbing, but this is a popular dish in Norway, and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Calf Brains

This dish, known as cervelle de veau, is a delicacy in parts of Europe and Morocco and is made of calf brains. If prepared properly, calf brains are said to resemble scrambled eggs in texture. However, there’s no mistaking what part of the body is being served when the plate arrives at the table. It is often served with tongue, sauteed with beurre noir and capers.

This dish is said to be significantly tastier than beef brains, which are also popular in those same regions. Beef brains are reportedly mushier and lacking flavor in comparison. This seems like a cruel and disturbing meal to prepare, and it has been the subject of debate at many dinner tables.

Bull Frog Sashimi

Among the most bizarre and disturbing practices is the Japanese tradition of eating live frogs. There’s a species of frog in Japan bred for consumption. Bullfrog sashimi, or ‘ikizukuri,’ consists of a frog sliced up on order, some soya sauce, and a slice of lemon on the side.” The frog is still alive while being devoured and is known to look the diner in the eye and blink while its bones are being picked clean.

A video of this trend went viral in 2012. The key factor in the debate is that the frog must witness its own demise, which should be considered inhumane. As of yet, the meal hasn’t been outlawed universally, but it is only available in a few establishments in Japan.

Snake Wine

Snake wine has been consumed in China since the Western Zhou dynasty (c. 1040–770 BC). Don’t let the name fool you; snakes aren’t used in the production of this spirit, but they infuse the beverage. Rice wine and grain alcohol in many East Asian countries are bottled with an entire snake. Typically venomous snakes are used, but “the snake venom proteins are unfolded by the ethanol, and therefore the completed beverage is usually safe to drink.”

Originally used medicinally, it’s considered the process of distilling the snake’s essence and consuming it. Serving wine with a snake in the bottle isn’t the most disturbing thing one could imagine. After all, mezcal often has a worm in the bottle and has never been considered disturbing. However, the snake in snake wines is often alive when the bottle is filled and corked, making this one of the most disturbing beverages to serve at dinner.

Casu Marzu

Typically, one doesn’t want maggots in the kitchen or their food. However, once this complex Sardinian cheese undergoes a normal fermentation process, fly larvae are introduced. The maggots break down the cheese’s fats (think ingestion and excretion), making it soft and gooey.

Some people remove all the maggots before serving casu marzu, while others leave the larvae, believing they add flavor. Cheese is a customary appetizer at dinner parties, but cheese with maggots may be a little disturbing for some guests. The cheese is illegal in almost every country and even hard to find in Sardinia.

Blood Soup

Any soup in which the main ingredient is animal blood is considered blood soup. There are many versions of this soup. Duck and pig blood are the most popular, but cows and oxen are also used to make this disturbing dish. Blood thickens, is full of nutrients, is readily available, and is used for ritual sacrifices. Rich with a slightly metallic flavor, blood from many animals is common in many cultures’ cuisines.

In both Korea and Poland, blood soup is popular, while many countries frown upon it. Czernina, also known as duck blood soup, consists of poultry broth and duck blood. Vinegar is often added for flavor.

Monkey Brains

We all remember that scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when the cult pressured Jones to eat a monkey’s brains straight out of the skull. Monkey brains have traditionally been eaten in parts of China and Southeast Asia because people believe they will be imbued with ancient wisdom. Humans have consumed the brains of other species over the centuries, but there is much debate as to whether eating monkey brains, in particular, is still practiced.

In Western popular culture, its consumption is repeatedly portrayed and debated, often portraying exotic cultures as exceptionally cruel, callous, and/or strange. The chances of anyone being surprised at a dinner party with a serving of monkey brains in the year 2023 are unlikely. Still, even the thought seems disturbing.

Guinea Pigs

Most people would never think about eating the fluffy and adorable pets known as guinea pigs. Unless, of course, one lives in Peru, where the dish known as “cuy” is a delicacy and has become more and more popular over the last decade. There has been a significant uptick in guinea pig farming to the degree that it has helped lower-class farmers get out of poverty.

Guinea pig farming has become one of the most lucrative businesses in the South American country, and people are ordering the critter by the plate full. The meat is prized and tastes like a cross between duck and rabbit. When properly prepared, guinea pig meat is rich, fatty, and flavorful, while the skin, when roasted over a hot fire, gives pork a run for its money.

These dishes push the boundaries of what many consider to be acceptable food. While cultural tastes vary, these meals often evoke strong reactions. Would you be willing to try any of them?

Leave your comment below and let us know which of these dishes you find most disturbing!