Today is a disgusting episode just for you. We take a journey through disgusting food from around the world with Andreas Ahrens. He is the director of the Disgusting Food Museum. We have a great conversation about what constitutes a disgusting food. Some of the most disgusting foods in the museum may surprise you.

What Makes Food Disgusting

As humans we have a natural fear of the unfamiliar. We often spend a lot of time seeking comfort. One of the main areas where we seek comfort is through food. After all, we call it comfort food. Culture is everything when it comes to what determines if food is disgusting or not.

A prime example of this is root beer. American’s love root beer. I think it is one of the most refreshing beverages on a hot summer day or mixed in with ice cream for a tasty float. However, the rest of the world has a very different opinion of root beer. They think it is disgusting. In fact, it is one of the items on the tasting menu when you visit the museum.

In Sweden you have salted licorice. Andreas raved about how much he enjoys salted licorice. I ordered some after our conversation.

When the package arrived, I eagerly tore into it. I placed a tiny morsel in my mouth and immediately regretted it. I couldn’t stand it. After a valiant effort, I had to spit it out.

Culture and Sustainability

Andreas brought up a very valid point on sustainability. As we look to the future, we will have to continue to feed an ever expanding global population. This will require us to look at food from the lens of sustainability. An example of this would be crickets. Crickets may sound disgusting. However, they are a fantastic source of protein and they are sustainable. Many cultures around the world have been eating crickets for thousands of years.

A lot of disgusting food was born out of tough times and difficult circumstances. When you are starving, you don’t have the luxury of being picky. After embracing these less than desirable menu items, they become interwoven in the fabric of our cultures. It really makes me think differently when I hear about disgusting food from around the world. It is humbling to think of the origins of some of these dishes.

Wrap up

If you are interested in learning more about the Disgusting Food Museum, and disgusting food from around the world, you can find them on their Facebook here. You can also go directly to their website here. Make sure you check them out. Next time you are presented with something disgusting, give it a try. You never know when you might find your new favorite food.

If you want to really get in the disgusting food spirit, you can buy some salted licorice here.

Did You Like Learning About The Disgusting Food Museum?

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