MY GRADE: 
It’s amazing to me how the concept of “food” varies so drastically from one culture to the next.
As Socrates once blogged “One country’s insect infestation is another country’s feast.” (And by “Socrates” I mean “me”)
Some of us look at a bull’s penis and think “Wow, that is a large penis. I better stay away from that. ” Others, in Taiwan, for instance, look at it and think Man, I’m gettin’ hungry.
(And still others look at a bull’s penis and think “Hey, great blog topic!”)
But let me take my argument down a notch or two. Exotic animal genitals in a delicious broth is inarguably strange, perhaps even to those who come from the delicacy’s country of origin. But how does one explain Vegemite?
You know, that every day sandwich spread that’s so very popular in Australia — yet to me tastes like someone accidentally slopped yesterday’s pot roast drippings onto a slice of Wonderbread.
Or Poi? That Polynesian/Hawaiian staple made from corn and Taro root that has all the taste and texture of anteater snot. (And I went with “anteater snot” knowing that if anyone ever Googles the phrase my blog is certain to pop up first — and last!)
So maybe I should rethink my opening thesis statement. It seems every country throughout the world not only has a food that the rest of the planet finds disgusting but also a spreadable condiment that is equally nauseating.
But anywhoos — it got me to thinkin’ — and here’s where it becomes difficult to write with a little perspective… What food do we eat here in the U.S. that the rest of the world finds disgusting?
My first instinct it to think “deep South” and “barbecue” as I realize that there’s not an inch of pig that isn’t grillable and edible to some (knuckles, feet, belly, tail, balls, eyes, taint… ). But in a way, that’s too easy. The U.S. is vast and diverse and one man’s pig knuckles is another man’s dry heave. There has to be something that’s uniformly accepted across our country that would make a boy in Bali retch.
Funyuns?
The McRib?
Fast food seems too easy a target. And now that China’s Forbidden City is also home to a Starbucks it’s hard to argue that fast food is still considered foreign and strange and gross to the rest of the world. Let’s face it — they love our crap!
WAIT
What about American health food?
Forget feet, knuckles, testicles, brains — is there anything more unpleasant and unfulfilling than a raw food diet?
Now, admittedly I’m basing this solely on one infamous meal at a raw food restaurant in Los Angeles — but man oh man, it was gross.
I think we started with some sort of soybean-based “sushi” that tasted like Elmer’s glue wrapped in seaweed and then worked our way to a “vegan burrito” which was a bunch of bean sprouts (totally gross without anyone’s help) and carrots wrapped in what I’m fairly certain was the palm leaf of a potted plant.
I have no doubt that in a blind taste test I would not be able to tell the difference between that particular entree and lawn trimmings from my own back yard.
Look, I’m not fan of processed, corn syrup laden pseudo-food — but if raw food is my only alternative, I’ll stick to an all-Funyon diet and take my chances.
When I visited Oz a few years ago, more than one person told me they found the concept of PBJ sandwiches disgusting.
Yet, these are the same people who put pickled beets on hamburgers.
I have to admit, I’ve never heard of picked beet hamburgers but honestly it sounds kinda good. Not as good as PBJ of course.
Nope. Chances are that boy in Bali ate raw vegetables as his daily diet. There’s one of local food called “pecel” that’s quite like those vegan burritos (but with baked peanut sauce added).