Several centuries ago, spices were more valuable than gold or silver, being used for medicines, perfumes or added to food or drinks. It was said that “No man should die who can afford cinnamon.”

The most ancient quests – the Egyptians‘ expeditions for spices were recorded as early as 2000 B.C. Documents mention several spices such as anise, caraway, cassia, cardamon, mustard, sesame, fenugreek or saffron used by Egyptians as medicine and later on for flavoring their food. Today, you can find almost every speak you can think of in the Cairo Spice Bazaar. There are literally hundreds of kilograms of spices at affordable prices all for the taking.

Mexico was also a popular destination for colonists looking for new flavors to take back home. In Mexico, you can now find probably the hottest foods in the world and some of the most unique spices. Apart from the usual spices such as garlic powder, Mexican oregano or cumin, there are a few ones you can’t find anywhere else. Epazote or “Mexican tea” is a rare herb used to flavor beans, that soothes digestive pains. Chili powder is another popular Mexican spice, made of various chilies. Also try the allspice, a dried, unripe berry also known as Jamaican Pepper; all these spices can be found in the many spice markets across Mexico.

Apart from the superb beaches, Malaysian cuisine with its exotic flavors is a destination in itself. You will often find lemongrass, turmeric, Kaffir Lime leaves, Wild Ginger Flower Buds, Ginger or Cinnamon Sticks in spice shops or typical Malaysian foods. Traditional spices are used in conjunction with Indian and Chinese spices such as cardamon, pepper, star anise and fenugreek.

While in Asia, don’t hesitate to taste or buy saffron, a spice with a honey and grassy aroma original to Southeast Asia. It takes 75,000 blossoms or 225,000 hand-picked stigmas to make a single pound of saffron, making this the most expensive spice in the world.

Another popular cuisine famous for its use of spices is India. Historically, Indian spices are some of the most sought after trade commodities. The country produces a great variety of spices, many of which are native to this part of Asia. Typical Indian spices include chili pepper, black mustard seed, jeera, turmeric, coriander, ginger and garlic.

Istanbul, Turkey’s capital, is what some may call “the spice capital of the world”. Istanbul’s exotic spice markets sells tens of spices, dried fruits, sweets, teas and nuts. Try to buy spices that are wrapped beforehand because many of them lose their flavor in time. Other spices are not what they appear to be; for example, Turkish saffron is not actually saffron, but dried safflower. Bargaining is part of the Turkish way of thinking so always try to get a better price for what you buy in these bazaars.

There are probably tens or hundreds more spice markets all over the world, apart from the ones listed here. Which one would you add?

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La Villajoyosa – Spain

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Literally translated as “the happy town”, La Villajoyosa is also known as “the chocolate city”, for its long chocolate-producing history, dating back to the 18^th century. La Villajoyosa linked its name to chocolate when it first started importing cocoa from Ecuador and Venezuela.

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Nowadays La Villajoyosa is famous as the home of Valor, one of the most popular chocolate brands in all of Europe. As a chocoholic, you’ll want to savor some Churros (a local bakery specialty) dipped in hot chocolate.

Tain L’Hermitage

Home to the Valrhona chocolate factory and its Ecole du Grand Chocolat, the small town of Tain L’Hermitage is the place to visit in France, if you’re hooked on fine chocolate. The most talented “chocolatiers’ come to this famed school to learn the secrets of gourmet chocolate from the masters. Just so you can get an idea of what this place means for chocolate, students gladly pay over $1,000 for only three days of training.

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But you don’t have to be a chocolatier to appreciate Train L’Hermitage, you just have to love chocolate and wine. Tours of the Valrhona chocolate factory will reveal some of the most exquisite chocolate specialties you’ve ever tasted.

San Francisco

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The city of San Francisco definitely has to be considered as one of the leading chocolate capitals of the world. Home to Ghirardelli, America’s longest continuously operating chocolate manufacturer, and one of the few with a complete production cycle, starting from cultivating the cocoa bean all the way to the finished product.

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But San Francisco is home to other legendary chocolate makers like Scharffen Berger, who offers free tours and treats six times a day. If you’re ever in the Bay Area, you don’t want to miss learning about San Francisco’s chocolaty history, while stuffing your face with delicious brown tiles.

Belgium

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Try as we might, we couldn’t find a chocolate center, if you will, in all of Belgium. In a country with 12 chocolate factories, 16 chocolate museums and over 2,100 chocolate shops, it’s had to find a town or village that doesn’t have its own delicious chocolate brand.

Belgian chocolate brands like Godiva, Guylian or Leonidas are appreciated worldwide for their deliciousness and beautifully crafted chocolate pieces. Producing over 172,000 tons of chocolate every year, Belgium is definitely not-to-be-missed by any self-respecting chocoholic.

Zurich – Switzerland

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We couldn’t complete our journey through the world of chocolate without mentioning Switzerland, the country with the largest chocolate consumption rate in the world (11.6 kg per person per year). And Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland, is home to the chocolate triumvirate of Lindt-Teuscher-Sprungli.

There are many confiseries and chocolateries where you can experience the deliciousness of Swiss chocolate, but the Sprungli Confiserie, one of the city’s largest chocolate shops, has the reputation of “chocolate heaven”.

Tteokbokki

One of the most famous dishes in South Korea, Tteokbokki can be found at practically every street food cart in Seoul. But since every vendor in the city has its own secret recipe, each bowl is a whole new experience. Served in paper bowls, Ttekbokki is a Korean rice cake stew, cooked with red hot peppers and onion that give it an unmistakable orange shade. Ttekbokki has gone from being an exclusive dish, served only at the royal court, to one of the most famous street foods in Seoul.

Sundae

Sundae is one of the oldest foods still consumed in South Korea, with dozens of varieties found all across the country. Its name might lead you to believe it’s a creamy dessert, but that couldn’t be more wrong. The most common type of Sundae served by Seoul’s Pongjangmachas (street food carts) is a sausage made from pig’s intestines stuffed with cellophane noodles, pork blood, garlic and onions. The Sundae sausage is steamed and served in paper cups. To spice up your stay in Seoul, you could try Sundae mixed with Ttokbokki sauce.

Odeng

Together with Tteokbokki stew, Odeng is considered the most popular street food in Seoul, and it is as simple as it is delicious. Fish and wheat flour are mixed into a paste, together with several spices and herbs, skewered and boiled in a special broth, for added taste. Odeng fish cakes are prepared differently by almost every street food vendor in Seoul, each adding its own secret ingredient, in an attempt to stay ahead of the steep competition. Odeng is served with a paper bowl full of broth, for drinking and dipping, and with a glass of soju, a Korean alcoholic drink.

Kimbap

The first time people set eye on Kimbap rolls, they think to themselves “Mmm, sushi!”, but the similarities to the famous Japanese dish end with the steamed rice and seaweed sheets. While sushi is regarded as sophisticated, Kimbap is a Korean fast-food product, surprisingly filling after a long day visiting Seoul. Instead of fish, this Korean light snack is filled with various vegetables, like carrot, cucumber, pickled radish, and meats like ham, beef, sausages or crab sticks.

Sundubu jigae

One of the spiciest concoctions available on the streets of Seoul, Sundubu jigae is especially popular during the cold season, when everyone is looking for ways to stay warm. A soup made with uncurled tofu, various seafood (shrimps or oysters), mushrooms, vegetables and chili peppers, Sundubu jigae is one of Korea’s favorite delicacies and a must-try while in Seoul.

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Alligator on a Stick

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It’s an “eat or be eaten” world out there and no one seems to know that better than the Americans. Tired of playing the victim to alligators, the people of South Louisiana decided to beat the reptiles at their own game and found their meat tastes a lot like chicken.

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Alligator on a Stick is basically a shish kabob. Pieces of deep-fried alligator tail, battered in corn meal and richly seasoned with Cajun spices are placed on a wooden skewer and served while fresh. Sounds a bit strange but those who have tried it say it’s quite delicious.

Squirrel Brains

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In Southern US and especially around Kentucky, Squirrel Brains is considered a delicacy and have nothing to do with poverty. Squirrels shot during the hunting season and even those killed on the road are used to prepare this unusual dish.

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Traditionally, Squirrel Brains is a gift-food. Someone kills the animal, cuts off the head and brings it to a friend’s home. The woman of the house accepts the delicious present, shaves off the fur and boils the head whole. When it’s done, the skull is cracked at the dinner table and the contents sucked out. Another way of cooking Squirrel Brains is scrambled in white gravy with eggs.

Geoducks

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A true delicacy, geoducks are considered aphrodisiacs and are highly praised in Asian countries like China and Korea. Native to Northwest USA, the geoduck is one of the largest clams on earth and famous for its unusual shape.

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Strangely enough, the geoduck’s meaty neck strongly resembles a large penis, complete with a small whole at its tip, from which water squirts. There are several ways you can cook a geoduck, including stir-fried or in chowder. One thing you don’t want to do is overcook them because they become too chewy.

Fried Green Tomatoes

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The name says it all. All you need to cook this simple dish is green tomatoes, cornmeal, vegetable oil and a frying pan. Slice up the veggies in thin slices, coat them in cornmeal and dump them in the hot oil. Now all you have to do is cook them to a golden brown.

A popular side-dish in Southern US States like Louisiana, Fried Green Tomatoes are sometimes cooked in grease or bacon fat, for added taste and higher cholesterol, of course.

Chitterlings

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Basically cooked hog intestines, Chitterlings date back to colonial times. When pigs were slaughtered, masters fed their slaves with the animal parts they considered inedible, like the snout, feet and intestines. They were boiled in a pot and consumed.

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The dangers of eating Chitterlings are not to be ignored. Bacteria like E. Coli and Salmonella often reside in the animal’s intestines, so they should be washed with baking soda and rinsed several times with cool water. An onion is usually thrown in to the boiling pot, to cover the pungent smell of Chitterlings as they begin to cook.

Kaolin

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Most people don’t think of clay as edible, but in poor communities from Southern states like Alabama and Georgia eating kaolin is quite common. This allegedly delicious mineral is either dug up from the earth or purchased from local stores.

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Some kaolin mongers say they eat it because they like the taste while others use it to settle their stomach. Delicious as it may be, kaolin often causes constipation and sometimes even colon ruptures.

Rocky Mountain Oysters

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Also known as Prairie Oysters, these culinary delights are actually cooked bull or buffalo testicles. When the young animals are castrated, the testicles are thrown into a bucket of water, then washed and peeled. They’re usually coated in flour and deep fried whole, or sliced and cooked in a frying pan.

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Common in Western states like Montana, Idaho and Kansas, Rocky Mountain Oysters were invented by cowboys who used to throw them whole on a stove and cook them until they popped. Nowadays this delicacy can be savored at Testicle fairs and festivals, as well as in many Western restaurants and diners.

Make sure to check out our lists of Asian, African and European delicacies you probably could not stomach.

10. St. Crois Food and Wine Experience – US Virgin Islands

The St. Crois Food and Wine Experience began more than 10 years ago as a way to show off the talents of some of the hottest chefs in St. Croix. The event, which features a spectacular “Iron Chef, Top Chef, Island Chef” competition, draws popular chefs from around the world. Amongst them are Kevin Rathbun, Johnny Vinczencz, and Antonia Lofaso. The annual festival works to bring the community together to share a love of food and fun.

9. Les Etoiles des Mougins – France

In the tiny town of Mougins, set in the South of France, you’ll find yourself captivated by the 4-year old Les Etoiles des Mougins festival. The town is well known for its love of food, and renowned chefs from around the country visit to share in conference classes, food tastings, and skilled culinary demonstrations.

8. Cornucopia – Whistler, Canada

Usually held during the fall months, the Cornucopia festival in Whistler, Canada will likely draw extra attention this year as the area prepares for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The two-night festival includes a Gala Grand Tasting event featuring the wares of more than 75 different wineries as well as the cuisine of some of the area’s most notable local chefs. If you book your Whistler hotel in advance you might be able to enjoy both great food and incredible Olympic events this winter!

7. Taste of Amsterdam – Netherlands

Amsterdam isn’t a city known for its cuisine but the Taste of Amsterdam festival aims to change that mindset. The festival spanned over a three day period during the month of June and made sure the spotlight was shining on a dozen of the area’s most famous restaurants. More than 15,000 food lovers visited the city for wine tastings, demonstrations, and food oriented events.

6. Hong Kong Wine and Dine Celebration – China

This festival will make its debut in November of this year and the city hopes to celebrate the introduction of the Michelin guide to China. The city of Hong Kong is known for its dedication to the culinary arts and the Kung King Heen at the Four Seasons is proud to earn three Michelin stars – and that’s only one of the fabulous restaurants you’ll want to visit. Book your hotel in Hong Kong in advance to ensure you’re in the area for this astounding event.

5. World Gourmet Summit – Singapore

The World Gourmet Summit in Singapore is a spectacular event dedicated to the celebration of each of the world’s most distinct cuisines. The festival, held each spring, welcomes celebrity chefs from around the world and has been graced with the presence of Wylie Dufresne, Klaus Erfort, and a number of other gastronomic superstars.

4. Puerto Rico Wine and Food Fest – San Juan, Puerto Rico

Each year the Puerto Rico Wine and Food Fest features a different celebrity chef. The guest of honor at the 2009 festival was none other than Emeril Lagasse and it isn’t uncommon to find other favorite television chefs mingling in restaurants and cafes throughout this two-day event as well. The festival features demonstrations, wine tastings, and traditional Puerto Rican dishes served by some of the area’s hottest dining establishments.

3. Festival Gourmet International – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

One of the oldest festivals on our list, the Festival Gourmet International will be celebrating its 15^th anniversary in the fall of 2009. Every local restaurant in the city has the opportunity to invite a guest chef to visit the area and participate in special events like the Chef’s Hell-Raising Party and a number of other fun activities. To date, it is rumored that more than 30 celebrity chefs will be in attendance.

2. BBC Good Food Shows – Birmingham, London & Glasgow, UK

The BBC Good Food Shows held in both Birmingham and Glasgow are sponsored by Good Food magazine. The event features cooking demonstrations, food tastings, and even cooking classes filled with tips almost any cook will appreciate. Both events are spectacular but the one in Birmingham is traditionally larger and draws the attention of some of the area’s finest celebrity chefs, including James Martin and Gordon Ramsay.

1. Melbourne Food and Wine Festival – Australia

This astounding 17-day festival showcases the culinary abilities of some of Australia’s finest chefs. With more than 200 individual events, visitors can participate in all sorts of casual or formal activities. There are tapas tours, demonstrations, and – of course – amazing food tastings all around the city.

Make sure you take the time to visit one of these amazing festivals at least once in your life. You’ll find yourself surrounded by culinary masterminds in a series of events you’ll never forget!

Chicha

One of the oldest beverages on Earth, Chica is a maize-derived drink prepared in several South-American countries. Discoveries show Chicha has been consumed for thousands of years, since the time of the Inca, but, nowadays its popularity had decreased considerably and only a few villages in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica still prepare it.

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Traditional Chicha-makers grind the maize and then chew it to moisturize it. After the human saliva breaks down the starch, the balls of chewed maze are put in large clay vats and warm water is added. After several days of fermentation, Chicha is ready to be consumed. With just 1-3% alcohol, Chicha is not the strongest drink you can try.

Kumis

Very popular among the people living in the plains of Central Asia, Kumis is a fermented drink made from mare’s milk. Described by Herodotus in the 5^th century BC, Kumis, just like Chicha, is very old.

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To make this unusual dairy product, mare milk is fermented for hours or days, while stirred so it doesn’t coagulate. Traditionally, the mare’s milk was kept in a horse-hide tied to the saddle and bounced around for a day’s ride. Nowadays it is made in wooden vats and, because mare milk is scarce, industrial-producers use cow milk with added sucrose. Kumis is not a very potent drink, containing between 0.7 and 2.5% alcohol.

Lizard Wine

It might sound repulsing, but lizard wine is a very popular drink in China. It’s prepared by adding ginseng and Geko lizards into a clay vat, full of fermenting rice wine. After 12 months, the mixture is strained and green liquor is obtained.

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Lizard wine tastes a lot like brandy and is said to improve eye-sight and ward of evil spirits.

Baby Mouse Wine

Very popular in China and Korea, baby mouse wine is a considered a cure for anything from the common cold to liver problems. Think of it as cheap remedy for people who can’t afford to visit a doctor.

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Baby mouse wine is prepared by drowning a large number of baby mice in vats full of rice wine. The critters mustn’t be more than 2-3 days old, to ensure the drink ends up being fur-free. The mixture is stored in a dark, dry space for about a year before it can be consumed.

Just one or two glasses of baby mouse wine are enough to get you hammered, but because of its horrible smell and taste, most people shouldn’t have to worry about that.

Snake drinks

Just like baby mouse wine, snake liquors are considered powerful cures for a wide array of illnesses, ranging from impotence to hair loss. These drinks are found in the markets of various countries from south-east Asia.

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Odd liquors like snake whiskey and snake sake, contain the most poisonous snakes, including several species of Cobra.

Seagull Wine

The weirdest and probably most disgusting drink on our list is also the simplest. Before I explain how it’s made, keep in mind that it was invented by Eskimos and they don’t really have the luxury of fermenting different types of food in order to get wasted.

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Now, as I was saying, seagull wine is so simple you could make it yourself, if you wanted to. But believe me, you don’t. You take a dead seagull, stuff it into a bottle (don’t ask me how), pour water over it and leave it in the sun until it’s done fermenting. That’s it.

Don’t expect a taste similar to the finest whiskey, after all, we’re talking about a fermented seagull. But it packs quite a punch.

You can discover Belgium through its food even though this small country is not high on anyone’s list of famous cuisines. Neglecting Belgian cuisine from the world’s menus cheats the human race of sampling how to cook simply and rightly to the extent of being a tragedy.

The stuff that makes Belgian cuisine stand out from other countries’ are things Americans think of as humble meals: french fries, waffles, chocolate bars, and beer.

In a country that celebrates simple things prepared to perfection, Belgium has no equal. Belgium is a country that maximizes its enjoyment of simple ingredients to the level of great street art. From what Americans think of at breakfast food (waffles), or side dishes (pommes de terre), children’s treats (chocolate), or something to slug down at the workday’s end in front of the TV (beer), in Belgium these dishes are an art rather than a commodity. They are enjoyed and savored rather than consumed for their own sake.

The country offers combinations of flavors that demand to be savored but often aren’t in most places on the globe. Belgian cuisine is what makes a visit so much more enjoyable, eye-opening, and tongue-popping an experience that sticks to a visitor’s ribs, palate and taste buds.

These guys know how to make the most of what they have and we aren’t only talking about lowly potatoes. Mouline frites are french fries and mussels. It’s much better than fish and chips, more humble and more tasty, and available only in Belgium where it is enjoyed as a national, regular dish. Think about it and roll that thought over your tongue — mussels and french fries as a regular satisfying meal to get you through the day.

You think you’ve eaten a waffle? You haven’t tasted the real thing until you’ve had a Belgian waffle bought fresh on a the street corner. The same can be said of any food familiar in your kitchen freezer. In Belgium, the standards are higher, the ingredients fresher, the quality better. Belgians raise the bar of perfection.

You think you’ve tasted chocolate? You think you’ve eaten peas or parsnips? You haven’t tasted anything until you’ve dined in Belgium. They’re available wherever a shop or kiosk is open for business. Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, good ingredients, pride in preparation — these are the hallmarks of Belgian cuisine, and after a swallow you’ll find it hard to go back to eat the way you did before.

A Belgian waffle is a soft pillow of crenelated and pockmarked dough coated with fresh fruit compote and powdered sugar, not a hard, factory-made slab slathered with margarine and imitation maple syrup. A Belgian chocolate is a marriage of cacao and milk crafted by craftsmen, not a factory-fresh bar with the consistency of plastic stamped with a corporate trademark. A glass of draught beer could have been tended by monks or brewmasters, but no matter who did the brewing, it got its taste and its flavor from attention to details often overlooked in industrial processes but appreciated during the sipping.

Belgium knows how to make food right!

Images courtesy of wolfgangstaudt (1 + 2), hragvartanian, bhamsandwich, ykjc9, c3lsius, Smabs Sputzer, tirolerbua, avlxyz (1 + 2)

Blood Sausage

Known as Blood Pudding in the UK, Boudin in France and Blutwurst in Germany, blood sausage is a delicacy made of blood, fat and minced meat. It is usually prepared when an animal is slaughtered because the sausage tastes better when it is made with fresh blood that has not coagulated.

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Every region has its own recipe of blood sausage, but all variants are considered delicacies fit only for strong stomachs. They are considered disgusting by some people due to the blood, but there are many others who appreciate their strong taste.

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Although it can be frozen, blood sausage is considered very delicate and it will only keep for a few days.

Casu Marzu

Casu Marzu literally translated means “rotten cheese” in Sardinian, but is commonly referred to as maggot cheese. This traditional sheep milk cheese is full of insect larvae and is therefore considered one of the most disgusting foods on the planet.

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To be transformed into Casu Marzu, Pecorino cheese goes way past the fermentation process and straight to decomposition. Larvae of a cheese fly are introduced into the cheese to break down its fat. The larvae look like translucent worms, 8 mm long and can jump up to 15 cm when disturbed.

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Some remove the larvae before consuming Casu Marzu, other prefer to eat them as well. This traditional Sardinian cheese has been banned due to health concerns, but it can still be found on the black market.

Escargot

Not all species of snails are edible, but leave it to the French to find the ones that can actually be eaten, and turn them into delicacies. Actually, I’m only joking, archeologists have found evidence that snails have been consumed since prehistoric times and the Romans were crazy about them

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Before they are cooked, snails are fed ground cereals, to make sure their digestive systems contain no decayed matter or other leaves that may be toxic to humans. They are then removed from their shells, gutted, cooked and then inserted back into their shells with butter, garlic and a special sauce.

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Eating snails can sound disgusting to some people, but you should know they’re excellent in diets, since they are 15% protein, 2.4% fat and 80% water.

Hakarl

Hakarl is a traditional shark dish from Iceland. The meat of a basking shark undergoes a special fermentation process and is then hung to dry, for a period of 4-5 months. Although it can be found in many Icelandic food-stores, all year round, because of its strong taste, many Icelanders never even try it.

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To make Hakarl, the gutted and beheaded basking shark is placed in a shallow hole in the sand and covered with rocks, so the fluids are pressed out of the flesh. After 6-12 weeks the fermented shark is removed from the hole and hung to dry. When it’s ready, Hakarl is cut into small cubes and served with toothpicks.

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With a strong ammonia smell and taste, Hakarl is definitely not for everyone. Most people are advised to pinch their nose when they try their first piece of Hakarl and, even so, tend to gag involuntarily.

Dormouse Stew

Considered a delicacy by the Romans, who consumed them as an appetizer or a dessert (covered in honey and poppy seeds), dormice are still eaten today in countries like Slovenia, Croatia and Italy.

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In Italy, the edible species of Dormouse (Glis glis) is protected by law and many restaurants you may find it as rat stew. In reality, the demand for cooked dormice is so high that 20,000 specimens are hunted every year and they’re fast becoming and endangered species.

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Before cooking, the dormouse is skinned, placed under running water for 24 hours, placed in a mixture of vinegar and water, rinsed and only then added into the cooking pot.

Criadillas

I knew some Spaniards love fighting bulls in the arena, or at least watching others fight bulls, but eating their testicles? That’s definitely news to me.

Known as Prairie Oysters, in Canada and Rocky Mountain Oysters, in the US, criadillas are cooked testicles of bull or lamb. Their protective membrane is usually peeled off, they are covered in flour and deep-fried.

Criadillas might sound like a disgusting dish, but those who have tried it say it tastes delicious and people only react negatively after they learn what they just ate.

Frog Legs

You know how the English sometimes refer to their longtime rivals, the French, as “Frogs”? Well, you’re about to learn why.

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Frog legs are one of the most well-known delicacies of French cuisine and there are eaten especially in the areas of Dombes and Lyon. They are usually cooked with butter, parsley and garlic, just like escargot, and served with salad or steamed rice.

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Frog legs are said to taste a lot like chicken but the weird thing about them is that sometimes the muscles twitch due to the heat from the cooking process. So don’t be alarmed if you see your food trying to make a run for it right before you stick a fork in it.

Don’t forget to check out even more disgusting delicacies from Asia and Africa.

5. Neua Pad Prik (Thai Pepper Steak)

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This Thai delicacy is as spicy as it is simple. The cook simply throws some pieces of beef into a pan, seasons them with herbs like shallots, basil and garlic and only then ads the main ingredient, a large quantity of birds-eye chili peppers. Famous across Thailand and Indonesia, these chillies are the main reason Thai cuisine is famous for its spiciness.

4. Sichuan Hot-Pot

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Before you try your first spoon of Sichuan Hot-Pot, make sure you have a towel near by, you’ll be soaked in a matter of minutes. Mongolian or other Chinese hot-pots you might have tried, don’t even come close to the Sichuan Hot-Pot. A boiling-hot broth full of garlic, onion and Sichuan Peppers is left simmering on the table and raw pieces of meat and vegetables are cooked in it, on the spot. Sichuan “flower” peppers are famous all around the world for their numbing effect, but, although you can try this specialty in many Chinese restaurants, the hot-pots served in Sichuan are the real-deal.

3. Vindaloo Pork

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In India, “spicy”  is not the same thing as “hot”. To Indians, spicy food is a dish with many spices and strong flavors, whereas hot food is what we usually call spicy. Vindaloo Pork is, undoubtedly, one of the hottest dishes in the world. Brought to Goa, by the Portuguese, this recipe contained pork preserved in red wine, peppers and garlic, but it was adopted by the Indians and became a spice enriched curry.

It might not sound like much, but the ridiculous amounts of Bhut Jolokia, acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the hottest chili pepper in the world, makes Vindaloo a very interesting and dangerously-hot meal.

2. Phall Curry

As anyone who has tried Phall Curry will tell you, eating this dish is quite a challenge. It is known across the world as the hottest curry available, and some restaurants even provide customers who finish a whole bowl, with a certificate. Phall Curry contains 10 different types of peppers, including habanero, scotch bonnet and Bhut Jolokia, the hottest chili pepper on Earth.

It contains spices like ginger and fennel seeds, but with your mouth on fire, you probably won’t even taste them.

1. Shrimp Cocktail at St. Elmo Steak House, Indiana

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You didn’t expect this, did you? So many spicy cuisines out there and we pick the hottest dish from Indiana? Well yes, when we heard known food critic and blogger for Travel Channel, Allison Stein Wellner has dubbed this shrimp cocktail the strongest dish in the world, we knew it had to be true.

Here is what miss Wellner said she felt after trying the shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo Steak House: “I dropped my cutlery as a sensation that I can only describe as what electrocution must feel like, shot down my throat and then up my nose, forking its way into my brain My hands started to rise and—yes!—I had the urge to clap my hands on my skull to keep the top from blowing off.”

And it doesn’t even contain chilies, the spiciness comes from the 20 pounds of horseradish grated over the shrimps, every day.

The shrimp cocktail in the photo above is not the one served at St. Elmo.

Head-cheese

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Not a cheese at all, head-cheese is a cold dish made with meat pieces from a calf or a pig’s head, aspic, vegetables, pepper and salt. Meat jellies have been very popular in Europe, ever since the Middle-Ages and nowadays there’s a different recipe of head-cheese in almost every country in the world. In Africa and Australia, head-cheese is known as brawn.

Pigs in a blanket

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Another very popular, but strangely named food is the ‘pigs in a blanket’. Known also as devils on horseback, wiener winks or kilted sausages, pigs in a blanket are basically different kinds of sausages wrapped in biscuit, pancake or croissant dough. In Britain, sausages are wrapped in pieces of bacon as a religious link to Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Bubble and squeak

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This traditional English dish is made out of vegetable leftovers sometimes mixed with cold meat. The main ingredients are potato and cabbage, but peas, mushrooms, carrots and brussel sprouts are often added. The vegetables are fried in a pan, with mashed potatoes, until they’re well-cooked and brown on the sides.

Bubble and squeak was a popular dish during WWII, a time when food was scarce and leftovers had to be eaten.

Garbage bread

This bread-shaped pizza is very popular in the US, especially because it’s very easy to make. All you need is some pizza dough and anything you can find in the fridge. That’s why it’s called garbage bread, because you can use any leftovers you might have lying around. Just sprinkle the ingredients onto the pizza dough, roll it up and stick it into the oven.

Toad in the hole

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Named because of its resemblance to a toad sticking its head out of a hole, this traditional English food is one of the simplest you can find. You just fill a preheated pan with Yorkshire pudding batter, add sausages and stick the whole thing into the oven until it’s cooked.

Faggots

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Faggots have no connection to the slang term referring to homosexuals or effeminate men. They are a popular English dish, made from pig heart, liver and minced bacon or meat, mixed with herbs and breadcrumbs. The ingredients are shaped into balls, wrapped in a membrane from the pig’s abdomen and baked.

Shit on a shingle

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Commonly known as creamed chipped beef on toast, this otherwise tasty food got its funny name during World War II. It was the favorite dish of American troops in the field and they gave it the name Shit on a shingle. This very simple dish is basically chipped, partially dehydrated beef on toast, covered with roux sauce.

Spotted Dick

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With what is probably the funniest name in the cookbook, Spotted Dick is also on of Britain’s favorite puddings. It contains flour, suet, currants, rum, golden sugar and is baked in a tin, surrounded by a water bath. During the 1990s some hospitals and restaurants changed the name to Spotted Richard, because people were too embarrassed to order the desert. The name came back eventually because even more people didn’t know what Spotted Richard was.