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Chinese Shish Kebabs
My friend Pete recently returned home from his first trip to China. Among his many photos of the Forbidden City, Great Wall and the skyscrapers of Shanghai, were a handful of shots from my favorite genre of photography: bizarre street foods.
If you look closely, most of these tasty snacks are somewhat recognizable, but there are also some rather alien-looking critters as well.
I guess the general rule in China is if it fits on a shish kebabs stick it can be eaten. I'm not sure about the starfish, though. Those things have got to be very crunchy and rather tasteless! 
I wish I could tell you that Pete, being the curious traveler he is, tried each one of these Chinese delicacies. Sadly, he wimped out and ate at McDonald's instead. Way to go Pete! I think most of us will be right behind you.
Filed under: Food and Drink, China
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 9)
JD Jan 8th 2007 11:12AM
Oh, come on! You know you want to try some of this stuff. In the good ol' U.S. of A., we serve brains, tongue, and tripe (intestines!) in some of our "best" restaurants. Wouldn't you rather eat a grain eating insect, like a locust, rather than some pig intestines?!? What is considered good and fit to eat, is simply what you are accustomed to eating. I never let my children say "yuck" about food and they now will try all kinds of stuff. Wouldn't you rather ENJOY eating many different things than hava only a 'variety' of about 10 things to eat, like Marie. (No offense Marie, but that seems like a very restrictive diet you have there.) Crabs are carrion eaters and we sell them at a premium in the U.S.
Besides, much of the items in those pictures we serve in those same restaurants mentioned above, like squid, octopus and mushrooms, among others.
Go on - live a little and try something other than a nasty MdD's burger that tastes like a cardboard box.
Hydro Jan 8th 2007 11:23AM
Can you imagine what kind of "fear factor" show they could intorduce in China?...guarenteed to make Americans squeamish! HA HA!
Kris Jan 8th 2007 11:15AM
I would probably eat some of the seafood, i've always enjoyed squid...but i definitely draw the line at bugs! No thank you! Living in New York and spending some time in the city you learn to really despise the insect population, especially when you have roaches crawling around the size of small cats!
Steve Jan 10th 2007 8:18PM
One mans junk is another mans treasure. Not everyone was raised on Mcdonalds, and burger king and not everyone has a obesity epidemic in their country. The worlds a book and Kansas is but one page.
Karen Jan 8th 2007 11:25AM
At some point don't you become a civilized people who learn that there are many things just as delicious and you don't have to eat cats, dogs, or baby sparrows?
Sandee Jan 16th 2007 1:29AM
What you are all forgetting is that these countries are pretty impoverished. What you and I see as bugs or squshy things...they see as an available source of protein. That said, I don't think I could eat bugs even if it WAS the only source of protein I had. I consider myself a pretty adventurous eater...but that is just beyond me.
Jesse Varnado Jan 8th 2007 5:39PM
Well I guess if it is a SUSTAINABLE way for so many people to live it can't be all bad.
ERIC WAXMAN Jan 8th 2007 11:34AM
Looks like the stuff people had to eat on the NBC TV show FEAR FACTOR!!! Is that where Fear Factor stunt designers got their ideas for the gross things people had to eat - especially the hot looking woemn on that show!!!!
Jenni Robinson Jan 8th 2007 11:35AM
Anthony Bourdain would have tried each one of those! Not me, I have pleanty of Reservations!
griffin Jan 9th 2007 6:46AM
Perfect weight loss plan to drop these holiday pounds!
griffin Jan 8th 2007 4:30PM
Perfect weight loss plan to drop these holiday pounds!
Jonathan Jan 8th 2007 11:54AM
I would say the grossest foods - not NECESSARILY on a stick, perhaps, BUT - include the meats of dogs and cats someof whom are boiled alive.
I was surprised they weren't included. (Perhaps that's why 'Pete' whimped out?
vicki Jan 8th 2007 11:58AM
these pictures are certainly a great VOTE for being a vegetarian, for sure! how nauseating....not EVERYTHING is worth eating...trust me. i was in china and i was a veggie at the time, thank god.....once again, the chinese have NO scruples at all whatsoever...anything goes, everywhere. barf.
david Jan 9th 2007 9:58AM
In Nicaragua they sell the always delectable iguana on a stick. Tastes a little like an unfishy Leatherback turtle.
willie the warlock Jan 9th 2007 2:04PM
Is the stick clean?
Jessica Jan 8th 2007 4:31PM
I'm disgusted by the fact that the majority of you "open minded" Americans turn your noses up at these foods before trying them. How would you know what it tastes like? Apparently it can't be that bad if you see people eating bugs on a stick with a smile on their face. I'd try any one of those treats, it would be be foolish not to, especially when you're in a country that is known for these delicacies. I guess this is what we get for raising our [fat] families on the same greasy staples that we are ridiculed worldwide for consuming. Go ahead, try something new; I DARE YOU.
Rene Jan 9th 2007 5:41PM
God made EVERYTHING alive edible. I've never had the squid on a stick bur I love calamari... so what's the difference ? I've had lots of Viet Namese meats on a stick and ALL were delicious ! The only American soldiers who survived the Bataan Death March were those who could force themselves to eat snails, crickets,drowned rats,worms, bugs and dead snakes. I'll live thank you. I'll eat. Do you think the indigenous people eat those unusual items because they LIKE them or because they HAVE to in order to stay alive?? THINK ABOUT IT!!!!
Larry T. in D.C. Jan 8th 2007 12:23PM
http://ebaumsworld.com/tags/big-burger/
ROSS Jan 8th 2007 12:29PM
IT ALL TASTES LIKE CHICKEN !!!!!
Pete Jan 8th 2007 12:33PM
Oh my God! I am so glad everyone enjoyed these photos....and, Inever saw sparrows on a stick! That would have really been pitiful, as was mentioned. And, yes, Wangfujin rd.....thanks for clarifying that for me, folks! It was a fun trip -- went to both Shanghai and Beijing.....but food was an issue.
Happy New Year!