Exotic Foods of the Worldly Traveler

Part of traveling is sampling the local fare. Now many of these delicacies can be ordered online. So my question is: without a few tequilas and the feeling of exploration, will we order these things online and try them at home? Will our cornflakes taste better with a few crickets? Will your sweetheart believe lizard wine will liven up your love life? You be the judge. Here are my favorite exotic edibles available for purchase.


The Giant Japanese Hornet is the largest species of wasp in the world and it contains special enzymes in its body which are reputed to increase strength and energy levels. It supposedly has a “pick me up” effect.


The scorpion is first put through a special detoxifying process and then infused in the vodka for three months before hitting the shelves. The scorpion imparts a pleasant, soft woody taste to the vodka; it also effectively smoothes the sharp edge of the vodka. Alcohol infused with a scorpion is said to possess many excellent health properties. It helps increase libido, lowers blood pressure, and helps remove toxins in the bloodstream. Best served cold.


This brandy-like liquor is produced by steeping rice wine in a clay vat full of Tokay Gecko Lizards and ginseng. After a twelve-month fermentation process has taken place, the liquor is then strained, resulting in this green-colored drink. Consumption of Lizard Wine is said to ward off evil and improve vision!


For those that like their coffee better the second time around, I give you the Civet Coffee. The Common Palm Civet Cat (Paradoxurus Hermaphroditis) prowls the Sumatran coffee plantations at night, choosing to eat only the finest, ripest cherries. The stones (which eventually form coffee beans) are then collected by cleaning through the droppings by the natives who collect it. This has to be among the weirdest jobs in the world.