# What's the worst properly prepared thing you have ever eaten? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 27, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940 "2017-10-27T02:05:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/101 "2017-10-30T01:11:40Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > There is also the Norweigian version, [rakfisk](http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20543802), which is either similar or worse (which I can’t imagine), and the somewhat more well-known Icelandic hakarl, fermented shark. I’d be really curious to try both these. I thought hakarl was supposed to be worse, but [at least this commentator](http://demislw.com/2014/03/09/its-a-fork-off-the-worlds-foulest-food/) thinks the title goes to surströmming. Rakfisk smells pretty bad, but tastes really nice. Never tried hakarl or surstrømming, don’t want to! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/102 "2017-10-30T01:29:34Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > Rakfisk smells pretty bad, but tastes really nice. See, I don’t believe that shit. They say exactly the same thing about surströmming! I have never in my life eaten anything that didn’t taste like how it smells. I mean, okay, durian has additional components to its flavor when you actually eat it, but the smell component is still there. I happen to enjoy it well enough, but I would never tell someone it tastes nothing like it smells. It tastes mostly like how it smells, but with a sweet, tropical, creaminess to it. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/103 "2017-10-30T01:33:58Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Whatever it was, it had a handful of cilantro flakes thrown on top of it just before serving. Probably in Costa Rica, where a handful of cilantro is the national dish. I’d like to nominate every single properly prepared dish with cilantro as an ingredient. Also, German chocolate cake. I with there were a rule of kashrut about not mixing coconut with chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/104 "2017-10-30T01:57:54Z")
Michelada. Seems like it should be good, the stepchild of bloody mary and lager, but it wasn’t. Then there was this fancy-schmancy sake shot I had at a ski resort, with sake, chopped clam, a quail egg, maybe a dash of tabasco or something? I don’t know. I like all the ingredients separately, but who would have thought, chugging it in one go nearly made me vomit. One benefit of sobriety is getting to pass up all the weird shit we do to make alcohol sexier. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/105 "2017-10-30T02:08:52Z")
There used to be a place in town that sold some kind of loose meat sandwich. Others raved, but I thought it tasted like someone puked in the bun. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/106 "2017-10-30T02:18:22Z")
I’ve had haggis a couple of times, at pubs in Edinburgh, and was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. I’m also a fan of tongue, liver and chicken a la king. Canned chicken is one of the worst things I’ve had. For some reason (maybe in grad school?) friends had a whole canned chicken and it was slimy, rubbery, almost tasteless and unfit for human consumption. There are loads of good reviews online for canned chicken pieces but my memory of bad canned chicken is still too vivid for me to ever try it again. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/107 "2017-10-30T06:51:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > See, I don’t believe that shit. They say exactly the same thing about surströmming! I have never in my life eaten anything that didn’t taste like how it smells. I mean, okay, durian has additional components to its flavor when you actually eat it, but the smell component is still there. I happen to enjoy it well enough, but I would never tell someone it tastes nothing like it smells. It tastes mostly like how it smells, but with a sweet, tropical, creaminess to it. Durian smells like a rotting corpse, and durian tastes like a rotting corpse. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/108 "2017-10-30T15:28:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > See, I don’t believe that shit. They say exactly the same thing about surströmming! I have never in my life eaten anything that didn’t taste like how it smells. I mean, okay, durian has additional components to its flavor when you actually eat it, but the smell component is still there. I happen to enjoy it well enough, but I would never tell someone it tastes nothing like it smells. It tastes mostly like how it smells, but with a sweet, tropical, creaminess to it. Believe it or not, in this case it’s true. It smells like spoiled, sour fish, but the taste is really nice. Kinda like cold-smoked fish without the smoke. It is a weird experience… When you put the fish in your mouth you’re expecting _the worst_, but as you begin chewing, the expected revulsion surprisingly turns into pleasantness. Wash it down with some aquavit, and your ready for the next bite. If I were you, I’d at least give it a try! Surstrømming on the other hand, has a reputation of icking out a whole neighborhood by just opening the can… When I ate rakfisk we were in a small one-bedroom apartment, and somehow everyone managed to stay in there. That wouldn’t be possible with surstrømming, I think. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/109 "2017-10-30T16:16:46Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Was it really just unflavored gelatin surrounding the meat and veggies? Typically, at least in Eastern European cooking, it’s gelatinized broth. [Here’s another picture of it in aspic](http://cosdochleba.blogspot.com/2015/08/szybka-galareta-z-kurczaka-z-rosou.html). That looks pretty clear, but it’s a light chicken broth that’s gelatinized. Gelatinized broth seems not so bad; I’m pretty sure this gel had not real taste but I was traumatized by the whole thing so I’m not 100%. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/110 "2017-10-30T20:50:46Z")
> [@flaming\_yawn](#): > > SOS in my youth my mom would make shit on a shingle… it was hamburger that was cooked then a white type of pasty gravy and onions served over toasted white bread or mashed potatoes. I still hate crumbled up hamburger in anything except sloppy joes. > also the mixed vegetables in a can Veg All that was peas carrots and little square potatoes…yuck That actually sounds like it might taste good. The “classic” SOS is chipped beef in white sauce served on bread. Yucky. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/111 "2017-10-30T22:31:40Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > Surstrømming on the other hand, has a reputation of icking out a whole neighborhood by just opening the can… When I ate rakfisk we were in a small one-bedroom apartment, and somehow everyone managed to stay in there. That wouldn’t be possible with surstrømming, I think. No, that would definitely not be possible with surströmming. I am partly going by a memory of some blog ranking the most disgusting foods and having surströmming at a measly #4, with hakarl #3, something else at #2, and rakfisk at #1. But given your description, surströmming sounds much worse. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/112 "2017-10-30T22:32:40Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Durian smells like a rotting corpse, and durian tastes like a rotting corpse. No, no, a rotting corpse with hints of banana and tropical fruit. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/113 "2017-10-30T22:54:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No, that would definitely not be possible with surströmming. I am partly going by a memory of some blog ranking the most disgusting foods and having surströmming at a measly #4, with hakarl #3, something else at #2, and rakfisk at #1. But given your description, surströmming sounds much worse. That’s the impression I’ve got, at least. So again, I’d recommend you to reconsider trying rakfisk, but it’s up to you. Another weird-sounding Norwegian dish I can recommend is smalahove: a salted, sometimes smoked sheep head, usually served halved. For me, the least pleasant properly prepared food was probably lutefisk. It’s not horrifying, but it’s not good in any way. Oh, and boiled cod-eyes. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/114 "2017-10-30T23:17:11Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > That’s the impression I’ve got, at least. So again, I’d recommend you to reconsider trying rakfisk, but it’s up to you. Another weird-sounding Norwegian dish I can recommend is smalahove: a salted, sometimes smoked sheep head, usually served halved. > > For me, the least pleasant properly prepared food was probably lutefisk. It’s not horrifying, but it’s not good in any way. Oh, and boiled cod-eyes. Oh, I don’t think I said anywhere I wouldn’t try rakfisk. Of course I would! And sheep head sounds pretty good to me. The head usually contains some pretty tasty meat (at least that’s my experience with beef and pork.) So when you say salted and sometimes smoked, I presume it’s a kind of cured, charcuterie type of offering? (So, not cooked in any way, besides the possible smoking?) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/115 "2017-10-30T23:30:44Z")
Bärwurz (sorry, [only German link](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A4rwurz_(Spirituose))). Vilest liquor ever. My BIL uses to serve the crudest shots imaginable (he likes to torture his guests :D), and one time it was this. Few people here will know [Maggi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggi), it’s a rich in MSG condiment and a staple of German kitchens. But I once tasted Marmite (which I gather is quite like Vegemite) and it’s a dead ringer for Maggi, so imagine a Marmite/Vegemite Schnaps with 40 % of alcohol. Shudder, never ever again. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/116 "2017-10-30T23:34:42Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Bärwurz (sorry, [only German link](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A4rwurz_(Spirituose))). Vilest liquor ever. My BIL uses to serve the crudest shots imaginable (he likes to torture his guests :D), and one time it was this. Few people here will know [Maggi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggi), it’s a rich in MSG condiment and a staple of German kitchens. But I once tasted Marmite (which I gather is quite like Vegemite) and it’s a dead ringer for Maggi, so imagine a Marmite/Vegemite Schnaps with 40 % of alcohol. Shudder, never ever again. Sounds to me then that’s it’s probably made from lovage (which is sometimes known as Maggikraut in German) in or something similar. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it, as I love these weird, herbal liqueurs and schnapps. And I really like lovage. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2017, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/117 "2017-10-30T23:39:20Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Oh, I don’t think I said anywhere I wouldn’t try rakfisk. Of course I would! And sheep head sounds pretty good to me. The head usually contains some pretty tasty meat (at least that’s my experience with beef and pork.) So when you say salted and sometimes smoked, I presume it’s a kind of cured, charcuterie type of offering? (So, not cooked in any way, besides the possible smoking?) Oh, I got the wrong impression, then! Nope. It’s salted, dried, sometimes also smoked, then usually steamed, or boiled. Served warm, on the skull, with potatoes and rutabaga-mash as sides. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/118 "2017-10-31T00:07:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Sounds to me then that’s it’s probably made from lovage (which is sometimes known as Maggikraut in German) in or something similar. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it, as I love these weird, herbal liqueurs and schnapps. And I really like lovage. You know, **pulykamell** , you made it very clear that you have at thing for perverse food in this thread, so I guess you’ll love Bärwurz :D. It’s a very strong taste. It’s not made from lovage or Maggikraut, but from [Meum athamanticum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meum_athamanticum), another VERY aromatic herb, so you are on the right track. ---
**Author:** ![Toledo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@Toledo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toledo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/119 "2017-10-31T00:07:25Z")
I have tried lutefisk and haggis, and survived both. Was at a seafood place in New Hampshire some years back, and decided to try something I had never even SEEN before, much less tried. Boiled Octopus. Spent the rest of the week chewing the first bite, never did get it down. Even took a doggie bag just to prove something (Lord knows what, exactly). I would say it was liked boiled Goodyear, but have never tried boiled Goodyear ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2017, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940/120 "2017-10-31T00:10:36Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > You know, **pulykamell** , you made it very clear that you have at thing for perverse food in this thread, so I guess you’ll love Bärwurz :D. It’s a very strong taste. It’s not made from lovage or Maggikraut, but from [Meum athamanticum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meum_athamanticum), another VERY aromatic herb, so you are on the right track. Interesting. I wonder if I could find it here in America, but next time I’m out in that neck of the woods, I’ll be sure to pick it up. My mom and dad would probably love it even more. They’re Polish and just love all sorts of herbal infusions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-properly-prepared-thing-you-have-ever-eaten/799940.md?page=7)