http://www.weird-food.com/index.html Nearly every culture invents a food that is weird or disgusting
to
outsiders. These strange foods
rom around the world are
cultural markers to show who's a member (insiders like it) and who's not a member (outsiders hate it.) Maybe a group of kids started eating it on a dare. They then perpetuate it (perpetrate it) on the next generation. Then they nudge each other and laugh when outsiders gag.
For example, many cultures pride themselves on their foul-tasting local drinks, such as white lightning, pulque, chong, retsina, and so on. You're accepted if you drink it. The complex food laws of the Middle East have more to do with distinguishing your group from neighboring groups than health concerns or sacred scriptures.
Foods don't make it onto this list just because they are unpopular. Some people hate broccoli. So what? Wierd foods get on this list because they are cultural markers. There's stuff you like (such as hakarl) (and you think is normal) that other people refuse to even allow in their house.