14 of the strangest things people used to eat



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Including torpedo fuel and toast water.

1.

Mouse

Fabrizio Moglia / Via Getty Images

Specifically, dormice – you know, the adorable Disney-like with big eyes and a plump body – were a popular delicacy among the upper classes of ancient Rome. They would be fattened and sold to the rich, who would eat them cooked in honey and poppy seeds, or stuffed with other meat.

2.

Some blood

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As if black pudding isn’t bad enough, scholars have revealed that the Spartans used to eat a simple broth of pig’s blood, salt and vinegar. It was known as Spartan black broth, and even dignitaries visiting Sparta could not stand it.

3.

Torpedo fuel

Chameleonseye / Via Getty Images

In the movie Lighthouse, both characters take in kerosene (lamp oil), but there is no official report of lighthouse keepers doing this. WWII sailors, however, consumed something called torpedo juice, which is basically a cocktail of lemon, pineapple juice, and 180-resistant alcohol used as fuel in torpedoes!

4.

Beaver tails

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Did you know people feast on beaver tails during Lent? In the 17th century, the Catholic Church clarified that since beavers were semi-aquatic, they technically counted as “fish” and could be eaten during the 40-day period, which is traditionally a period when Christians forgo eating seafood. meat.

5.

Salted jelly salads

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Americans of the last century concocted some really weird salads, but one recipe is still more heinous than all of them – the “jell-o salad”. It was usually made with chicken or tuna, fruits and vegetables coated in lime jelly or some other sweet flavor.

6.

Whale shit (sort of)

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Ambergris is essentially the intestinal slurry that a whale ejects from its body after digesting creatures like squid. It is probably secreted towards the rear of the whale and hardens in cold water. It was popular in modern Europe, where it became a luxury ingredient in things like ice cream.

seven.

Black iguana eggs

Gary Gray / Via Getty Images

The Mayans loved these rich, all-yellow eggs which, unlike most bird eggs, have a leathery, rough exterior. The Mesoamerican people are said to grow black iguanas, which can stay out of the water longer than their green cousins, and harvest their eggs for food.

8.

Fake bananas

David Macias / Via Getty Images

In Britain in the 1940s, food was scarce and people were forced to live on rations which unfortunately did not include exotic fruits from warmer climates. As a result, the British would create mock bananas by adding banana essence to parsnips!

9.

Onion nuggets

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In the late 1970s, McDonald’s launched “Onion Nuggets” – pieces of onion fried in a batter. Onion bhajis are one thing, but I’m personally glad they never caught on. Maccy D finally decided to go back to the drawing board, and from there they came up with the chicken nuggets we know and love today!

ten.

Milk lemonade

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It was once quite common in the United States to mix some Seven-Up with cold milk to make “soda milk”. In parts of the UK, too, people often mix Coca-Cola and milk. I guess there are soda floats and egg creams too, so the sparkling dairy is still alive!

11.

Cockentryce

Tim Graham, New Zealand Transition / Via Getty Images

This bizarre medieval dish is often associated with the Tudor dynasty of England and consists of the upper body of a piglet sewn onto the bottom of a capon or turkey. It would then be stuffed and roasted on a spit. Similar chimerical objects were all the rage during this period, including the “Unparalleled Roast”, which is a roast of 17 birds!

12.

Toast sandwich

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In 1861, English food writer Isabella Beeton chose to include a simple recipe for a toast sandwich in Mrs. Beeton’s Household Management Book. It’s basically two pieces of buttered bread with a piece of dry toast in the middle seasoned with salt and pepper. AKA the most British dish of all time.

13.

Water toast

Monika Nesslauer / Via Getty Images

The bizarre use of toast in cooking doesn’t stop there! Another 19th century English recipe calls for the British to toast a crust of bread and then immerse it in water for an hour until the water has a brown tint. Then just filter the water and drink it. I don’t know about you, but this one really feels like it might become a weird trend in the future!

14.

And finally, other humans.

Duncan1890 / Via Getty Images

I mean it’s not totally amazes me that our ancestors might have eaten each other thousands of years ago, but I’m talking about 16th and 17th century Europe, a time when people often ingested medicines made from human bones, of blood and fat to heal of all kinds. pains!

CORRECTION

Jan 10, 2021, 10:45 PM

Yes, so, a previous edition of this post incorrectly stated that the 6th century Catholic Church agreed to eat unborn baby rabbits during Lent, also known as “Laurices”. While this idea has been around for centuries and would have been a striking addition to this list, it is totally wrong. I went back to my sources to find that it was probably only one guy who had done this, and no one thought it was normal at the time to do it. Thanks to our readers for pointing this out!

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