I was reading up on some bizarre food trends and came across Hakari. Apparently, in Iceland, they have a traditional food that they eat to celebrate their Vikings ancestors and all that fun stuff. They have a big celebration and get together to all eat this particular kind of shark meat along with a very strong alcoholic drink. Now, if you haven’t heard about this before (it was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods), it’s in the preparation of this meat that the magic lies. As a word of warning, take Andrew Zimmern’s advice when he says that, “Taste is relative.”
image via highestfive.com
Hakari is made from the meat of a Greenland or basking shark, which is naturally full of noxious chemicals, similar to antifreeze, so that it can survive in the cold depths of the ocean. The shark is caught, and then cut up and literally allowed to rot for approximately 6 months. When it has been given the “proper” amount of time to decompose, it is then served up at the festival. The smell and taste can be likened to that of urine, and the meat is actually considered a delicacy. I do not think I am the type of person to want to try a “delicacy” like this one.
What about you? Would you try this food if you were ever in the position?
