The Mind Creative FEBRUARY 2015 | Page 33

It is indeed true that one person’s normal food habits might be another person’s nightmare. There are many strange foods and recipes available around the world but there are a few foods that are definitely weird and possibly bizarre in the eyes of the ‘normal’ food lovers. These dishes may not be on the wish list of every food connoisseur, but they are consumed with gusto and relished by many across the world. Here are a few such dishes Bird’s Nest Soup - China Yes! Birds’ nests are edible – at least that’s what the Chinese think. They use Swifts’ nests to make this soup, known as the ‘Caviar of the East’. Interestingly, Swiftlets make their nests not out of twigs and leaves but predominantly out of saliva. Their saliva that makes the soup have its unique gelatinous, rubbery texture and the soup is reputedly one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. The high price comes from the fact that this bird builds its nest during breeding season over a period of 35 days and nests can only be harvested around three times a year. Moreover, the nests are typically built in coastal caves and collecting them is a treacherous 33