7 Weird Breakfasts from Around the World

1. Century Eggs, China

To the unaccustomed eye, the appearance of the century egg, a popular Chinese delicacy, is somewhat alarming. Learning how the eggs are made is not particularly reassuring, either. Duck, chicken or quail eggs are preserved for up to several months in a mixture of ash, salt, clay, rice hulls and lime, which turns their yolks to a dark brown colour with a creamy texture and sulphurous smell, and their whites to a dark brown, transparent jelly.

Century eggs can be eaten on their own or used as an ingredient in other dishes, for breakfast or other meals.

Siri Paya, Pakistan

Meaning ‘head and feet’, the soup-like Siri Paya is remarkably well named. It’s more the thought of a dish made with the head and trotters of a cow, goat or lamb that is off putting – these ingredients have been commonly used in traditional recipes by cultures around the world for centuries, even here in the wimpy West. That said, breakfast may not be the ideal time to be sampling this delight for the first time, particularly if you’re used to a bowl of cereal in the morning.

2.3. Huitlacoche, Mexico

Sounds exotic, doesn’t it? Well in English, this breakfast treat is known as Corn Smut, and is basically sweetcorn with a disease which ‘replaces the normal kernels of the cobs with large distorted tumours’ (thanks Wikipedia).

Tempted yet? Huitlacoche is a remnant of Aztec cuisine and is enjoyed either fresh or canned in Mexico, often as a filling for a quesadilla or in a soup.

4. Bread and Sprinkles, Indonesia

Moving into more comfortable territory, there’s nothing unpleasant about our next dish, just a bit unusual.

In Indonesia, a common breakfast treat is to spread a slice of white bread with butter and cover with sprinkles, or meises. To us at BedandBreakfastworld.com it seems like something you might allow a fussy child to eat once you’ve given up trying to get toast down their throats. That, and something we may be secretly trying once we get home…

5. Marmite, UK

As the advert famously says, you either love it or you hate it, but even those who hate it probably don’t think there’s anything actually weird about Marmite. There is. Marmite is a dark-brown, sticky, salty paste made from yeast extract, a by-product of brewing beer. It is made by adding salt to yeast until the yeast self-destructs (thanks again, Wikipedia). Spread it on toast and you’ve got an extremely strong-tasting, dark-brown, sticky, salty paste on toast. Enjoy!

6. Bacon and Chocolate Chip Pancakes, USA

Why choose between sweet and savoury when you can have it all? Again, this sounds like something a child would put together for breakfast, but in fact you’ll see plenty of fully grown adults tucking into a mountain of pancakes and bacon, usually topped with maple syrup and sometimes even ice cream! We have to say, there is something wonderful about that salty and sweet combination…

7. Churros and Chocolate, Spain

The final item on our list wouldn’t really be described as a weird food, but we feel it earns a place for its pure decadence, especially as a breakfast treat. Like deep-fried, crispy doughnuts covered in sugar? Yes. Like thick, rich hot chocolate? Of course you do! Now take item A, dip into item B and consume. Delicious, no?

 

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten for breakfast? Which items on our list would you most like to try? (We’re guessing churros or pancakes!)