©Edy/stock.adobe.com
One of the best ways to understand new cultures is by trying new foods, and nothing is more fun to eat than something sweet. From Japanese chocolate-covered squid to fragrant musk sticks from Australia, there is a huge world of weird and wonderful sweets out there.
There is an endless selection of strange and delicious candies, and the selections have never been so interesting. So buckle up and let’s take a tour of the strangest, most controversial sweets from around the world.
Country: Turkey
Average Price: $5-$10*
There aren’t many desserts that boast the longevity of ‘chicken breast’ pudding. It has been around so long it has been served in one form or another, dating back to the days of the Roman Empire. It was during the time of the Turks, however, that the chicken-based dessert found the form we know it in today.
After being boiled, chicken breast meat is mixed with milk, almonds, and honey until the combination has thickened into a creamy paste. It’s then shaped, topped with cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices, and served.
Country: China
Average Price: $2-$5*
In a world where confectionary creativity is far from what it used to be, and most of the good ideas have already been used, candy makers are constantly searching for their next ‘pet rock.’ The ground-breaking idea will set their candy ahead of the others. Could lightning bug gummy candies be the next great thing?
Probably not, but they are revolutionizing the gummy candy world one squeeze of the tongs at a time. The magic of these light-up gummies is not in the candy but in the tongs you hold them with. The tips of the tongs emit a light that radiates through translucent sweets, giving the appearance they’re glowing.
Country: Unites States
Average Price: $4.25*
Bugs as a snack don’t sound as weird these days as they once did. In fact, snackers in dozens of countries worldwide enjoy the little critters daily for their nutritional benefits. If you’re always on the go and can’t find the time to eat the recommended daily dose of protein, keep a handful of Hotlix lollipops in your bag.
California-based Hotlix made a name for itself with worm-pops with tequila flavoring and chocolate-covered insects. These treats take the Hotlix product plan to the next level. The protein boosters contain ants, crickets, or even scorpions. These Jurassic Park-looking sweets come in apple, blueberry, strawberry, and banana. Try one today!
Country: Mexico
Average Price: $0.25*
Regarding odd choices for confectionary shapes, Paleta Polite Asado must be in the conversation. Hailing from America’s neighbor to the south, Mexico, Paleta Polite Asado are hard candy suckers that look like chickens on a stick because why not?
Fortunately, these suckers don’t taste anything like chicken because a KFC candy might be enough to turn someone off sweets for good. Quite the opposite, actually. The chicken-shaped lollipop has a refreshing pineapple flavor that leaves you coming back for more.
Country: United. Kingdom
Average Price: $1.50*
From the trio of graham crackers, Hershey’s chocolate, and marshmallows to the unforgettable duo of peanut butter and jelly, there have been some incredible food combinations over the years. There have also been so rather unfortunate pairings. Some of which are so weird they work.
Like Shrimp and Bananas. In all honesty, nothing about this should work, but somehow it does. These foamy chewy treats are the surf and turf of the confectionary world. Every bite contains both the fruity flavor of a banana and the tangy strawberry flavor of the shrimp-shaped candies. Thank goodness they taste like shrimp.
Country: Japan
Average Price: $5*
When with a special someone, few things scream “kiss me,” more so than the succulent aroma of fried octopus. Takoyaki is octopus balls that have been deliciously battered and deep-fried. Knowing Japan’s reputation for making interestingly unique snacks, it only seems fitting that this savory treat’s essence has been infused into a candy.
When you’re craving some octopus balls but aren’t hungry enough to eat them, give Takoyaki drops a try. These candy versions of the traditional fried octopus snack are unlike anything you’ve had before. They’re candy drops encapsulating all the flavors of the real thing, right down to the mayo and fish shavings.
Country: Czechia
Average Price: $2.79*
Katzenzungen, or cat tongue chocolate is a treat many eastern Europeans were raised with. Before Cat parents or PETA get worried, no cats were harmed in the making of these confections. Well, not physically. One could only imagine the psychological terror a cat would endure watching a person eat something that looks like its tongue.
Contrary to what they sound like, Katzenzungen are actually quite lovely chocolates. If you’re not a fan of solid chocolates, you can find Katzenzungen filled with cream, pralines, and various other goodies.
Country: Indonesia
Average Price: $2.48*
Candies have been made to taste like countless foods over the years. The ones that usually sell the best are the sweet or fruity treats. The ones that actually taste like candy. However, every now and then, a candy is launched that takes like something no one expects, and somehow it works.
Few people would expect a creamy corn-flavored hard candy to sell well, but they have. They look like Werther’s Originals and have the same consistency as well, but they taste nothing like them. When in Southeast Asia, keep that in mind when someone offers you candy, or you’ll be in for a corny surprise.
Country: United States
Average Price: $10*
Designed as a Halloween gag candy but perfect for a Stag & Doe, Cummies are by no means what someone would consider a ‘normal’ candy. These candies are manufactured by Hott Products Unlimited, a California-based company specializing in edible sensual delights, but are not the type of candy you’d find at the local corner store.
As their name entails, these sugary gummy snacks are shaped like the ‘little swimmers’ humanity counts on for their continued existence. However, all because they’re chewy, you’re not necessarily meant to chew them. Cummies’ motto is “The Candy You Love To Swallow,” after all.
Country: United States
Average Price: $2.50*
If you’ve ever been curious about what the worm at the bottom of a bottle of tequila tastes like but have always been unsure if you were up for the effects of the fermented animal, the California-based insect confectionary company Hotlix has helped make your decision easier.
Introducing tequila-flavored lollipops with worms encased within. Suck away on the agave-flavored hard candy and work your way to the protein-filled treat within. At just $2.50 each, one of these nutritious snacks is a steal. Just try not to look directly at it.
Country: Israel
Average Price: $1-$2*
Israel doesn’t have a lot of snack foods unique to the country, but the ones it does have sure are tasty. Bamba is one of the unlikely heroes of the snack world, and it comes from Israel. They look like Cheezies, Cheese Doodles, or whatever other cheese-puff snack people grew up with, but they don’t taste anything like cheese.
They’re peanut butter flavored and contain real peanuts. Bamba has become so popular since it first hit the market in the 1960s that it now makes up 25% of the Israeli snack food market. Bamba has branched out into other flavors as well. It no longer just makes peanut butter snacks. You can also find bags of ice cream flavored and hazelnut cream-filled Bamba.
Country: Pakistan
Average Price: Unknown
Purchasing a candy branded in the image of a terrorist wouldn’t even have been an afterthought pre-9/11. Post 9/11, things were different. Osama Bin-Laden-themed merchandise of every kind popped up out of nowhere in a matter of months. Stateside, we’re talking everything from Al Qaeda birth control to toilet paper with the man’s face on it.
It was a horse of a different color on the other side of the world. Finding a box of coconut-flavored Osama bin-Laden Kulfa Balls in Pakistan and China wouldn’t be out of the question. If it weren’t enough that the candy is named after him, the box art is of the man himself enveloped by military vehicles and cruise missiles.
Country: Japan
Average Price: $25*
People have been seeking ways to alter their bodies from their natural states for centuries through surgery and other means. But surgery is expensive and can lead to life-threatening complications. To non-invasively help those wishing to enlarge their breasts, a Japanese cookie company traveled to Northeastern Thailand and harvested plants containing Miroesterol, a type of estrogen related to breast development.
For just $25, you can buy a 70-calorie cookie with a dose of Miroesterol and eat your way to a larger cup size. Though no scientific evidence supports the claims, these cookies are marketed as breast-enhancing treats.
Country: Iceland
Average Price: $5*
No one knows why, but for some reason, Icelanders have an affinity for licorice similar to Canadians with maple syrup or Australians with Vegemite. Whatever the reason is, licorice is everywhere. When going to the movies in America, moviegoers choose between a chocolate bar and a pack of licorice. In Iceland, they choose Eitt Sett.
Eitt Sett is the best of both worlds. It’s a milk chocolate candy bar with a layer of licorice lain across the top. Every bite is a mix of sweet, soft chocolate and salty, chewy licorice.
