The Strangest Cuisine in the United States

Like Jim Morrison Said..."People are strange when you're a stranger."

I feel it kind of goes the same for food. Food can be pretty strange when it's unfamiliar to you.

In the United States, our cultures range drastically, and that means that you can see people eat all sorts of things. But it turns out... seemingly strange cuisines can actually be quite good if you're occasionally a little daring!

Here is a short list of some of the strangest cuisine in the United States today which you may stumble upon during your travels that's probably worth giving a try. Maybe you've had them before, or maybe you eat them regularly! I'm actually a fan of number 5 and it's often on the menu when I'm visiting Florida.

Rattlesnake Chili

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Somewhat terrifying to some, the concept of rattlesnake chili calls Arizona home and is a bit of a delicacy in the Southwest. The snake is usually de-boned and then simmered into a saucy chili with a splash of lemon juice and a ton of spices.

Scrapple

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Combining every leftover part of a pig—pork butt, trotters (feet), shoulders, and liver, to name a few—into a single slab of meat might sound a little unappetizing to you. But to many visitors of the Delaware State Fair, scrapple is an absolute delight. This pork-lover’s dream is generally boiled for hours and then fried on a skillet just before serving.

Chocolate Gravy

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Originally from the Ozarks of Arkansas, chocolate gravy is precisely what it sounds like. A smattering of sugar, flour, cocoa, butter, and milk poured over your breakfast bacon and biscuits may not be the healthiest way to start your day, but can you really complain about chocolate for breakfast? ...'Merica!

Reindeer Pizza

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Don't tell Santa! Reindeer pizza is supposedly delicious in every way. The taste of reindeer is like a cross between beef and lamb with a liver-like aftertaste that, when topped with sweet sauces and cheese, has become extremely popular in Alaska.

Fried Gator

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Alligator meat is a staple food in Florida that somewhat resembles chicken in taste, and the dense quality of the meat demands top-notch cooking to avoid having it turn out dry or soggy. It's most commonly served fried with the dipping sauce of your choice, but is also available as a kind of spicy soup with rice. For me? Bring on the buffalo!

Pemmican

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This gooey, brownish collection of meat fat and protein looks like dog mush but is intended to be a healthy snack. The preparation consists of crushing dried meat (from beef, bison, deer, or elk) into a powder and then stirring it into an equal proportion of rendered fat. Dried berries are sometimes added to the mix. Pemmican is said to provide massive stores of energy according to Inuit hearsay, and is regularly eaten by hikers and travelers in Montana.

So is this really some of the strangest cuisine in the United States? If you've never had them, I'm sure some of them might be :)

The thing is, trying new things and embracing the culture of the places you visit can be one of the most satisfying and mind expanding parts of travel. So learn about what's local! When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Be brave if necessary. And eat strange whenever possible!