http://www.floridatoday.com/story/li...path/17052505/

Epicurean adventures go off beaten path
Christina LaFortune, FLORIDA TODAY 12:11 a.m. EDT October 12, 2014

Taste in food is purely a matter of perspective.

Here in the United States, we are used to eating cows and chickens, but
that is an accident of geography. Had we been raised in another part of
the world, we could just as easily have developed a taste for haggis,
ant larvae or century eggs. People who travel have long known that the
experience of immersing yourself in another culture includes trying new
foods.

It wasn't long ago when sushi was considered exotic, but today it can be
found across the country. Do you have a hankering for pork belly or
halibut cheeks? Chances are you could find a restaurant with those and
other trendy foods on the menu.

In the spirit of culinary adventure, here are five interesting food
trends that may take diners out of their comfort zones.

1. Black chicken. Silkie chickens have beautiful wispy feathers in many
different colors, but are otherwise pigmented black right down to their
skin and bones. Even their meat is dark, which can be disconcerting to
diners. You probably won't find them in the local grocery, but you might
spot one in an Asian market or a gourmet specialty store. As for the
taste, well, it tastes like chicken. The flavor is often a little deeper
and richer, a little gamier, but still basically familiar to American
palates. In Asian cuisine, Silkies are often braised or made into soups,
and are prized for their medicinal properties.

2. Insects. Many of us would recoil at the sight of roasted grasshoppers
or deep-fried moth larvae. But the protein-rich insect cuisine trend is
gaining traction in the United States, and there are even metropolitan
restaurants that specialize in serving bugs. When you think about it, it
makes sense. People around the world have been doing it for milliennia.
A 2013 report by the United Nations explains that entomophagy, the
eating of insects, can fight malnutrition and have positive impacts on
the environment. How do they taste? Well, there are almost 1,500 edible
species, and connoisseurs say they're all different, with comparisons
ranging from nuts (mealworms) to bacon (palm weevil larva) to peanut
butter (grubs).

3. Kopi Luwak. The most expensive coffee in the world is processed
through an Indonesian civet. The name literally means "civet coffee." It
is harvested from the droppings of the tree-dwelling cats. Prized for
its caramely flavor, it sells for up to $600 a pound. The idea is that
the civets are unable to digest the coffee beans, but the enzymes in
their digestive systems break down the bitter flavor, resulting in
smoother, more complex coffee. And this process isn't unique. There are
expensive gourmet coffees on the market that have been "refined" through
elephants and even weasels.

4. Guinea pigs. Yes, you read that correctly. The cute little rodents we
keep as pets are considered a food staple in Peru, Ecuador and other
South American countries, where they're known as "cuyes." Believe it or
not, they're gradually finding their way into restaurants in the United
States. Like insects, they are easy to raise in large quantities in an
environmentally sustainable way, making them a green alternative to
beef. If you do find it on the menu of your favorite Peruvian
restaurant, aficionados report that you can expect the meat have a
slightly stringy texture and taste like a combination of pork and rabbit.

5. Bone marrow. Rich and buttery, bone marrow has been growing in
popularity among foodies for years. Marrow bones are inexpensive and
easy to find in the market, and are packed with flavor. Chefs around the
country are serving bone marrow as an ingredient in other dishes to add
richness, or even on its own, roasted and scooped up with a spoon or
spread on toast.