A travel influencer who samples local delicacies such as sheep eye soup and ‘poo coffee’ said she’d love to try bull testicle stew again.
Karolina Wachowicz said she tried the “difficult to chew” bull penis hotpot while visiting China.
But the Polish influencer found it too tough and was more impressed with the bull’s testicles.
“The penis was hard, rubbery, and truly difficult to chew, with almost no distinctive meat flavour, making it a culinary test of palate and jaw strength,” Karolina told Need To Know.
“The testicles, on the other hand, were pleasantly surprising.
“They had a delicate, creamy consistency and a subtle aroma that encouraged further bites.
“Honestly, it’s one of those flavours I’d like to revisit, despite my initial resistance.”
Also in China, Karolina sampled six-month fermented tofu that “smelled like old socks”.
But she shied away from “chicks in their shells or on toothpicks”.
Karolina, who lives in Taiwan, said: “This is one of the most controversial dishes I’ve encountered at a Chinese stall, chicks that haven’t hatched yet are served whole, skin, bones, and innards.
“Fried or grilled, they’re skewered on toothpicks and served as an appetiser.
“I didn’t dare try it, you can probably understand.”
The 35-year-old said she sampled sheep-eye soup while travelling through Iran.
She said: “One dish I’ll probably never forget is kaleh pacheh soup.
“It’s a traditional Iranian breakfast soup, its main ingredients are various parts of the sheep such as the eyes, tongue, heart, and legs.
“It has a very intense flavour and aroma, those who enjoy lamb and mutton might enjoy it, but I’m not one of them.
“I tried the soup out of pure curiosity, I figured since I was in Iran I simply had to.
“Unfortunately, just one spoonful was enough to make me nauseous.
“Plus, the animal parts floating around in it didn’t encourage me to continue the meal.
“In the mountainous regions of Khorasan Province, lies one of the Middle East’s most controversial dishes – Barre Toodeli.
“This dish is prepared from the fetal part of a sheep or cow, removed just before giving birth.
“The meat is said to be incredibly soft and tender, and its flavour is described as subtle, milky, and even velvety.
“It’s often prepared over fire with a pinch of salt and herbs, without unnecessary additives so as not to overpower the natural aroma.
“In Khorasan, the dish is considered a symbol of strength, rebirth, and respect for life.
“I admit, I haven’t tried it, I lacked the courage.
Also in Iran, Karolina tried a fizzy yoghurt drink that’s popular on hot days.
She said: “Doogh is a traditional Iranian yogurt drink, slightly salty, sometimes carbonated, and served ice cold, often with ice and dried mint.
“In Persia, it’s mainly drunk in summer to provide relief from the desert heat, but its history dates back hundreds of years.”
The travel influencer, who lived in Barcelona for six years before leaving due to the hostilities of the ‘Tourists Go Home’ movement, was impressed by a fish sperm dish in Japan.
She said: “I was amazed by shirako, it’s the sperm of a fish, most often cod, served in various forms – raw, boiled, or fried.
“It’s a Japanese specialty, considered a delicacy and often served in upscale restaurants.
“While the idea of eating fish sperm may be shocking for many, for the Japanese, it’s especially appreciated during the winter season.”
In Thailand, Karolina tried eating scorpions and silkworm larvae.
She said: “At almost every turn, you’ll come across stands selling all sorts of insects.
“There are plenty to choose from, you can try crickets, spiders, silkworm larvae, and scorpions.
“Fried worms are crunchy, and their taste is reminiscent of traditional snacks like chips or roasted peanuts.
“I tried scorpion because I bet my friends I would.
“While the taste itself was okay, biting through the shell itself wasn’t the most pleasant culinary experience.
“I was also brave enough to try silkworm larvae.
“It was crispy, slightly salty, and surprisingly mild.
“But when it came to cicadas and spiders, I had to give up – the mere thought of crunchy legs put me off.”
In Vietnam, Karolina tried egg coffee, which consists of “strong Robusta coffee, egg yolk, sugar, and condensed milk, whipped to create a fluffy foam on top”.
She said: “It tastes like a creamy, sweet coffee dessert – very velvety, with a light vanilla note.
“Although it sounds unusual, in my opinion, it’s absolutely delicious.
“It’s definitely not a diet coffee, as a cup contains around 190-210 calories.”
The influencer also tried durian fruit in the Asian country, but wasn’t a fan.
She said: “Its scent has been compared to onion or blue cheese.
“However, if you concentrate on the experience while eating, you can detect a distinct sweetness and juiciness reminiscent of a sweet orange.
“The scent is truly dominant.
“Consequently, signs prohibiting its consumption in public places are often found.”
But she couldn’t bring herself to eat dog meat in the country.
She said: “Eating dog meat in Vietnam has a tradition of over 2,000 years.
“It was believed that eating it brought good luck so it was often done on important occasions.
“Although dogs hold a special place in Vietnamese culture, eating them is still common, especially in the north of the country such as Hanoi.
“The taste is described as a cross between beef and pork with a hint of fatty lamb.
“The meat is light in colour, slightly firm, and has a distinctive aroma that intensifies when grilled.”
Karolina said her favourite experience was trying the world’s most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak, which is also known as “poo coffee”.
It is produced from coffee beans which have been partially digested by the Indonesian palm civet and then excreted.
But she said her least favourite experience was the sheep eye soup in Iran, adding: “It was the absolute worst, soup with visible eyeballs and a horrible smell, yuk.”
