If we asked you what the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten was, what would you say? Squid? Swordfish? Kangaroo? Well, what about worms, or grasshoppers? You might think you know what Mexican cuisine is all about, but we can assure you that the foods you see in this article won’t be on the menu of your local Chili’s! In fact, number 7 might just turn your stomach.

Hot Chocolate Sauce with Chicken (Mole)

It might seem a bit weird to have chocolatey sauce with chicken, but in Mexico it’s quite popular to have mole and chicken. Though mole has a long and complicated list of ingredients it is mainly chocolate and chili, but don’t worry you’ll never get bored of it; most self-respecting chefs and grandmothers have their own special recipe.

Grasshoppers (Chapulines)

In Oaxaca you can get salty, fried grasshoppers on street stalls, as garnish with salads and guacamole. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if you got them with your corona instead of peanuts because they’re as popular as chips are back home, but probably a little higher in protein.

Corn Smut (Huitlacoche)

Huitlacoche is a greyish green paste that’s actually a by-product of a fungal disease that affects maize. This fungus is used as a quesadilla filling, and is put in sauces and soups. Despite its strange appearance it’s actually quite tasty.

Fruit with Chili

It might seem a bit wacky to European and North American taste buds to put salt and chili powder onto fresh or dried fruits, but this is actually quite a common thing to do in most parts of Mexico. In fact these salty, spicy fruits are considered a delicacy.

Tuna Ice Cream

Tuna, otherwise known as cactus fruit or prickly pear has a texture not unlike cucumber and light green flesh as well as a refreshing and fragrant taste. In Mexico you can get cactus flavoured ice-cream, and though it sounds weird it’s actually the perfect treat for the middle of a hot day. By the way, the word for tuna fish in Spanish is “atun”!

Flying Ant Salsa

As you’re probably beginning to realize Oaxaca is kind of the centre of insect based delicacies. Every year the wet season and the first rains bring swarms of flying ants to Oaxaca, and the locals have, in true style, developed a seasonal delicacy around it. Flying ant salsa is made by frying these little guys and then grinding them with chili, garlic and salt before mixing them with water.

Cows’ Lips and Eyelids

If you’re not into weird cuts of meat then you might want to avoid buying from taco stands in the street because some of them will be serving cows eyelids, tongues and lips instead of the beef cuts you were expecting. Though this seems a bit gruesome there are many people who will travel a fair distance to get to a stand that sells these popular dishes.

Larvae Caviar

Escamole is often called insect larvae, and is produced by harvesting ant larvae for the maguey cactus plant (the same plant used to make mescal). These caterpillar maggots have a nutty flavour that compliments their cottage cheese texture.

Worm Spice

Worm salt is found pretty much anywhere that serves mescal, and it’s made by grinding worms, salt, and chili together. The idea is that you dip your orange wedge into the salt, suck the juice, and then take a shot of mescal. Sometimes there will be a worm in the bottom of the bottle, too. This is said to induce hallucinations when eaten, though, so be careful!

Add a comment below if you think you can beat this list for weird foods to try.