Philippine's delicacies

In US, one of the most popular food there is the Hot dog. In the Philippines, there's a local popular food too. Called Balut in Philippines, it is an usual snack for Filipinos and most foreigners have the fear of eating it. Balut was once eaten by contestants in Fear Factor. The word 'Fear Factor' might have already envisioned you how bizarre this food is going to be.

Balut is a fertilized and unhatched duck eggs, they are kept warm in the sun and stored in baskets to retain warmth. As the egg matured approximately 17 to 21 days later the embryo of the chick begins to form within the shell and the head, the beak the wings is visible. By then, the balut is ready to be cooked, sold, and eaten. Vendors sell cooked balut out of buckets of sand, used to retain warmth, and are accompanied by small packets of salt

Balut are most often eaten with a pinch of salt, though some balut-eaters prefer chili and vinegar to complement their egg. The eggs are savored for their balance of textures and flavors; the broth surrounding the embryo is sipped from the egg before the shell is peeled and the yolk and young chick inside can be eaten. All of the contents of the egg are consumed. In the Philippines, Balut have recently entered higher cuisine by being served as appetizers in restaurants. It is cooked in adobo style, fried in omelettes or even used as filling in baked pastries.

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