By KHYATI DAND
The Worst Food Anthony Bourdain Ever Ate
Chef Anthony Bourdain, who had an adventurous appetite, drew the line at hákarl, an Icelandic dish made from fermented Greenland shark that’s known for its blue-cheese-like funk.
While visiting Iceland for his "No Reservations" TV series, Bourdain joined locals at Reykjavik's Mulakaffi restaurant and sampled a cube of six-month-long fermented hákarl.
Per Dailymotion, Bourdain dubbed hákarl "the single worst thing that I've ever put in my mouth." The delicacy is revered, as it reflects Iceland’s traditions and unique geography.
As to the origins of the dish, Greenland sharks are found in the waters around Iceland, but their meat is toxic. Fermentation was an Icelandic innovation that rendered it edible.
Traditionally, hákarl is made by burying the shark in sand and pressing it under rocks for six months. The fermented fish is then air-dried, giving it a chewy, cheese-like texture.