In 2010, supermarket mega-chain Tesco decided it would be great idea to start selling lasagne sandwiches. They were called – wait for it – “lasandwiches”, and were filled with mince, tomato sauce, pasta sheets, white sauce and mayonnaise. The offensive didn’t end there however, as on the back of this violation of Italian cuisine came their Spanish offering – the paella sarnie. Someone somewhere (well, in fact it was someone at the Daily Mirror, as a sticker on the sandwich proudly proclaimed the red-top was responsible for this invention) thought it would be a good idea to stuff chicken, prawns, chorizo and soggy rice between two slices of “sun-dried tomato bread”, although according to reports the resulting flavour was not dissimilar to dunking bread in a bowl of ketchup. Sadly for experimentalists both these sandwiches were swiftly taken off the market, but if you have a taste for weird (and sometimes) wonderful flavours, or you just want to shock the in-laws with your culinary antics, here’s where to find the weirdest food in London.
London foodies should now be accustomed to seeing things like ostrich burgers on sale at Borough Market, crocodile fillets on the menu of exotic restaurants and springbok at South African-inspired eateries. But as well as sampling dishes such as “Hot Marsupial” at Archipelago restaurant (aka spicy kangaroo) the recent resurgence of hearty British food – of the kind where every part of the animal is used - means meat eaters can now indulge in more than a tasty tenderloin. Take pig’s cheeks for instance, an incredibly under-used and cheap cut of meat that when slow-cooked becomes as tender and juicy as pork belly. The uber-affordable Little Bay serves them in Madeira sauce, but if you want to have a go at cooking them yourself, Waitrose started stocking them in 2008 for the first time in decades. If eating cheeks is not eccentric enough, what about a nice squirrel steak? The Crouch End branch of Budgens supermarket started selling squirrel in 2010, claiming it to be a sustainable food that tastes just like rabbit. Animal rights groups condemned the move, and so far squirrel stews have failed to catch on despite Budgens’ spokesperson declaring the animal would become a common food source. St. John restaurant in Smithfield, famed for its “nose to tail eating” had squirrel on its menu back in the early noughties, however they have since swapped rodents for more conventional animals, albeit their trotters, bone marrow, heart and kidneys.
\n\nIt’s not all about being a carnivore however. Advances in molecular cooking mean that everyday ingredients can now be transformed into foams, gases and coagulated goodies, mmmm. Events company Bubble Food went a step further and decided to eschew eating the conventional way - i.e. chewing and swallowing – by creating powdered white asparagus, to be chopped into lines and snorted. Sold by the gram for £50, creators first experimented with peas and beans, but found that they “didn´t have quite the same high end dinner party feel as white asparagus”. Why you’d want to shove a powdered vegetable up your nostril is anyone’s guess, but according to Bubble Food’s MD “it delivers a unique sensory experience”. That it’s unique is certainly undisputable.
The Icecreamists first unveiled their faddy flavours at Selfridges, with savoury varieties like the Cucumber Sandwich and attempts at being provocative like the Sex Pistol, supposedly an ice cream version of Viagra, containing guarana, gingko, biloba and a shot of absinthe. But they didn’t really start making headlines till they began creating ice cream made from breast milk (at £14.99 a scoop no less!) Some couldn’t wait to try this novel variety, which blends breast milk with lemon zest and vanilla, while others were simply disgusted. They also got into trouble for calling it “Baby Gaga”, leading to threats of legal action from Lady Gaga, who claimed they were piggybacking on her reputation. Pot, kettle, black, anyone? \n\nIf the thought of eating frozen breast milk doesn’t appeal then you could head to L’Art du Fromage to try their cheese ice cream; in the past they’ve served goat’s cheese and blue cheese versions, both acquired tastes but certainly innovative. Their menu changes frequently, so the current dessert option is a black chocolate fondant with soft white cheese ice cream. Alternatively, the molecular take is available at Chin Chin Labs in Camden, where husband and wife team Ahrash Akbari-Kalhur and Nyisha Weber create ice cream to order using liquid nitrogen. This method supposedly makes for creamier, smoother ice cream, and flavours change constantly; one week there’s sticky toffee pudding flavour, another time there could be a pear crumble variety.
Lastly, no feature on strange grub would be complete without mentioning insects. Of course, many people have been curious enough to pick up a grasshopper and eat it (usually when below the age of 9), however insects can be a gourmet food too, honest. Which is why Selfridges sells chocolate covered giant ants – make sure you hold your nose when opening the box however, as they positively reek – and toffee-coated scorpions. It’s not just an upmarket shopping trend though; the UN thinks we should be substituting meat for insects, as there are plenty to go around. “I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here” has a lot to answer for.
