On Friday night, I ate a duck embryo, better known as balut.
Balut is to the Philippines what pizza is to Italy, except pizza offers cheesy goodness while balut offers a partially-formed duck fetus. Not quite the thing to order on a Friday night while watching the game.
I knew that I wanted to try balut at some point, but I felt like I needed to build up to it. I’d eat lots of adobo and lechon and save the balut for Christmas time. But on Friday night, after a birthday outing, we decided to check out the night market near our flat. Carl had gone home to get his super professional camera, and I spotted a vendor selling balut.
“You’ll never eat that,” Siobhan told me. “I bet you a thousand pesos you won’t.”
A thousand pesos later, I emerged unscathed and not quite ready for seconds. Thanks to Carl and his superb filming/editing skills for the video evidence!
Categories: Philippines
Lost Among Latitudes 
What a brave soul and tummy!
Thanks! It actually wasn’t so bad 🙂
Wanna try it again?
Fantabulous editing!!! You are awesome Nicole, never, ever moan to me about eating dodgy lettuce again after you chomped on that! 🙂 Vinter xx
I tried balut for the first time at a Filipino food truck in LA. It was surprised to find that it wasn’t bad tasting at all, just very eggy. I guess it’s a mind over matter thing – a lot of people would be grossed out by the idea of eating a baby-something. Great that you tried it ! 😀
A Filipino food truck — sounds awesome! I would agree that it’s eggy and definitely mind over matter! What inspired you to try it?
My boyfriend is Filipino so he talked me into trying it 🙂