Delicacy

For the 2011 film, see Delicacy (film).

"Delicacies" redirects here. For the Simian Mobile Disco album, see Delicacies (album).

A delicacy is usually a rare and expensive food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture. Irrespective of local preferences, such a label is typically pervasive throughout a region. Often this is because of unusual flavors or characteristics or because it is rare or expensive compared to standard staple foods.

A black Périgord truffle

Kobe beef

Wild Iranian Ossetra caviar

Edible jellyfish prepared with sesame oil and chili sauce

Delicacies vary per different countries, customs and ages. Flamingo tongue was a highly prized dish in ancient Rome, but is not commonly eaten in modern times. Lobsters were considered poverty food in North America until the mid-19th century^[1] when they started being treated, as they were in Europe, as a delicacy. Some delicacies are confined to a certain culture, such as fugu in Japan, bird's nest soup (made out of swiftlet saliva) in China, and ant larvae (escamoles) in Mexico or refer to specific local products, such as porcino, venison or anchovy.

Examples of delicacies

• Abalone (Bao Yu/Jeonbok/Awabi) – China; Korea; Japan^[2][3][4]
• Akutaq – Alaska, United States; Northern Canada; Siberia^[5]
• Alligator meat – Southern United States
• Alici, from the Gulf of Trieste near Barcola – Italy^[6]
• Balut – Philippines^[7]
• Biltong – Southern Africa^{[citation needed]}
• Bird's nest soup – China^[8]
• Black-headed gull eggs – United Kingdom^[9][10]
• Black sausage (Mustamakkara) – Finland
• Bottarga – Mediterranean Basin
• Bourbon – Kentucky and Louisiana, United States
• Casu marzu – Sardinia, Italy^[7]
• Caviar – Russia; Azerbaijan; Iran^[11][12]
• Cempedak – Indonesia; Malaysia; Southern Thailand
• Champagne – Champagne region of France
• Conpoy – China^[13]
• Droëwors – Southern Africa^{[citation needed]}
• Durian – Borneo; Sumatra^[14]
• East Asian giant salamander – China; Korea; Japan
• Escamol – Mexico City, Mexico^[7]
• Escargot – France^[15][16]
• European edible dormouse – Croatia; Slovenia^[17]
• Filet mignon – France^{[citation needed]}
• Foie gras – Périgord region of France^[18]
• Fried-brain sandwich – Indiana, Ohio, and St. Louis, United States^[7]
• Fried tarantula – Skuon, Cambodia^[7]
• Fugu – Japan; Korea ^[19][20]
• Gyromitra esculenta – Scandinavia
• Guinea pig – Bolivia; Colombia; Ecuador; Peru^[21][22]
• Haggis – Scotland^[23]
• Hákarl – Iceland^[24]
• Huitlacoche – Mexico^[7]
• Hutki Shira – Sylhet, Bangladesh
• Iberian ham (Jamón ibérico) – Spain; Portugal^[25][26]
• Ikizukuri – Japan
• Jellyfish – East Asia; Southeast Asia^[27]
• Karasumi – Japan^[28][29]
• Kiviak – Greenland^[7]
• Kobe beef – Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan^[30]
• Kopi luwak – Indonesia^[31][32]
• Lobster – Maine, Massachusetts, and New York, United States; The Maritimes, Canada; Sabah, Malaysia^[1][33]
• Locust – Arabia; China;^{[citation needed]} Israel;^[34] Jewish diaspora^[35][36]
• Matsusaka beef – Matsusaka and Mie Prefecture, Japan
• Moonshine – Scotland; Ireland; Appalachia
• Mud Creeper – Malaysia; Vietnam^[37][38]
• Ortolan bunting – France^[18]: 34
• Pickled cucumber – northern and eastern Europe^[39]
• Quail eggs (including pickled quail eggs) – Brazil; Colombia; Denmark; Ecuador; Indonesia; Japan; Philippines; South Korea; Venezuela; Vietnam^[40][41]
• Raw oysters – Malaysia; France; United States; Korea^[42]
• Rocky Mountain oysters – Argentina; Canada; Mexico; Spain; United States^[43][44]
• Scallops^[45][46][47] – Galicia, Spain; Japan;
• Sea cucumber – East Asia; Southeast Asia^[48][49]
• Shark fin soup – China^[50]
• Shiokara – Japan^[7]
• Shirako (milt) – Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Romania; Russia; Sicily, Italy^[7]
• Smalahove – Western Norway^[7]
• Snail caviar – France; Poland^[51]
• Snake soup – Guangdong, China; Hong Kong;^[52] Austria; France; United Kingdom; United States
• Spiny-tailed lizard - Arabia^[53][54][55]
• Surströmming – Sweden^[56][57]
• Truffle – Caucasus; Middle East; Southern Europe^[58]
• Tyrolean grey cheese – Austria

See also

•  Food portal

• Acquired taste
• Chinmi – Includes a list of Japanese delicacies
• Delicatessen
• Shaxian delicacies – a style of cuisine from Sha County, Sanming, Fujian, China
• Specialty foods

References

1. Kraynak, J.; Tetrault, K.W. (2003). The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Oceans. Complete Idiot's Guide to. Alpha Books. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-02-864462-2. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
2. Vos, H. (2010). Passion of a Foodie - An International Kitchen Companion. Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency (SBPRA). p. 12. ISBN 978-1-934925-63-8. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
3. Bestor, T.C. (2004). Tsukiji: The Fish Market at the Center of the World. California Studies in Food and Culture. University of California Press. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-520-92358-4. - Accessed on 31 January 2015.
4. Chen, T.M.; Yan, M. (2009). A Tradition of Soup: Flavors from China's Pearl River Delta. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-55643-765-6. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
5. National Geographic, Volume 165. National Geographic Society. 1984. Retrieved 31 January 2015. ISSN 1044-6613
6. Georges Desrues "Eine Lange Nacht am Meer", In: Triest - Servus Magazin (2020), p 73.
7. Gale, Hannah (30 June 2014). "These 15 food delicacies from around the world will make you gag". Metro. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
8. Hopkins, J.; Bourdain, A.; Freeman, M. (2004). Extreme Cuisine: The Weird & Wonderful Foods that People Eat. Periplus Editions (HK) Limited. ISBN 978-0-7946-0255-0. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
9. Copping, Jasper (28 March 2009). "Top restaurants face shortage of seagull eggs". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
10. Behaviour : an International Journal of Comparative Ethology: Supplement. Behaviour : an International Journal of Comparative Ethology: Supplement. E.J. Brill. 1964. p. 66. Retrieved 31 January 2015. ISSN 0169-7544. Quote: "Black-headed gulls eggs" have been, and still are, renowned as a delicacy".
11. Caviar with Champagne: Common Luxury and the Ideals of the Good Life in ... – Jukka Gronow. p. 31.
12. "Caviar", in Encyclopædia Iranica online. Accessed June 2010.
13. Hsiung, D.T.; Hom, K. (2002). The Chinese Kitchen: A Book of Essential Ingredients with Over 200 Easy and Authentic Recipes. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-28894-5. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
14. Contis, E.T.; Ho, C.T.; Mussinan, C.J.; Parliment, T.H.; Shahidi, F.; Spanier, A.M. (1998). Food Flavors: Formation, Analysis and Packaging Influences: Formation, Analysis and Packaging Influences. Developments in Food Science. Elsevier Science. ISBN 978-0-08-053183-0. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
15. Wheeler, E.J. (1903). Current Literature. American periodical series, 1850-1900. Current Literature Publishing Company. p. 760. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
16. Koeller, K.; France, R.L.; Fasano, A. (2013). Let's Eat Out Around the World Gluten Free and Allergy Free, Fourth Edition: Eat Safely in Any Restaurant at Home or Abroad. Bibliothèque numérique canadienne: Collection des éditeurs canadiens. Demos Medical Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61705-204-0. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
17. Magda Peršič (1998). "Dormouse hunting as part of Slovene national identity". Natura Croatica: Periodicum Musei Historiae Naturalis Croatici = Časopis Hrvatskoga Prirodoslovnog Muzeja. Vol. 7, no. 3. Croatian Natural History Museum. pp. 199–211. ISSN 1330-0520.
18. The Foie Gras Wars: How a 5,000-Year-Old Delicacy Inspired the World's ... – Mark Caro
19. Karleskint, G.; Turner, R.; Small, J. (2012). Introduction to Marine Biology. Cengage Learning. p. 277. ISBN 978-1-285-40222-2. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
20. Publishing, DK (2010). The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients. The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients. DK Publishing. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-7566-7673-5. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
21. London, J.W.P.L.A.L.U.C. (2009). The Andes. LANDSCAPES OF IMAGINATION. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-19-973107-7. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
22. Clemons, D.J.; Seeman, J.L. (2011). The Laboratory Guinea Pig, Second Edition. Laboratory Animal Pocket Reference. Taylor & Francis. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-4398-3556-2. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
23. Dendinger, R.; Gritzner, C.F. (2009). Scotland. Modern World Nations Series. Facts On File, Incorporated. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4381-0538-3. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
24. Herz, Rachel (28 January 2012). "You eat that?". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
25. Von Bremzen, A.; Goldman, S. (2005). The New Spanish Table. Workman Publishing. p. 237. ISBN 978-0-7611-3555-5. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
26. Mullen, S. (2012). Seamus Mullen's Hero Food: How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better. Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-4494-0780-3. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
27. Fraioli, J.O.; Sato, K. (2008). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Sushi and Sashimi. Complete Idiot's Guide to. Alpha. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-59257-782-8.
28. Balla, N.; Burns, C.; Newberry, J.; Robertson, C. (2014). Bar Tartine: Techniques and Recipes. Chronicle Books LLC. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-4521-3235-8. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
29. Free China Review. W.Y. Tsao. 1970. p. 8. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
30. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Japan – John Turp. p. 323.
31. D, J.D.P.; Murakhver, N. (2012). They Eat That?: A Cultural Encyclopedia of Weird and Exotic Food from Around the World. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-38058-7. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
32. Eden, B.L. (2008). Content Management Systems in Libraries: Case Studies. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5692-9. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
33. Yaacob, Halim (17 November 2014). "Biggest lobster farm up and running in Sabah". The Edge Markets.
34. "Eating locusts: The crunchy, kosher snack taking Israel by swarm". BBC News. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
35. Amar 2004, pp. 85, 88: [p. 85] An explicit tradition of eating grasshoppers existed among all the Jews of Yemen, in their various factions. The Jews of Yemen were experts in what concerns the kinds of locust, and they had a regular practice of eating them… [p. 88] ...All Jews in Yemen, in all their dwelling places, were accustomed to eating locusts, city dwellers and villagers alike, as well as among their various factions: those who espouse to the Baladi-rite and those to the Shammi-rite, the kabbalists and the non-kabbalists. In recent generations, there began to infiltrate into Yemen the halachic works of other Jewish centers, and some of them even succeeded in influencing the original customs of Yemen. Thus, for example, the news of Rabbi Ḥayyim Ben Attar’s ruling against the eating of grasshoppers reached Yemen. Although this [specific] ruling had no impact on Yemen, in any rate the rabbis of Yemen made an effort to reinforce their ancient custom. The first to come out in defense of the tradition of eating grasshoppers in Yemen was Rabbi Yihye Qoraḥ (1840–1881), one of the last of Yemen’s sages. (Original Hebrew: (עמ' 85) מסורת ברורה של אכילת חגבים היתה בקרב כל יהודי תימן לפלגיהם השונים. יהודי תימן היו בקיאים במיני הארבה והם נהגו לאכול מהם תדיר... (עמ' 88) ...אכילת חגבים היתה נהוגה אצל כל יהודי תימן בכל מושבותיהם, עירוניים וכפריים כאחד, ולפלגיהם השונים: בעלי הנוסח הבלדי והשאמי, העקשים והדרדעים. בדורות האחרונים החלו לחדור לתימן חיבורים הלכתיים ממרכזים יהודיים אחרים, וחלק מהם אף הצליחו להשפיע על מנהגי תימן המקוריים. כך, למשל, הגיעה לתימן שמעה של פסיקתו של הרב חיים בן עטר כנגד אכילת חגבים. אף שלפסיקה זו לא היתה כל השפעה בתימן, בכל זאת טרחו רבני תימן לבצר את מנהגם הקדום. הראשון שיצא להגנת מסורת אכילת החגבים בתימן היה הרב יחיא קורח (ת"ר–תרמ"א), מחכמי תימן האחרונים.)
36. Qafih, Yosef (1982). Jewish Life in Saná. Ben-Zvi Institute. p. 218. The Jews of Yemen would collect the locust and eat it – although not all species, rather, only known species accepted by them from their ancestors, based on the tradition passed down generation after generation that they are clean; and there are known species where the tradition held by them from their ancestors denotes as unclean, even though they possess all the signs of cleanness described in the Torah and in the Halacha. Among the unclean kinds are considered the following species: `awsham, ḥanāğir, ġazzāleh, usādat ḥanaš (the snake's pillow), among others. All of the species are known to them by eye-inspection. Usually, the unclean kinds do not come in great swarms, but multiply during the rainy season, especially among the grasses and weeds. However, the clean kinds come in swarms, 'all of them by banding together' (Proverbs 30:27). Also the clean kinds are divided into four types; the best of them all is the one which is reddish in color; below it – that which is called ḥarḍiyyeh, of a grey and spotted color; below it, that which is yellowish in color, while below it is that which is whitish in color. This last one is inferior [to the rest] in terms of eating, on account of its thinness, and its limbs being more fibrous. The most praiseworthy is that which is reddish in color, especially at the time of its reproduction, when it is then fat and its taste is pleasant to the palate. (Original Hebrew: יהודי תימן היו לוקטים ארבה ואוכלים אותו, אך לא כל המינים, אלא רק מינים ידועים, המקובלים בידיהם מאבותיהם, על פי המסורת איש מפי איש, שהם טהורים; ויש מינים ידועים, שמסורת בידיהם מאבותיהם, שהם טמאים, אעפ"י שיש בהם כל סימני טהרה המפורשים בתורה ובהלכה. בין הטמאים נחשבים המינים הללו" "עושם", "חנאגר", "ג'זאלה", "וסאדת חנש", ועוד. כל המינים מוכרים להם בטביעת-עין. בדרך כלל אין המינים הטמאים באים במחנות גדולים אלא מתרבים בימות הגמשים, בייחוד בין דשאים ועשבים. אבל המינים הטהורים באים מחנות מחנות, ויצא חצץ כולו (משלי ל, כז). גם המינים הטהורים נחלקים לארבעה סוגים; משובח שבכולם האדמדם; למטה ממנו – "חרצ'ייה", אפור ונקוד; למטה ממנו הצהבהב, ולמטה ממנו הלבלבן. זה האחרון גרוע לאכילה, מחמת רזונו, ואיבריו סיביים יותר. משובח הוא האדמדם בייחוד בזמן רבייתו, שאז הוא שמן וטעמו ערב לחיך.)
37. "Spicy Hot Mud Creepers aka Balitung". 9 May 2014.
38. Mark, Wiens (December 2014). "A Tasty Introduction to Eating Snails in Saigon, Vietnam". Migrationology.
39. "Pickle". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
40. Trang, C. (1999). Authentic Vietnamese Cooking: Food from a Family Table. Verve Editions. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-684-86444-0. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
41. Drowns, G. (2012). Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry: Chickens, Turkeys, Ducks, Geese, Guineas, Gamebirds. Storey's guide to raising series. Storey Pub. p. 225. ISBN 978-1-61212-000-3. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
42. Ortega, G.P.; Musser, J. (2012). From the Family Kitchen: Discover Your Food Heritage and Preserve Favorite Recipes. F+W Media. ISBN 978-1-4403-1833-7. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
43. Planet, L. (2011). Lonely Planet Best Rocky Mountain Trips: 9 Trips from USA's Best Trips Travel Guide. Travel Guide. Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 978-1-74220-917-3. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
44. Florence, M.; Gierlich, M.; Nystrom, A.D. (2001). Rocky Mountains. LONELY PLANET ROCKY MOUNTAINS (in Czech). Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-86450-327-2. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
45. New International Encyclopedia. New International Encyclopedia. Dodd, Mead. 1916. p. 514. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
46. Westmoreland, S.; Goldsmith, S.D.; Burge, E.B. (2008). Good Housekeeping Step by Step Cookbook. Good Housekeeping Step-By-Step. Hearst Books. p. 89. ISBN 978-1-58816-760-6. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
47. Green, A.; Legato, S. (2011). The Fishmonger's Apprentice: The Expert's Guide to Selecting, Preparing, and Cooking a World of Seafood, Taught by the Masters. Apprentice. Quarry Books. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-61059-470-7. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
48. Yang, H.; Hamel, J.F.; Mercier, A. (2015). The Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus: History, Biology and Aquaculture. Developments in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science. Elsevier Science. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-12-800467-8. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
49. Lovatelli, A.; Conand, C. (2004). Advances in Sea Cucumber Aquaculture and Management. Advances in sea cucumber aquaculture and management. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. p. 58. ISBN 978-92-5-105163-4. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
50. "What is Shark Fin Soup?". Shark Allies. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
51. "Ingredient Spotlight: Snails". guide.michelin.com. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
52. "'Weird foods to eat in Hong Kong...'". Eating Adventures. 1 August 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
53. "SahihMuslim.Com". SahihMuslim.Com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
54. IslamKotob (1978). Sahih Muslim: Being Traditions of the Sayings and Doings of the Prophet Muhammad as Narrated by His Companions and Compiled Under the Title Al-Jami'-us-sahih : with Explanatory Notes and Brief Biographical Sketches of Major Narrators. Islamic Books. pp. 1242–. GGKEY:A3373925T9E.
55. . Religeo.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
56. Bell, R. (2005). How Swede It Is. Lulu Enterprises Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-4116-6025-0. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
57. Saberi, H. (2011). Cured, Smoked, and Fermented: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cooking, 2011. Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery. Prospect Books. ISBN 978-1-903018-85-9. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
58. The Gardener's Magazine and Register of Rural & Domestic Improvement. p. 397.

Works cited

• Amar, Zohar (2004). The Locust in Jewish Tradition (in Hebrew). Ramat-Gan: Bar-Ilan University. ISBN 965-226-257-9.

Further reading

• 王艳芳 (9 August 2011). "Top 13 most disgusting delicacies in the world". China.org.cn. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
• Miller, Michael (22 September 2006). "Strange foods". AskMen. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
• Ortile, Matt (24 July 2013). "23 Unexpected Cultural Delicacies From Asia". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
• Bercovici, Jeff (5 August 2011). "The World's Most Disgusting Delicacies". Forbes. Retrieved 31 January 2015.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Delicatessens.

 

Wikiquote has quotations related to Delicacy.

 

Look up delicacy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.