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What's up! CM Flint here.

Lately, I've been feeling that summers are getting hotter, and winters are getting colder as the years go by.

August, in particular, seems to be the time when you can truly feel the summer heat.

And the hotter it gets, the more I find myself craving more food.

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(The hotter it is, the more energy I lose, so I find myself looking for something to eat.)

Do you enjoy eating?

I absolutely love finding and trying delicious food, especially exotic dishes or new foods that I haven't tried before.

When I visit a new restaurant, I tend to pick dishes that seem unusual or that I've never tried before.

So today, I want to introduce you to some foods that you may not have heard of or had the chance to try. 

These are foods that are hard to come by due to cultural differences or are simply rare or unusual dishes. 

Given that food is one of the essentials of life, I'm really excited about today's topic!

1. Zuixia (醉虾, Drunken Shrimp)

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In Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China, there's a dish called Zuixia (醉虾), 

where live shrimp are soaked in alcohol and eaten, similar to soy sauce shrimp.

The name literally translates to "Drunken Shrimp."

This dish involves placing live shrimp in a bowl and soaking them in alcohol, where they die almost instantly.

Sometimes the shrimp are lightly seared after soaking, which,

due to the volatile nature of alcohol, makes the shrimp even crispier.

The alcohol used is typically strong, aromatic spirits like Baijiu or Huangjiu,

which gives the dish a distinct fragrance rather than a strong taste of alcohol.

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In Western cultures, eating live seafood like this is often considered unappealing, 

likely because of the idea of consuming something that's still moving.

It's similar to how the live octopus scene in the movie "Oldboy" is often cited as one of the most disturbing.

However, in East Asian countries like Korea, Japan, and China, where eating raw fish or meat is more common,

the reaction is generally less negative.

Even so, eating raw seafood is relatively rare in China.

2. Injera

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Injera is a staple food in East Africa, particularly in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Think of it as an African-style pancake. 

In Western cuisine, it’s similar to bread, and in Korean cuisine, it would be akin to rice.

Injera is often referred to as "flat fermented bread," and its main ingredient is teff,

an ancient Ethiopian grain known as the smallest grain in the world. 

Teff was once known as a superfood, especially in the US and Europe. 

Injera has a spongy, soft texture and a nutty, slightly sour flavor, which can be polarizing for some people.

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When eating Injera, you don’t need utensils like forks, spoons, chopsticks, or even plates. 

You simply tear off a piece of Injera, scoop up some spicy Ethiopian curry called Wat,

wrap it around grilled meat known as Tibs, and eat it. 

Therefore, the Injera itself is treated as the plate and utensil.

3. Shirasu Pizza (しらすピザ) and Shirasu Don (しらす丼)

When traveling, trying the local food is one of the great joys of the experience. 

In Kamakura, Japan, which is easily accessible from Tokyo,

you can find some unique dishes made with baby sardines known as Shirasu(しらす).

While Shirasu is available year-round, its peak season is from March to May.

Kamakura and the nearby Enoshima, where were the main areas for the Japanese movie "Our Little Sister,"

are famous for various dishes made with Shirasu.

These areas have also recently gained popularity again due to the "Slam Dunk" movie.

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One of the more interesting fusion dishes you can find in these areas is Shirasu Pizza. 

It might be hard to imagine the texture just by looking at it, but if you've ever tried anchovy pizza,

you can expect something similar.

However, because Shirasu are smaller, the texture is finer, combining sweet and salty flavors.

Pizza is a familiar food we all know, so it's less likely to feel “new” to us.

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Another famous dish in the area is Shirasu Don(しらす丼).

While Shirasu can be eaten cooked or raw, Shirasu Don allows you to enjoy both, depending on your preference. 

The taste is surprisingly savory, with a tender texture rather than the expected crunchiness. 

Since the texture and flavor can vary from person to person, it’ll be best to try it yourself.

There are many other fascinating foods worldwide, but this post would be too long if I listed them all.

There seem to be so many intriguing foods out there, but not enough time to try them all.

That's why I always try anything that catches my eye whenever I get the chance.

Have you ever tried something special, unique, or hard to find?

Share your experiences with us in the comments!

I'll be back with more interesting topics next time.

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Thank you!