1. You have broken away from the normal genre of food. What made you focus on the unique subject of weird food?

I grew up in California, so I was always getting to try out cuisines from around the world.  I've always been a curious eater. But during college, as I was studying world cultures and started to become interested how different cultures have food taboos that seem arbitrary. I also like a challenge, so when I read about foods like tarantula spiders or balut (egg embryos) or dog meat, I ask myself, "Can I eat them?"

2. What are your objectives in sharing information on various types of strange food?

Well my audience is mostly North American and the English-speaking world, so I'm intentionally writing for that.  I've been living in Asia for seven years now, so I sometimes have to really think about the dishes I see every day here, and remind myself, "Wait, is this considered weird back home? I forgot..."

3. Did you have to get used to tasting all of these weird foods? Or did it come naturally to you?

Naturally. But a few of the foods have been truly difficult to stomach.  The big furry tarantula spiders in Cambodia were very hard to eat the first time.  On the other hand, dog meat was not a problem at all, because it's served completely prepared - it looks just like beef, and I didn't see the process of the butchery, cooking, etc.

4. How do you motivate yourself to taste these strange types of food?

By drinking more beer.

5. What's the most delicious weird food you have tasted so far? How is it prepared?

Balut, the duck egg embryo. It's in between egg and duck, with barely formed feathers and bones, and you just eat the whole thing.  This was one of the most difficult for me but now I completely enjoy it. A nice savory snack.

6. Which books on weird food do you recommend for interested readers?

Anthony Bourdain's travel books are lots of fun, but for something more researched, check out Taras Grescoe's "Devil's Picnic," and Stewart Lee Allen's "In the Devil's Garden."  My favorite food writer is Vogue's Jeffrey Steingarten. His books are essential reading for any food lover.

http://www.weirdmeat.com/2004/08/books-about-weird-meat.html

7. Which country offers the best of strange food? What are their specially offered dishes?

China, southern China especially - they have anything from fried honeybees to cobra snakes to dogs and cats.