For some people, sushi is one of the wildest things they’ve eaten. By international standards, that is pure child’s play. Most countries have their own quirky delicacies and by American standards, they can appear ghoulish.

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In Vietnam, snakes are thought to have great medicinal qualities, so they created a beverage that is somewhat of a cure all, called snake wine. In snake wine, an entire venomous snake is placed in a bottle that is filled with liquor. It is steeped long enough that the ethanol breaks down the venom and it is safe to drink.

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Tuna is a very popular fish, but most American consumers remove one part of it before consumption… the eyes. The eyes are quite popular in Japan, and are sold individually. The shrimp pictured above have not been cooked. They’re placed in a liquor that stuns them long enough for them to be consumed alive. Sannakj is a very popular eastern dish. The chef chops up a live octopus so the tentacles are still moving while they’re on your plate.

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Insects and reptiles are an excellent source of protein and in most countries, eating them does not carry the stigma it does in the West. A delicately prepared snake kabob is pictured with a spider side. Scorpion on a stick is a great treat for the road, and in Cambodia, fried tarantulas are incredibly popular.

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In the West, people only eat unfertilized eggs. In other countries, it’s quite the opposite; fertilized eggs are broiled and prized as a yummy snack called Balut. Bat soup is remarkably common internationally, and lizards are used to flavor soup. At least there’s some nice risotto pictured above, right? Wrong. Those are actually giant ant larvae and the dish is known as Escamoles.

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Baby mice wine is said to have restorative properties. Residents of the Far East will drown newborn mice in the wine and then drink it when they need a boost.

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The fairly normal-looking cheese pictured above is so gross that it’s actually banned from being consumed in parts of Italy. This doesn’t keep people from making it though! The process is the same as normal cheese, until one adds live maggots to the mix. The maggots eat the cheese and it passes through their system. One has to either suffocate the maggots right before eating, or eat it with them still wriggling, or the cheese can turn toxic. It is aptly named, “maggot cheese.” The coffee beans above are called Kopi Luwak, and enjoy a similar passage (through the mouth of a Civet, all the way through). And of course, bugs. Lots of bugs.

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Fried calves’ brain is not as uncommon as one would think. The sandwich pictured above can actually be found in certain areas of the US. Head cheese is a European dish that involves cooking the head of a sheep and then chopping up the meat. Natural gelatins hold it together enough to slice for sandwiches. Pacha is a dish found in Iraq that is quite simple to prepare: boil a sheep’s head. Just in case you thought large mammals were the only ones in danger, check out these rabbit heads, served up for lunch in China.

Halloween parties are an excellent chance to show off creative cooking skills, and explore the darker depths of your mind’s pantry for spooky and gross ideas. Here are some examples of ghoulish appetizers and disgusting main courses that round out your already awesome Halloween party:

Dismembered Heads

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You can’t go wrong sculpting dismembered heads out of food products. There’s something inherently disturbing about digging a fork into something shaped like a human face, no matter how delicious it is. This is a great way to get the creep juice flowing.

Writhing Worms

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One of the simplest, yet most effective, grossout techniques is to create a plate full of writhing worms. Get the right coloration and the perfect pasta selection, and you’ve got a disgusting dish that’s certain to creep out your friends.

Classic Skulls

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The only thing better than feasting on a human head, is feasting on a decomposed human head. Take a slice of that skull and try not to cringe as you feel the crunch as you chew down…

Gross Creations

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Halloween is a time for creativity, so don’t just stick with the typical ghouls and ghosts – flex your disturbing mind muscles and come up with anything and everything that will make your friends struggle to eat your food. Organs, bugs, and strange animals are always a hit.

Ghoulish Fingers

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Dismembered fingers are easily reproduced in food form, with gory (and delicious results). I especially love the fake fingernails, which look incredibly crunchy and cringeworthy.

Plucked Eyeballs

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Dangling eyeballs are the star of any Halloween costume, and eyeball dishes are no different. Easy to make, versatile, and totally disgusting, when in doubt, throw in an eyeball. They can be added to a stew, made out of cupcakes, or even crafted into giant cakes.

Brainnnnnssss!

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Cold brain is disgusting to think about, but with the wonder of the internet and brain shaped molds, it’s easy to craft them out of jello, or decorate your favorite baked goods with the tell tale twists and turns of human gray matter.

Patricia Piccinini is an artist who likes to make people feel uncomfortable. She creates sentimental scenes full of love and motherliness, but starring human/animal hybrid looking creatures that give us the heebie jeebies. Her sculpture is so realistic and detailed that you can’t help relating to these creatures, that when it comes down to it, are just plain gross. Prepare to enter an intriguing world full of some incredibly realistic artistry.

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Patricia Piccinini loves to awaken emotions inside those viewing her work, and there are few easier ways to make someone sympathetic than to make your subject matter a cute and cuddly baby… or, in this case, let the viewer waffle back and forth between cooing and cringing.

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The emotions expressed in Patricia’s work is moving and sentimental, but as soon as one feels emotions stirring, they turn, as the otherworldly creatures that populate her work curdle sentiment into revulsion.

(Images via gowlangsfordgallery, zimbio, artknowledgenews)

Patricia Piccinini is not as well known for her photography, but the interesting mix of emotions her works elicit are no different. In her photography she contracts beautiful female forms with disgusting, naked rodents that look like the escaped from a lab growing human organs (ears).

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Motherhood is a beautiful thing. The love and attention that parents show their offspring, and the cultural view of this relationship make one almost feel guilty for being grossed out by these sculptures. It’s strange that the anthropomorphized moped sculpture is easier to understand than the relationship between Patricia’s other creatures.

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The creatures Patricia Piccinini puts into her work all have a similar, animal/insect/human feel to them, as if something biological was thrown together with just enough human characteristics that we can’t take our eyes away. Then, there are the more insect/animal mixes, which are much easier to dehumanize.