[korean cuisine]

"Heaven knows, I have eaten a lot of unusual things, but I found these little fellas terrifying." That is food writer Stefan Gates's take on Beondegi (번데기), or boiled silkworm larvae, a popular Korean snack. The photo and comment are part of his "search for the ultimate edible challenge," as documented by the BBC. Other Korean culinary delights include sea slugs and dried frog tea.

It's features like these that make me envy those friends of mine who have become obsessed with Italy or France. Of all the countries in the world to snare my passions, why did it have to be the one that thinks larvae are a tasty treat for the kiddies?