Bird’s Nest Soup – Thailand

There is no better feeling than mentally checking off a box on the foodie bucket list. This was one of them. Made from the saliva of the cave swift, these little webbed wonders melt into amorphous, slightly gelatinous nibs that bear a smaller, more delicate resemblance to the texture of the white wood-ear soup you get for dessert at the more authentic Chinese restaurants. I can’t say this soup has any real flavor or taste. The bird’s nest soup is as amorphous as it looks, but becomes reminiscent of a sweet soothing drink for teething infants as a spoonful of honey helps the bird’s nest go down.

Apparently these nests are insanely expensive and are believed to be very nutritious. They can even cure a variety of illnesses, much like Chuck Norris’s tears. Regardless, I see why this ambiguously flavored dish is a must-try. It’s the only way a chef can acceptably spit in your food!