Anthony Bourdain And Andrew Zimmern Agreed That This Fermented Dish Is One Of The Worst Tasting Foods

Forces of food culture know there's an exciting bite everywhere in the world, and that there's a lot of joy in discovering new things. However, finding what you like comes with the risk of finding what you just can't stomach — even world-travelling chefs and critics have their limits. One dish has gotten the best of many who've tried it, including Andrew Zimmern, Anthony Bourdain, and Gordon Ramsay: Hákarl, a fermented shark dish from Iceland.

Hákarl is one of Bourdain's least favorite foods. In an episode of "No Reservations" (via Dailymotion), he called hákarl "unspeakably nasty" and "the single worst thing I have ever put in my mouth," after loading his plate with sheep's head and testicles. Gordon Ramsay held similar reservations about the taste on his trip to Iceland in "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted," where he immediately spat out the fermented shark on reflex, and Andrew Zimmern describes the taste on his personal website as "ultimately sweet, nutty, and faintly fishy... if you like ammoniated wax." 

It's hard to imagine these chefs, celebrated for their dares into food far outside their home country's conventions, being so taken aback by a piece of fish. Fermented shark isn't something all modern Icelanders enjoy year-round, either. Instead, it's more of a ceremonial dish consumed to satisfy tradition (and perhaps curiosity). Hákarl is a traditional dish that came from the Viking era. The unforgiving tundra didn't provide ample farming opportunities, so early Icelanders had to work with what they had to survive.

Hákarl is prepared from the Greenland shark, which lives in the Arctic Ocean. To survive in these frigid waters, the shark's skin tissue is full of urea and trimethylamine N-oxide. When cold-water species such as the Greenland shark die, these molecules are released from the skin, producing a pungent odor. For example, you might notice that cod and haddock smell "fishier" than other species because they've developed higher concentrations of trimethylamine N-oxide in their systems.

Greenland shark is toxic for human consumption upon death, so a months-long fermentation process helps expel the toxins from the meat. The reason some people have such a strong aversion to hákarl is that they're quite literally smelling a rotten shark carcass, and this stench can overpower the taste of the fish. If you're curious about trying Icelandic cuisine, it's good to know what you're getting into. Hákarl often comes in cubes served with a toothpick — it's not there for decoration. Avoid touching hákarl with your hands because the odor sticks to your skin, similar to garlic or curry powder. Wear a pair of food-safe gloves or rub leftover coffee grounds between your hands (among other uses for leftover coffee grounds) to get rid of the smell in a pinch. There's even a local Icelandic beverage to help you wash down the taste of the shark: Don't forget to pick up a bottle of brennivín.