The Most Bizarre Foods Throughout History

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Turtle Soup

Although it's since fallen out of favor, turtle soup was once all the rage in American cuisine. It was President William H. Taft's favorite food, considered a delicacy and made with snapping turtle meat. Turtle soup had been an extremely popular and noble food in the UK and was probably consumed by the first colonies in the States. Over the years, it gained prominence on restaurant menus and in cookbooks, particularly in the 1800's. But by World War II, the soup began to lose its charm, due to the tedious task of cleaning turtles and as more convenient shelf-stable alternatives came into existence. It's still consumed in some parts of the country, including Philadelphia, Minnesota and New Orleans (as a Creole specialty), but given most younger generations' aversion to the idea, it's unlikely to make a comeback.