The Incredible, Edible Balut

Abstract

This paper provides a critical food analysis of balut. These popular Filipino street snacks comprised of partially incubated duck eggs with a decidedly liminal character have become increasingly familiar to Westerners over recent years thanks to their most sensationalized depictions in various genres of popular culture. A number of pertinent examples from Western reality television, independent film, post-grunge alternative rock, international prizefighting, and myriad foodie/gastroporn websites, as well as my own ethnographic experience in the Philippines dating back to the mid-1990s, highlight balut's symbolic value both in the construction of identity for native Filipinos and as a rite of passage for others.

Keywords:

• street food
• Philippines
• cultural identity

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ty Matejowsky

Ty Matejowsky is an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Central Florida. University of Central Florida, 1519 Clearlake Road, Cocoa, FL 32922, USA ([email protected]).