#human delicacies

[awonderfulworldbuilding]

So I love this idea. It also neatly encompasses a different post I saw to the effect of "human: *crying red faced, licking fingers* omg that's delicious what is it? Alien: our deadliest poison.... Human: omg wow how much for a bottle? My mom would love this"

Because why is the human eating poison, right? But what if it is because the aliens have realized things that would kill them are things humans might like. So they do these experiments. And like, are they ethical? No, it's absolutely not ethical to put poison in your shipmates food to see how it affects them. But like. Itd be interesting.

This goes back to the horror that is the things we as humans have done to find out about the human body.

I recently learned about a guy who got appendicitis in Antarctica and bc he was the doctor on the expedition, man's gave himself a local, propped up a fuckin mirror and TOOK OUT HIS OWN APPENDIX. And then LIVED.

Field amputations would horrify aliens.

Ive gotten off topic. Alien scientists signing humans up for experiments with poisons.

I Am Menstruating, So Here's A Period Thought.

(Yes, it's about aliens again.)

We, as humans, eat a lot of food that other animals can't eat. Chocolate, grapes, avocados, broccoli, alcohol (although I did once have a cat who loved beer), caffeine, almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, any spicy food, tomatoes, the list goes on. Dairy products, everyone.

I am currently having period cravings. For hot cheetos, spicy ramen, raspberry-infused dark chocolate, and hot cocoa. Any and all of that would kill a dog.

But, would it kill an alien?

I once saw a thing that said that chocolate is a universally poisonous substance. And sure, I'll stand by that. If you give chocolate to any species except for humans, they will die. Miserably.

BUT! And this is a large but.

HUMANS ARE NOT ALL-POWERFUL, NOR ARE THEY ALL-IMMUNE!

Pokeweed (a little, deadly plant characterized by its red stem and purple berries) is absolutely lethal to us. One tiny berry will kill us. Oleander, a beautiful pink/red/white flower, can kill with any/all of its parts. Nightshade, recognized by its bright red berries, kills in less than 24 hours.

Aliens consider all of these plants to be delicacies.

Zygerin chefs whip up fabulously delicious hemlock soups for their patrons. Ytertjjijkis bakers utilize nightshade, pokeweed, and yew in all of their most famous pastries. Aàkî cooks use Oleander and destroying angel mushrooms in common garden salads.

But yes, chocolate is deadly to them. And the other 99.999% of the universe.