Christian Michael de Lara

HUMSS201

Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

The Balut : Origins Explored

A Balut is a half-boiled chicken or duck egg that is then eaten directly from the shell. In
the Philippines, it is usually sold as street food; you can often see it being sold on the streets
across the country. It is sold at Evening to Midnight by Balut vendors, it is a sixteen-to-twenty-
one-day old, fertilized egg of a duck.

It is considered to be one of the most popular and iconic delicacies in the Philippines and
is eaten by opening the shell and having it with a bit of salt and vinegar. Many tourists like the
concept of trying something new that makes it an appealing treat especially to those individuals
with adventurous tastebuds. However, not everyone likes the idea and considered by others a
balut inhumane and revolting. According to some Filipino-Chinese residents of Manila, the Balut
was influenced way back from the early 1900’s. The Balut originated from the Century Egg of
Eastern China made also from fertilized duck eggs. I consider the Balut a cultural Icon because it
is part of our culture and history along with our history with China. As a Filipino, I am proud and
adore the Balut, I simply find it a delicious and affordable snack.

I find a lot of the hype comes when people encounter it for the first time. The thought of
eating an embryo from inside an egg can be off putting. Once you get past the first impression,
you’ll find the actual texture of the egg is quite nice. It’s an affordable snack which is found on
the streets all over the country. A cultural icon coming from the Philippines that each and every
Filipino enjoy while drinking with friends or spending time with the family.