What's in a name? Sometimes, not all that much. Or at least, when it comes to certain foods, not a lot you can trust. Bombay duck doesn't contain a scrap of duck, for example. And grasshopper pie isn't quite as adventurous as it sounds. Here, we’ve rounded up the most deceptively named foods around – how many can you identify from their title alone?

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most confusingly named foods in the world, as we count down to reveal the most misleading moniker of all.

We've based our ranking on the surprising nature of each food and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

Fear not; while this wonderfully messy one-pot meal does come brimming with ingredients (usually shrimp, corn on the cob, new potatoes and smoked sausage), short-bodied amphibians aren’t included on that list. Instead, the story goes that this Lowcountry boil was invented in the fishing community of Frogmore on South Carolina’s Saint Helena Island. It’s still enjoyed with gusto today – once the stew is cooked, it’s seasoned with hot sauce and served on a table spread with newspaper (so diners can really get stuck in).

It may sound like this sweet treat is made with algae or pondwater – but the reality is rather different (although those who haven’t grown up eating it might still find this dessert a touch challenging). Dating back to the 1600s, Sussex pond pudding is made by slowly steaming a whole lemon inside a pastry casing made from suet (a hard white animal fat often taken from beef). Once cooked, the dessert is inverted from its pudding basin and served in slices, often with cream or custard.

While it might not come as too much of a surprise that this classic Canadian ice cream flavour doesn’t contain any actual pieces of tiger tail, it does feature a divisive duo of ingredients that are certainly not to everyone’s taste. Mixing thick swirls of caramelly black liquorice with an orange-flavoured ice cream base (hence the name), this treat was particularly popular between the 1950s and 1970s – and it's still sold in a few ice cream stores in Ontario.

While there’s certainly been an increased interest in consuming protein-rich insects over the last few years, we’re not talking about creepy-crawlies of any kind here. Despite being commonly known as Moreton Bay bugs in Australia, these rather strange looking creatures are, in fact, flathead (or bay) lobsters. Said to have a sweet, rich flavour and a stronger taste than other types of lobster, these particular crustaceans are delicious devoured straight from the grill, with a little lemon juice.

It might be because it was served at Thanksgiving, in lieu of actual turkey, when early New England settlers had little but fish. Or it could be because Irish people in Massachusetts dubbed their Friday fish meal 'Cape Cod turkey'. Whatever its origins, this old-timey dish of salt cod – served on a bed of boiled potatoes and dressed with a creamy white sauce, boiled eggs and sometimes crumbled bacon or salt pork – doesn’t contain any turkey whatsoever.

In China, this green tea from the Zhejiang Province is known as zhū chá or ‘pearl tea’. The English name compares the texture of the steamed and dried leaves, rolled into pellet shapes, to the flinty grains of gunpowder rather than elegant jewellery. Its production dates back to the Tang Dynasty, between AD 618 and 907.

Jerusalem artichokes are native to eastern parts of the US and Canada, and they're prevalent in Maine, North Dakota, Florida and northern Texas. They’re delicious sautéed with olive oil or butter and served with a sprig of thyme and a squeeze of lemon – but they’re not really artichokes at all. This knobbly, nutty delicacy is a species of sunflower root, sometimes called sunroot, sunchoke or earth apple.

One odd name isn’t enough for this wild mushroom, which sprouts in large clusters that some say resemble chickens with ruffled feathers. Other English nicknames for the fungus include ram’s head, while in China it’s known as monkey’s bench. Prized for its delicate texture and intense, truffle-like flavour, this prized mushroom is often sold in shops under its Japanese name, maitake.

Far tastier than its moniker suggests, this dish is the speciality at historic spot Nick Tahou Hots in Rochester, New York, where its name has even been trademarked. Rather than making a meal of actual rubbish, the hefty plate consists of the diner’s choice of cheeseburger, hamburger, white or red hots (hot dogs), Italian sausage, chicken and grilled cheese, served over a mountain of home fries, French fries, baked beans and/or macaroni salad. A generous drizzle of Rochester-style ‘hot sauce’ provides the final flourish.

Rather misleadingly, there’s no bread involved in this Welsh delicacy, which is also known as ‘Welshman’s caviar’. A dark green paste made from boiled seaweed, laverbread has been eaten in Wales since the 17th century. These days, it’s often served on toast or as part of a proper Welsh breakfast, accompanied by cockles, Welsh bacon, sausages and eggs.

It might sound like a rich, gamey feast of a dish, but Scotch woodcock is really just scrambled eggs on toast spread with Gentleman’s Relish (anchovy paste). Legend has it that the name was coined by the English as a dig against the Scots; however, nowadays it’s served as a pretty inoffensive hors d’oeuvre, usually on squares of toast, garnished with whole anchovies.

Grits aren't dirt, but corn, ground and boiled to a porridge-like consistency. They're a real breakfast staple in the US, especially in the Southern States, and they're even eaten for dinner with barbecued shrimp. Originating in Native American communities, their deliciousness depends largely on what’s added. Like polenta, creamy grits are a great vehicle for flavours, with cheese, herbs and bacon commonly stirred through or sprinkled on top.

Dolphin is a staple on menus across Barbados, though you can rest assured that it doesn't refer to one of Flipper's descendants. Mahi-mahi, the large blue fish eaten around the world, is also known as a dolphinfish. Barbadians shorten the name (hence the rather unsettling associations), but it’s the same tender, flaky fish, usually served battered and deep fried.

Founding US president George Washington was apparently partial to a slice of sweetbread pie. The word ‘sweetbread’ was first used a couple of centuries earlier, in the 16th century. Though some might argue there’s nothing sugary about the thymus gland of animals (most commonly calves), the name comes from the fact that this meat is relatively rich and sweet. ‘Bread’ comes from the old English word for ‘flesh’.

There’s no doubting that the name of this American sandwich is a little off-putting; however, in reality, it’s not quite as shocking as it sounds. A historic Milwaukee, Wisconsin staple that’s traditionally enjoyed at Christmas and at weddings, the cannibal sandwich is made by spreading super-fresh, raw minced beef over thick slices of rye bread, then topping the whole lot with chopped onion, salt and pepper. While the exact origins of the dish aren’t entirely clear, it’s been popular in Wisconsin’s German communities since the 1800s, and it's very similar to the German dish mett, or hackepeter.

Created as a means for making meat go that bit further in poor households, toad in the hole is a thrifty (and reassuringly toad-free) British dish featuring a savoury batter pudding studded with meat. Originally made with pieces of rump steak, lambs’ kidney and even pigeon, these days the Yorkshire pudding batter tends to be dotted with sausages instead. It's often served dripping with onion gravy. 

You’ll be pleased to know that this classic burger doesn’t contain any slugs at all. Invented in the US state of Mississippi in the early 20th century, it was in Tennessee that the historic fast food dish really became popular. Consisting of a deep-fried patty made from meat (usually pork or beef) bulked up with potato flour or soya beans, slugburgers are traditionally served in a small bun with plenty of pickles, mustard and onions. The name refers to the fact that they used to cost a nickel, as ‘slug’ was the slang term for a five-cent piece.

There’s no pigeon meat in gołąbki, a dish of cabbage-leaf rolls stuffed with minced meat (usually pork or beef) and rice. The delicious little parcels, similar to Greek dolmadaki, are made with vine leaves and are often served in Polish households during the festive season. The distinctive name refers to their small, birdlike shape.

Put away the red wine vinegar and shallots – these are a world away from your usual freshly shucked half-dozen. Rocky Mountain oysters are lamb, boar or calf testes, and they're usually flattened, coated in seasoned flour, deep fried and served with a dipping sauce. It’s believed the dish was invented by ranchers in Canada’s Rocky Mountain region, and it's still considered a delicacy in the American West and western Canada today.

A winning combination of chocolate custard and cream cheese (or vanilla pudding) layered in a pecan shortbread crust, this classic dessert from the US state of Arkansas is utterly delicious – and, thankfully, it's entirely devoid of marsupials. While theories about how it got its name vary, many suggest that, like possums (known for playing dead and tricking their predators), this dessert is deceptive, with the thick whipped cream topping hiding layers of deliciousness below.

Juicy chipolata sausages shrouded in streaky bacon covers, pigs in blankets are a festive classic in the UK – and many would deem Christmas dinner incomplete without them. In Scotland, they're often known as ‘kilted soldiers’, while in Germany a similar dish, würstchen im schlafrock (sausages in a dressing gown), refers to sausages wrapped in puff pastry or pancakes.

The words ‘cowboy’ and ‘caviar’ don't sound particularly healthy, do they? You might expect a bowl of particularly good chilli, or Sturgeon roe smoked over oak. Born in Texas (hence the name), cowboy caviar is a vibrant, wholesome mix of black-eyed peas, beans and crunchy vegetables. Dressed with lime juice, vinegar and honey, it's eaten as a salad or dip.

This duck dish doesn’t come with plum sauce, pancakes and skinny strips of spring onion. Or, in fact, any duck. That's because the main ingredient in Bombay duck, a popular Indian dish, is dried and fried bummalo or lizardfish. The origins of the name are mysterious, though one theory is that the smell reminded the British of the dank wooden floors of Bombay Dak trains.

What does posh cheese on toast have in common with a rabbit from Wales? Answer: its name. Commonly called Welsh rarebit (though originally spelled ‘rabbit’), this classic savoury snack is elevated above the usual Cheddar slices melted on bread by its sauce. Cheese, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and strong beer are added to a roux that's then spooned on bread and browned under the grill.

Don’t be so precious as to ask for a fork if you’re served monkey bread, also known as monkey puzzle bread. Sweet, soft and sticky, this treat is designed to be torn apart and devoured by hand. It became popular in southern California in the 1940s, and it's made by baking balls of dough bound together with melted butter and caramel sauce.

It isn’t cheese, but it is made from heads – usually the meat from the head of a pig, calf, cow or lamb. Becoming more common with the rise in popularity of nose-to-tail eating, headcheese is served as a sausage or in a jellied loaf, similar to a French galantine or terrine.

Insects may be popping (or hopping) up on lots of menus nowadays, but this is a rather more old-fashioned dish. A vibrant green chiffon cream, infused with the mint liqueur crème de menthe, is poured into a crust made from crushed Oreo cookies. The US dessert is believed to date back to the 1950s, named after the green cocktail invented in New Orleans around the same time.

Featuring sweet, ruby red guava paste sandwiched between slices of soft, salty Minas cheese, it’s not known why this traditional Brazilian sweet – which is loved across the country – was named after the famous Shakespeare play. One rather whimsical suggestion is that the unusual combination of ingredients represents a complex marriage formed between two simple souls. 

Who knew that a vegetable dish could inspire such fervour? Imam bayaldi (literally translated as ‘the imam fainted’) is a classic Turkish dish featuring smoky aubergines cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices and plenty of olive oil. The story goes that upon tasting the dish for the first time, the imam (priest) in question fainted with delight. Variations on the tale say that it brought tears to his eyes, in which case the dish is referred to as ‘the preacher wept’.

It sounds like a well-travelled waterfowl, but a geoduck is actually a huge soft-shell clam with a long neck, usually dived for in the Pacific Ocean off Washington state and western Canada. Pronounced ‘gooey duck’, its sweet, clean taste and slight crunch are particularly prized in China and Korea, where it’s considered a delicacy. 

Huge bear claw pastries are for those times when a mere croissant or apple turnover just won’t satisfy your cravings for something sweet and doughy. The name makes sense when you see the jagged paw shape of this pastry treat, which originated in the US in the 1920s. These buttery, flaky delights are usually served filled with almond paste and raisins.

The story of this devilishly good hors d'oeuvre dates back to Victorian times, when prunes or dates were soaked in tea, wrapped in bacon and grilled. Devils on horseback rose in popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, when they were usually served skewered with toothpicks and passed around at dinner parties.

The saintly flipside to devils on horseback, these bacon-wrapped oysters have murky origins. Many believe the canapé was inspired by the French equivalent anges à cheval, invented in 1866, while others claim it evolved from a dish eaten by the English working class, back when oysters were considered a poor man’s food.

This delightfully named Sichuan dish is made with finely ground beef (the ‘ants’, apparently) and glass noodles, which represent the tree. Its Chinese name, ma yi shang shu, has also been translated as ‘ants creeping up a tree’ and ‘ants climbing a hill’. Infused with pungent spices, the dish is as delicious as its various titles are charming.

More ants. And, yet again, no ants at all. This healthy snack, popular across the US and Canada, sees sticks of celery filled with peanut butter and dotted with raisins (or ‘ants’). Parents looking to offer their growing kids a nutritious alternative to sweets and crisps tend to be its biggest fans.

Fear not – no rabbits were harmed in the creation of this iconic South African dish. Essentially a curry that can be eaten on the hoof, bunny chow (bunny, for short) consists of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread, filled with a meat or vegetable curry. The dish is widely thought to have been invented by Indian immigrants in Durban in the 1940s, as a portable meal that could be transported to work easily. It’s now an adored street food around the country.

The name does this sweet treat something of a disservice. While it might be served chilled, there’s certainly nothing dog-like about kalter hund (cold dog), a no-bake chocolate layer cake made with rich butter biscuits, coconut oil and chocolate. Very popular in East Germany, it’s also known as kalte schnauze (cold snout) or kellerkuchen (basement cake). 

The only thing this hand-stretched wheat doughnut has in common with an actual beaver tail is its flat, paddle-like shape. Legend has it that the idea came from the 19th century, when actual beavers’ tails and bread dough flattened in the same shape (so it would cook quicker) were cooked over open flames. The name was trademarked by Ontario company BeaverTails Canada Inc. in 1978. The doughnuts are typically deep fried and dusted with cinnamon, but alternative toppings – such as caramel sauce and sliced banana – have become hugely popular.

Of course, there’s no actual lion involved in this Shanghai speciality, the main element of which is enormous meatballs made with ground pork, crumbled tofu, ginger and soy sauce. They’re either served bobbing in a light broth or smothered with a rich, dark sauce, while cabbage leaves form the lion’s mane.

The cat might get your tongue if you read this on the menu at a Parisian café. But you won’t get its tongue, thankfully, because these are actually slender, crisp biscuits, often elongated and delicately curled. The langue de chat cookie is believed to have originated in France, and the Dutch know it as katte tong.

Before you tip this crunchy mix into Fido’s/Daisy’s/Dave’s dog bowl, take a nibble. This homemade snack, popular at picnics and potluck dinners in America’s Midwestern states, is a delicious concoction of Chex cereal mixed with melted butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips, all shaken together with icing sugar.

You’ll often find ladies’ fingers lurking in your Louisiana gumbo or stirred into a bowl of fragrant Malaysian curry. You might even bite into them beneath a delicate glove of crisp tempura batter. These are okra, pod vegetables shaped like elegantly tapered fingers, and they're widely used in African, Caribbean, Cajun and Indian cuisine as a thickening ingredient. Adding to the confusion, sponge ‘ladyfingers’ are something different altogether, layered up in desserts like tiramisù.

This Russian dish conjures all kinds of whimsical images. The herring is ‘dressed’, though not in furs. To make it, pickled fish are diced and layered with a mix of mayonnaise and cooked and grated root vegetables (usually potatoes, carrots and beetroot). It gives the dish, sometimes charmingly called ‘herring under a fur coat’, a colourful, elegant look, like a savoury cake – or a well-dressed lady. It's often served as a zukuski (Russian canapé or hors d’oeuvre) at Christmas. These days, restaurants present it in both traditional and modern forms.

Now discover the world’s most incredible foods you have to try once

Last updated by Emily Shardlow-Price.