Intermediate: Unusual European Foods | English For Cool Dudes

An interactive lesson for Intermediate learners (Vocabulary, Reading, Listening & Grammar)

✨ 1. Vocabulary Match: Key Food Terms

Match the **Key Term** to its **Definition**. Click two cards to form a pair.

Terms

Definitions

📰 2. Reading Text: European Foods That Might Surprise You

Get ready for a culinary adventure that's not for the faint of heart! We're about to dive into a world of strange European foods that might make you say, "ew!" but are actually considered delicious in their home countries.

First, there's Casu Marzu, a cheese so unique it's filled with live maggots. Its production is prohibited for commercial sale, making it a true local secret. Next, we travel to Scotland for haggis. It's a dish cooked inside a sheep's stomach, but its bold flavor and flexibility in the kitchen make it a national treasure.

Then there's Su Filindeu, a Sardinian specialty known as the 'threads of God.' This pasta is incredibly delicate and notoriously difficult to make, with only a few masters knowing the traditional recipe.

Heading to France, we find snails. They were once considered food for the poor, but today, they are a luxury delicacy served in fancy restaurants. Finally, we look at jellyfish. A brave European chef is trying to convince the continent that this wobbly wonder is the next big thing. Let's see if he can make it happen!

🧠 3. Reading Comprehension Check

1. Why is Casu Marzu not sold commercially in the EU?

Because it is not a popular food.
Because it is forbidden.
Because it is too difficult to produce.

2. What is special about Su Filindeu?

It is made from Pecorino cheese.
It is a type of handmade pasta that is very difficult to make.
It is a type of soup.

3. What does the reading passage compare Su Filindeu to?

A type of cheese.
The 'threads of God'.
Something easy to make.

📺 4. Video

🎧 5. Video Comprehension: True or False

Based on the video, decide if the following statements are true or false.

1. The Scottish specialty, haggis, is cooked in a plastic bag.

True
False

2. Snails were once considered a food for poor people.

True
False

3. Jellyfish are not yet allowed as a food item in the European Union.

True
False

📝 6. Vocabulary Gap-Fill

Choose the word from the bank to fill the gaps in the sentences. Click a **Word**, then click the **blank space** to place it. Click the word in the space to put it back.

Word Bank:

specialty rotten flexibility delicacy

1. Casu Marzu's name means cheese.

2. Haggis is a Scottish known for its .

3. Snails are now a in France, served at fancy restaurants.

⚙️ 7. Grammar: Second Conditional (Hypothetical Present/Future)

The Second Conditional is useful for discussing **unreal or unlikely** present/future situations. It's perfect for talking about what you **would** do if you **were** faced with eating these foods:

Structure: If + Simple Past (If I ate), would + Base Verb (I would regret it)
Example: If I **went** to Sardinia, I **would try** Casu Marzu. (I am not in Sardinia, so the situation is hypothetical.)

Choose the Correct Second Conditional Option to correct each sentence

If I went to Sardinia, I some Casu Marzu.

would try
will try

I would eat haggis if it served with mashed potatoes.

If I a choice, I would eat snails over jellyfish.

had
have

🍔 8. Food Idioms

Match the **Food Idiom** to its **Meaning**.

Idiom

Meaning

✍️ 9. Idiom Gap-Fill

Choose the **Idiom** from the bank to complete the sentences. Click a **Word**, then click the **blank space** to place it. Click the word in the space to put it back.

Idiom Bank:

🗣️ 10. Discussion Questions

Use these questions to start a discussion with a partner or classmate.

Which of the foods in the video **would you be** most willing to try, and why? (Second Conditional practice)
Do you have any unusual or traditional foods in your country? What are they?
How important is food culture in your country?

🍴 Unusual European Foods: A Culinary Adventure