中国的很多食物都深受外国朋友的喜爱，但有一样食物让很多人望而却步，它就是皮蛋，皮蛋是以鸡蛋或鸭蛋为原料，经用烧碱、食盐、茶叶、水等辅料和食品用加工助剂（硫酸铜等）配成的料液或料泥腌制加工而成的蛋制品，具特殊风味，能促进食欲。

Many Chinese dishes are beloved worldwide, but there's one that often causes hesitation among foreigners: the century egg. These eggs are made by preserving duck or chicken eggs in a mixture of caustic soda, salt, tea, water, and other processing aids such as copper sulfate. The process creates a distinctive taste and aroma that many find appetite-stimulating.

皮蛋在中国的菜肴中经常出现，如皮蛋瘦肉粥，凉拌皮蛋，皮蛋鱼片汤等经典皮蛋名菜。皮蛋还是具有食疗功能的食品，中国的传统医学认为，皮蛋性凉、味辛，有解热、去肠火、治牙疼、去痘等功效。

Century eggs are often featured in classic Chinese dishes such as Century Egg and Pork Congee, Century Egg Salad, and Soup with Century Egg and Fish Fillet. Beyond their culinary uses, century eggs are also valued in traditional Chinese medicine. They are believed to have a cooling effect on the body and are thought to help reduce fever, clear intestinal heat, and relieve toothaches and acne.

虽然皮蛋受到很多人的好评，但在海外，皮蛋曾经一度被外国朋友拒绝，因为皮蛋的黑褐色外观和硫磺/泥土发酵气味，外国人常将其误认为变质食物，不过，也有很多外国人在品尝皮蛋之后给出了好评，皮蛋的美味正在逐渐改变海外对其的态度。

Despite their popularity in China, century eggs have often been met with skepticism abroad. Their dark brown appearance and strong sulfurous, earthy smell can easily be mistaken for signs of spoilage. However, many foreigners who overcome their initial hesitation and give century eggs a try are pleasantly surprised by their unique and delicious taste. Slowly but surely, century eggs are winning over taste buds around the world.

责编：勾晓庆