Okay, the thought of eating creepy bugs give me the willy-nillies. But while I was in Bangkok last year, I decided that it was time to over-come my fears. It was late at night when I finally settled in at a Beach Resort Thailand is well known for and stepped out onto the crowded streets and hooked up with an associate of mine.
So, there are more than 150 insect species with which Thailanders eat. The street vendors who sold me my bug had about 15 different stainless steel bowls filled with various insects and pretty much most of them were fried. I had heard that deep fried grasshoppers are much better with beer. My sentiment on entomophagy varies widely, with most bug eaters being exotic and rich or desperate and poor. I found that in several African countries, they once had a traditional act of bug eating, but now is stigmatized as a practice of starvation by the youthful and the wealthy.
But, elsewhere, there are some countries with a refined culinary traditions, like Thailand. The bugs are truly a delicacy. Mexico http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico, they eat a plate of maguey worms which are served at fancy restaurants and can cost up to $25 per plate. I heard that in Japan, the people there shell out for larvae called the zazamushi which is aquatic based and are sauteed with soy sauce and sugar. But, since the majority of the world’s middle class stays reluctant to eat bugs, apparently some Dutch scientists are seeking to add a bug protein into the food supply. Vats are culturing ovary cells from various worms and larva, so with these high-protein ovary cells, leaving out the the antennae, the bug eyes and other recognizable insect parts, the scientists are hoping to slide their bug protein into burgers, breads and any other processed food. I’m sure Thailanders wont mind, but me…well…enough said.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.