Do you receive the Canadian Senior Years' Newsletter?
This FREE, informative and fun newsletter is delivered via e-mail once a month. To subscribe just send an e-mail to newsletter.
Go to article index for other articles written by Eric Shackle.
ANYONE FOR
CRICKET?
By Eric Shackle
Why don't we eat more insects? This question really bugs me. We humans eagerly devour most species of
animals, birds and fish, so why do we shudder at the very thought of eating
insects?
A Cambodian website, Tamarind Tours, says: "Follow the tendrils
of the Mekong River to the town of Chueng Prey. Here, your guide and driver will
no doubt buy a bag of freshly fried tarantulas from the local ladies who proffer
plates piled high with these popular treats. Tasting something like soft shell
crab, the locals swear by their medicinal powers... In an email from Bangkok, Thailand, Douglas Thompson, of Tamarind Tours, told us "People here eat all kinds of insects. Insect snack kiosks are very popular in shopping malls. I have to wonder how they capture all those critters.
"
Australian aborigines in the outback enjoy eating witchety grubs, Bogong
moths and honeypot ants, and Algerians used to collect vast numbers of desert locusts,
which they cooked in salt water and dried in the sun before eating.
Insects have been a popular food in Japan for centuries. To this day, Tokyo
restaurants offer such dishes as hachi-no-ko (boiled wasp larvae),
zaza-mushi (aquatic insect larvae), inago (fried rice field
grasshoppers), semi (fried cicada) and sangi (fried silk mothpupae).
"What is it about North American culture that keeps us from using one of
our most abundant and readily available food sources, insects?" asks Lana
Unger, Iowa State University entomologist, who has kindly given us permission to
quote from her online article. "We could learn a lot from our international
neighbors.
"Many cultures around the globe have evolved to use insects in their
diets. There was probably some trial and error involved because not all insects
are edible. In fact, some insects are poisonous. But there are lots of insects
that are safely eaten...
"Honey bees are accepted around the world as a favored food. They are
edible at all stages (larval, pupal and adult) of growth. Boiling tends to break
down their poison which is basically protein and at boiling temperatures, the
stinger softens. Also pounding them before boiling is effective".
In Kwara State, Nigeria, West Africa, says Lana, people have feasted on
termites, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, palm weevil larvae, and compost
beetle larvae.
Iowa State University has an Entomology Club, which offers internet visitors
a batch of tasty insect recipes for such delicacies as Bug Blox, Banana Worm
Bread, Rootworm Beetle Dip, Chocolate Chirpie Chip Cookies, Crackers and Cheese
Dip with Candied Crickets, Mealworm Fried Rice, Corn Borer Cornbread Muffins and
Chocolate-Covered Grasshoppers.
It thoughtfully adds this disclaimer: "The Department of Entomology at
Iowa State University is not responsible for gastric distress, allergic
reactions, feelings of repulsion, or other problems resulting from the ingestion
of foods represented on these pages."
Every fall (autumn) the Entomology Club hosts an Insect Horror Film Festival,
featuring gourmet insect tasting, live insect displays, a butterfly house,
informational displays, and a classic insect movie.
If you feel adventurous enough to taste an insect or two, there's no need to
catch your own bugs. Here's an edited copy of an online advertisement:
WACKY SHACK HOMESTEAD
IMPORTANT. All food on this page is real. All insects are cleaned and
cooked, and actually have some nutritional value. To remove cricket legs
from teeth - brush teeth, then rinse.
CHOCOLATE COVERED CRICKETS. Did you ever see a cricket and just want to
eat it? Sure you have. Who hasn't? Try these delicious oven-roasted
crickets covered in fine chocolate. Each one is individually wrapped, and
comes with the official "I Ate a Bug" button. $2.95 each.
LARVETS. They may not be wiggling, but they still feel good in your
mouth. When you want a snack, forget about chips or pretzels. Worms are
where it's at. And these aren't just unflavored worms. Noooooo. We have
BBQ flavored and Cheddar Cheese. Can't decide? Order 1 of each. $1.25 ea.
BUG POPS. Lollipops with a surprise insect inside. Well, it may not be
a surprise to you, but it'll sure be a surprise to the bug!
Stuart Hockstein, who runs The Wacky Shack from his home in
Pennsylvania, told us in an email: "I added the Strange Food section to The
Wacky Shack mostly to 'gross-out' the kids who visit the site. It ends up
that most of the requests for the bug candy come from adults trying to
'gross-out' their friends. As someone once said, 'Adults are just kids with
money.'"
Eric Shackle is now an 83 year old web author, and his writings have appeared all around the world. He has written a lovely and funny book, which he has published on the net for you to peruse. Hop over to Eric Shackle's eBook and have a read. A lovely way to pass that coffee break time, reading a well-written book.
Advertising Information 
