[Blacksmith]

Many of the worlds great dishes have come out of adversity.

[SeaGypsy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('joewp', 'N')ot yet.

I think people will eat almost anything if necessary, and it will become necessary sooner rather than later.

That's why I'm having fun now.

[dinopello]

Every once in a while someone brings up eating bugs as if it is some unusual activity. The grocery store I shop at for my Thai food products has a whole freezer of frozen bugs and a bar we used to go to had bar snacks that consisted of dried, salted crickets and meal worms that were very tasty.

The Insect Club in DC mentioned here

If crickets and mealworms are so tasty then it stands to reason that other things are good as well.

[Fishman]

All food is cultural. Whether it's dog, cricket, or hamburger. Bon apetite

[pedalling_faster]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', '[')url=http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/3442]link[/url]

This story describes some of what is going on in Asia, how people are keeping themselves alive, using insects as food. These contraptions can easily be solarised .
I know this irks a lot of people; but it is highly relevant to post collapse survival strategy. Is anyone doing any of this in the west?

[oxj]

About 20 years ago, I ate "ants on a tree" in a Japanese restaurant in Rhode Island. It was like those huge big, black ants in a sweet syrup on an extra-long bean noodle fibre optic cable.

They were actually sweet, crunchy and tasty.

I've also eaten my share of mosquitoes while biking around.

My guess is that we were better off with some insects in our diet; they supply glucasamine from their exoskeletons. A hundred years ago, insect parts were more common in wheat flour.

[JJ]

I think its all relative...my filipino in-laws found the practice of eating butter revolting (said it smelled disgusting) and when I brought my wifes son over here (to the US), I got him a welcome to the US cake, he almost puked when he took a bite; found the icing (half sugar and half lard) disgusting. I don't care for balut. Do you, SeaGypsy?

[SeaGypsy]

Let the poor little chickies get born BEFORE you boil them. At least then you have the opportunity to look them in the eye before you break their necks....

[JJ]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'L')et the poor little chickies get born BEFORE you boil them. At least then you have the opportunity to look them in the eye before you break their necks....

[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('oxj', 'M')y guess is that we were better off with some insects in our diet; they supply glucasamine from their exoskeletons. A hundred years ago, insect parts were more common in wheat flour.

[Hermes]

We had a bug eating party here about half a year ago or so. I ate crickets, grasshoppers, wasp larvae, wasps, and something else I can't remember.

They were all quite nice, actually! The wasps tasted like celery, the crickets were a bit more of a nutty taste, and both the grasshoppers and larvae tasted sort of like peas.

I believe that insects are also an excellent source of Omega 3's.

Anyways it's FAR from just Cambodia that's eating insects. Really it's pretty much everyone BUT "first world countries" who relishes eating insects.

[SeaGypsy]

I must say, I'm impressed with the posts so far!

I was vegan for 15 years; haven't eaten any non reptilian animals for 25 years, except aboriginal bush tucker.

I don't trust farmed meat& I know the planet would be far better off if we gave up farming beef, pigs& sheep for meat. I grant these animals are suited to some parts of the world. One of them should not be the Amazon rainforest for instance.

I was also a Hindu monk off and on for a number of years. This effects the way I view all meat eating; ideally it should only happen where it is truly un-avoidable

[RedStateGreen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('smallpoxgirl', '
')Interesting note. There is an enzyme in the human gut that is specifically there to digest a disacharide called trehalose. Trehalose is found in only two places: Mushrooms, and insects.

[yeahbut]

Here's a few examples of insect eating from around the world that I found when there was some discussion of this a year or so back:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')lgeria - The natives of Algeria would collect large numbers of desert locusts to use as food. They were a valuable resource for the poor population. The locusts were cooked in salt water and dried in the sun. Not only were they collected for personal use, but the locusts were traded in the markets as well.

Australia - Australian natives, known as Aborigines, have eaten many different insects throughout history. Hundreds of Aborigines would come together at the Bogong mountains to feast on Bogong moths. These moths would gather in large numbers on the cave floors and in rock crevices. They were harvested, cooked in sand and stirred in hot ashes. This would burn off the wings and legs. The moths were then sifted through a net to remove their heads before they were eaten by the Aborigines. Some of the moths were ground into paste and made into cakes.

Japan - The Japanese have used insects as human food since ancient times. The practice probably started in the Japanese Alps, where many aquatic insects are captured and eaten. Thousands of years ago, this region had a large human population but a shortage of animal protein. Since the area had an abundance of aquatic insects, this food source became very important for human survival.

The Japanese still use insects in many recipes. If you were to go to a restaurant in Tokyo, you might have the opportunity to sample some of these insect-based dishes

* hachi-no-ko - boiled wasp larvae
* zaza-mushi - aquatic insect larvae
* inago - fried rice-field grasshoppers
* semi - fried cicada
* sangi - fried silk moth pupae

Kwara State, Nigeria, West Africa - People from this area have been known to feast on termites, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, palm weevil larvae, and compost beetle larvae. Termites are collected by placing a bowl of water under a light source. The termites are attracted to the light and will then fall into the water. If large numbers of termites are gathered, they are sold at local markets. People of all ages eat the winged reproductive termites, but the queen termites are considered a delicacy and are only eaten by adults. The termites are roasted over a fire or hot coals or fried in a pot. After cooking, the wings are removed and salt is added to taste.

A very large edible insect is the palm weevil larva. It can be four inches long and more than two inches wide. The mature larvae are fleshy and grublike with a high fat content. These insects are collected from the trunks of palm trees. They are fried in a pot or frying pan. They are reported to be very delicious.

The compost beetle larvae are even larger than the palm weevil larvae. They live in garbage or manure piles or swampy areas. The end of the abdomen, which contains the guts, is removed before the larvae are washed and fried. Some people refuse to eat this insect because it is found in such "dirty" places.

Bali - Dragonfly and damselfly adults are hunted in Bali. Dragonflies are extremely difficult to catch but several interesting techniques have been used successfully. Latex, sticky plant juice, from the jackfruit tree is applied to the end of a slender stick. This stick is tied to a longer, sturdier stick. The stick is lower to a resting dragonfly and with a quick tap, the dragonfly is stuck to the plant juice. Dragonflies are also captured by hand, but one must be very quiet and quick. If latex is used to catch the insects, it is removed with cooking oil before the dragonflies are cooked. Sometimes the dragonflies are placed directly on the grate of a charcoal grilled for cooking. Another method involves boiling them with ginger, garlic, shallots, chili pepper and coconut milk. The wings are removed before cooking unless they are charcoal roasted.

[Ludi]

I just made some Red Wiggler Italian Sausage, and I have to say, it was not a success. Though mostly tasting of garlic and other seasonings, there is a distinctive and unmistakeable Earthworm note to the product. NOT a do-over. If anyone is interested in the process and recipe I'd be happy to share it, but from now on I think I will enjoy my earthworms as fish or chicken.

[SeaGypsy]

Some other popular dishes here in Philippines:

Unhatched duck, goose chicks, boiled in the egg.

Chickens feet and heads.

Pigs face.

Beetles.

Snake, snake eggs.

Fish heads.

Intestines of all kinds.

Dogs.

Funny though they will not eat rabbits. Why? Too cute.

[katkinkate]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'I') must say, I'm impressed with the posts so far!

I was vegan for 15 years; haven't eaten any non reptilian animals for 25 years, except aboriginal bush tucker.

I don't trust farmed meat& I know the planet would be far better off if we gave up farming beef, pigs& sheep for meat. I grant these animals are suited to some parts of the world. One of them should not be the Amazon rainforest for instance.

I was also a Hindu monk off and on for a number of years. This effects the way I view all meat eating; ideally it should only happen where it is truly un-avoidable

[SeaGypsy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('katkinkate', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'I') must say, I'm impressed with the posts so far!

I was vegan for 15 years; haven't eaten any non reptilian animals for 25 years, except aboriginal bush tucker.

I don't trust farmed meat& I know the planet would be far better off if we gave up farming beef, pigs& sheep for meat. I grant these animals are suited to some parts of the world. One of them should not be the Amazon rainforest for instance.

I was also a Hindu monk off and on for a number of years. This effects the way I view all meat eating; ideally it should only happen where it is truly un-avoidable

[dinopello]

Start-up making yummy protein bars from crickets

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')ccording to the two men’s research, the insects are 69 percent protein by dry weight as compared with 31 percent for chicken breast and 29 percent for sirloin steak; they provide more iron than beef does and nearly as much calcium as milk. They produce one-eightieth the amount of methane that cattle do, and need one-twelfth their feed, based on 100-gram portions of each. And they can reproduce quickly and don’t require acres of grassland to graze.

The two partners plan to sell the bars in natural-food stores and CrossFit-type gyms — places that attract the growing number of paleo lifestyle enthusiasts, who were among their Kickstarter supporters. They are available for pre-order online.

Exo is one of a handful of cricket protein bar companies. Other entries include Chapul, which sells cricket bars made with chocolate and cayenne, and Bitty Foods, which is working on a line of cricket flour products. Both have a stated sustainability mission, but Mr. Sewitz believes that the tastiest offering will win over consumers.