Eating Insects (Entomophagy)

  Posted on December 11, 2014  by insectrecipes  No comments

Pull my finger. Just do it. Now, think back to a time you’ve ever said that to anyone. Bonus points if it wasn’t a family member. If so, you’re probably way cooler than anyone gives you credos for. You probably have a higher IQ than most because you think outside the box and don’t feel the need to pigeonhole yourself into only doing things that are socially acceptable. You probably tried eating insects from street vendors on that backpacking trip to find inner peace (or escape something…whatever the case was). And now, you might even consider yourself a self-proclaimed entomophagist who loves telling people, “I’m an entomophagist.” Because nobody ever knows what the heck you’re talking about. Plus it sounds so elitist and smart so you can use it to entertain yourself, too. Its best to do this while people are under the influence.

“What’s an en…do…mop…er…what?”

At this point, the worst thing you could possibly do is correct them. The person will go so silent, you will inadvertently conjure the ghosts of crickets past, the deafening chirps assaulting your ears. So instead, here is how the rest of the conversation should go.

“Its a type of gastronomy.”

“What’s that?” (Be nice. They just killed about a billion brain cells to form that pseudo-sentence for you.)

“Its about cooking and eating good food.” Then smile. To which they will reply about a food they like or ate that day. If the person knows what entomophagy is, congratulations, you just met your next ‘bromance,’ platonic bug-eating partner or possibly even your soul mate. You will be inseparable…at least for the next few weeks. Its likely this person is an artist of some sort, highly-intelligent or simply travels often and can teach you a thing or two. Its also possible the person is from Asia, Africa or South America, in which case you better get your passport or engagement ring ready in case the fates collide into codependency and parting with your new love is not an option.

Entomophagy is definitely not a new fad. The act of eating insects sustained billions of people for centuries in numerous countries throughout the world. If you truly want to dive headfirst into a region’s culture, cook up some dishes served by some of the locals’ delicious protein-rich insect of choice. Or ask your new entomophagous friend who will gladly take you home with a traditional snack, baked dessert or savory recipe using tasty meal worms, edible grasshoppers or even cricket flour, an ingredient slowly making its way into the USA.

If reading these posts get you as excited as I get writing them, consider yourself an entomophagy advocate! Although we might not see insects in their original form on the US market anytime soon, we hope the food industry brings insect ingredients into our local food supply. If you’re one of those hyper vigilant non-GMO, gluten-free people, we even found an organic non-GMO cricket flour for you! Since archaeologists found cooked bugs embedded in cave walls, we know eating insects fits perfectly into the paleolithic diet. What kind of paleo enthusiast, gluten-free chef or foodie doesn’t want to try a new ingredient in an old recipe? The best thing about it: Your ingredient stash will never go missing or mysteriously disappear, although once they get a whiff of the scents wafting from the kitchen, we might have to take that back.

http://youtu.be/Hn5uiFl662w?list=PLjBn1E-SJHAi2pf6C3kDWJzOGfG0ddqUN