#insects as food

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Insects as Food - Fried Crickets/Orthopterans

We continue to explore the insect world of Asia thanks to a very dear friend of mine and her yearlong travels. With this weekend being Thanksgiving in Canada, today's post offers a new glimpse in the interaction between insects and humans for this blog: eating insects for food. I've received little detail from SaraLi about insect consumption in Myanmar (she didn't partake), but my own research suggests that Mandalay and Yangon have a solid reputation for the Antlion's share of cooking Crickets in marketplaces like these. It's an interesting aspect of culture to observe. In Myanmar, the cooked Crickets are called "payit kyay" (ပုရစ်ကြေ). The technique is to fry them with aromatics by the handful until crispy (as can be seen in Picture 2) and then allow them to cool so they can either be packaged or sold directly. The bulk of the meat comes from the body, so the legs, wings and antennae must be discarded, and the guts are removed prior to cooking. The process is quite similar to the preparation of shrimp when you think about it. It might seem strange and even unsettling to eat insects, but they can offer a surprising amount of nutritional value! On the whole, they tend to be rich in carbs and protein, with plump specimens adding fat content. Now, does that mean I think we should switch production completely from livestock and poultry to insects?

Of course not. However, the idea can be entertained to supplement our nutrition with foods like this and ease the strain of livestock production and the resources it uses. Assuming of course that the insects are grown healthily and there are no problems as a result. A practice like "payit kyay" wouldn't fly in Canada as the insects here (likely) aren't reared by those cooking them, but are caught from the wild. I'm sure great care is taken to discard unhealthy specimens, but there is always a risk if the insects are caught rather than reared, where conditions are more "controlled". Furthermore, when it comes to insect eating, not all insects are palatable. I've spoken at length before about insects that eat toxic plants and become toxic themselves, rendering them unsuitable to eat, but other realities emerge the deeper you look. Hairy Caterpillars should be avoided since their hairs can irritate a digestive tract; heavily armored insects have shells that offer little in terms of taste; insects that feed on decaying matter or carrion pose a major health risk in the form of parasites or infection; some adult insects offer little in terms of meat while others are too risky to rear (Hymenopterans come to mind) for eating.

Orthopterans seem to be a good compromise and they seem to have a good reputation in terms of flavor and as an alternate source of protein. We're still a long way from insects being integrated into our culture like this, so maybe looking at Myanmar can offer us some insight for how we can proceed, if Canada chooses to go down this road (to reiterate, as an opportunity to supplement and not replace). Furthermore, every now and then opportunities present themselves to give insects a try and overcome any squeamishness. On a personal note, I did try roasted Termites at the Taste of Toronto a few years ago. They made for a good bite-size snack by the handful with the right seasonings (you can literally eat them and their eggs like popcorn), but it's not quite popcorn chicken.

Pictures were taken on November 19, 2018 in Myanmar with a Google Pixel. Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving and hope there are wonderful meals to enjoy with your family or friends. As per tradition, I'll be leaning towards turkey rather than Termites. Celebrate in thanks.

[bugthingsdaily]

today's bug thing are these chocolate bugs!

[luvpngs]

like or reblog if you use/save𖧧𖧧

[knifebun]

look. so many people use the classist card for this, but if you can't afford to feed an animal a diet that's not going to cause serious medical issues that will either kill it or require medical treatment for the rest of the animal's life, then maybe you shouldn't own this animal. "poor people deserve to have animal companions too" yes absolutely i agree, but maybe not at the expense of the animal's health.

[mostly-funnytwittertweets]

[drinksss]

springtail eating a salad

[suchananewsblog]

Thinking of eating bugs to save the planet? Tribal communities in India have been doing it for centuries

In a city renowned for its food, Mexican chef Alejandro Ruiz Olmedo shines extra bright. He is a sort of culinary ambassador for Oaxaca and his restaurant Casa Oaxaca has been on the 50 Best Restaurants in Mexico list three years in a row. Mexican chef Alejandro Ruiz Olmedo. | Photo Credit: http://www.instagram.com/chef.alexruiz Every dish is a work of art and the tostada I order is no…

[heartnosekid]

sugar cookie beetle plushies | friskwolfiecustoms on ig

[onenicebugperday]

The amount of posts I’ve seen lately on r/whatsthisbug of fly eggs deposited on food that’s been left out is WILD. Please...please. Cover food that is left on the counter or wherever during fly season. ESPECIALLY at outdoor picnics. It only takes a couple minutes for a fly to lay a huge cluster of eggs onto food.

They look kinda like clusters of tiny rice:

via this post on Reddit

[prokopetz]

My city is running a trial of a new residential garden waste pickup service, and to that end, they've issued everybody these big green wheeled bins with tight-fitting lids. Having nothing better to do with it, I've been using it for the windfallen fruit from my apple trees.

Just today, I went to add some dead branch trimmings to its contents, and when I opened the lid, I was immediately struck blind by a visibly roiling cloud of alcohol vapour that belched forth from the bin.

From this I have learned two things:

My trees have the correct microflora (microfauna?) for natural cider production; and

This is probably why the wasps that hang around said trees in the fall are always so fucked up.

[incognitopolls]

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[bebx]

y’all does this mean I won the food lottery?

[bugthingsdaily]

today's bug thing is this beetle bread!

[egg-on-a-legg]

comic about an encounter i had with a beetle

[squishsquishy]

🖤🩶🤍💜

Asexual Stimboard

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🖤🩶🤍💜

[sensitiveseal]

stimboard for the grub i found in my front yard who is now my son!!!!!!!! he’s beautiful 🐛

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