Insects for dinner

Source: thepirata.com

Dutch scientist advocates bugs as a green superfood

Dutch scientist Arnold van Huis has advocated bugs as a healthy, green, alternative food, saying it is time to break old eating habits.

Insect dishes could be the answer to the global food crisis, shrinking land and water resources and climate-changing carbon emissions, he argued.

"Children don't have a problem with eating insects," he told Reuters.

Prof van Huis gives lectures, tastings and cookery classes with a master chef who prepares Dutch-farmed bugs.

The problem for adults is psychological, he said, and "only tasting and experience can make them change their minds".

Insects are a long-established food in some parts of the world such as Mexico and Thailand.

Worm Sprinkles

The professor at Wageningen University said insects had more protein than cattle per bite, cost less to raise, consumed less water and did not have much of a carbon footprint.

To encourage bug consumption, the professor has been working with a local cookery school to produce a cookbook and suitable recipes.

Chef Henk van Gurp, who created recipes for mealworm quiche and chocolate pralines with buffalo worms, sees no reason to disguise the ingredients.

He sprinkles mealworms on top of his quiche filling and on the chocolate buffalo worms as protein.

"I try to make my food in a way that people can see what they eat," he told Reuters.

"Once international leading chefs begin preparing this food, others will follow."

'Good for the elderly'

Insects are already bred as food for birds, lizards and monkeys at the Callis family's farm near the university, and now the owners are eyeing the human market.

"It is good food, of high nutritional value and very healthy for elderly people," said Margot Callis, adding that she cannot eat insects herself because she is "allergic to them".

One person who attended a food-tasting at the university, 24-year-old IT consultant Duyugu Tatar, was less than enthusiastic about the quiche.

"The taste was not that awful but the idea of eating them horrified me," he said about Mr van Gurp's sprinkles.

"It was crispy. The taste was not like normal food. Not like meat, vegetable, or fruit. Maybe something like cornflakes.

"It took a lot of courage to eat it. I usually smash them [insects] when I see them. I am not used to eating them. I don't know if I would eat it again."


Have you ever eaten an insect?

Would you ever eat one?

What is the strangest thing you have eaten? Did you enjoy it? What did it taste like?

What is the most disgusting thing you have eaten?

Comments

Paloma said…
Hi Graha. I had never eaten an insect and I don't want to try it. I ate once frogs'legs many years ago and although someone says they are delicious, I nearly vomited. In fact, I don't know how is its taste, I didn't have time to taste¡It'll be psychological? probably........
Graham said…
Hi Palom! :-)

I HAVE NEVER EATEN an insect either. I don't think I would be able to try one.

I ONCE ATE frogs' legs many years ago and although SOME SAY they are delicious, I nearly VOMITTED. In fact, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT TASTES, I didn't have time to taste it. IS IT psychological? probably........

Did you try them in France? The Brits call the French "frogs" because we think they eat a lot of them.

They also eat a lot of snails and in some parts of Spain too. Have you ever eaten them?
Paloma said…
Hi Graham, certainly I ate them in the south of France. Snails I don't like either (they make disgusting me)although I have sometime ate "bigaros", I mean snails of sea.

1- What moment are you reading the book? I’m reading it whenever I can: on the train, bus, underground, at home, in the field…
2- What time do you usually get up on Sunday? I usually get up early, but not as much as the rest of the week
3- When last did you see a film? I saw a film yesterday afternoon. I saw “Of Gods and Men”
4- What did you have breakfast this morning for? I have had breakfast a coffee with milk and cereals
5- What were you doing last night at ten o’clock? Y was having dinner in a restaurant
6- Are you enjoying you English course? Yes, I’m very enjoy, it is enough funny and I am learning a lot
7- How often do you go for the weekend away? I normally go away twice a month
8- Where did you go you holiday for last summer? I went some days to the beach and other walking for “Camino de Santiago”
9- How long does your journey to work? I take a half hour from my house to work
10- Do you like playing sport in your free time? Yes, sometimes I ride a bicycle and two days a week I do pilates
11- Where you were living when you started your first job? I was living in Madrid although my first job was in Boadilla
12- What are you going to do this weekend? I’m going to have lunch with my mother this unday because is her birthday

See you
Anonymous said…
Hi, Graham. I've never eaten any insects and I hope I never have to do it. Even though it was the only food in the world I wouldn't try it.

Montse
Graham said…
Hi Paloma:

You have been busy.

I have never eaten snails or winkles (sea-snails). Don't they taste much the same?

SURE, I ate them in the south of France. I don't like SNAILS either (I FIND THEM DISGUSTING) although I SOMETIMES EAT "bigaros", I mean snails of THE SEA.

1- WHEN DO YOU READ? I READ whenever I can: on the train, bus, underground, at home, in the COUNTRYSIDE..

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING AT THE MOMENT?

I'm reading some short stories by Delibes.


2- What time do you usually get up on Sunday? I usually get up early, but not as EARLY as the rest of the week.

I don't set the alarm on a Sunday. I got up around 10 today.


3- When did you LAST SEE a film? I saw a film yesterday afternoon. I saw “Of Gods and Men”

I saw "The King's Speech" last weekend and I'm going to watch a DVD now.

4- What did you HAVE FOR BREAKFAST this morning ? I HAD a coffee with milk and CEREAL.

I had a boiled egg, toast and pineapple.

5- What were you doing AT TEN O'CLOCK LAST NIGHT? I was having dinner in a restaurant.

I was eating at home.

6- Are you enjoying YOUR English course? Yes, I’m REALLY ENJOYING IT, it is QUITE funny (OR GOOD FUN?) and I am learning a lot.


OK I'm going to watch the film now. I'll finish correcting this later.
Graham said…
7- How often do you GO AWAY for the weekend?
I normally go away twice a month.

You are very lucky. I don't go away so often.

8- Where did you go FOR YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAY LAST YEAR?
I went some days to the beach and WALKED ALONG THE “Camino de Santiago”

9- How long does your journey to work TAKE?
I take HALF AN HOUR from my house to work.

10- Do you like playing sport in your free time? Yes, sometimes I ride a bicycle and I do pilates TWO DAYS A WEEK.

11- Where WERE YOU LIVING when you started your first job? I was living in Madrid although my first job was in Boadilla.

12- What are you going to do this weekend? I’m going to have lunch with my mother this Sunday BECAUSE IT is her birthday.
Anonymous said…
Hi Graham, I´m Nacho
I had never eaten insects, but i don´t know if in the future i´ll eat it.
The most stranger I´ve eaten is one kind of coffee that comes from an animal. The taste is good but when I drunk the coffee I didn´t know that was a special coffee.
And the most disgusting that I have eaten are "Callos" I hate the texture!
Graham said…
Hi Nacho,

What coffee did you drink? Was it elephant-poo coffee?
http://madteachergraham2.blogspot.com.es/2012/12/elephant-poo-coffee.html


Hi Graham, It's Nacho.
I have never eaten insects, but i don´t know if in the future I'll eat them.
The strangest thing I´ve eaten is one kind of coffee that comes from an animal. The taste is good but when I drunk the coffee I didn´t know that it was a special coffee.
And the most disgusting thing that I have eaten is "Callos" I hate the texture!