The Cooking Diva Blog: Original Tropical Creations by Chef Melissa De Leon

From the Tropics: Caterpillar Cuisine

I have told you about -exotic, alternative recipes- but this is all about alternative nutrition -- very alternative to most of you. If it grosses you out, just read the health notes. Otherwise, who knows, you may broaden your horizons a bit, and some day you might need to know that "many parts are edible" when you see that locust land on your nose! :)

You'd be surprised how many thousands of different insects are not only edible but quite delicious. I'm not talking about chocolate-covered this and chocolate-covered that --- that would be weeviling out, in fact, it would be a gastronomical abomination. And speaking of weeviling, weevil grubs (worm-like babies, or larvae) are savoy and succulent when deep fried. Many of the adult insects are not edible (too much armor plate, toxins or just plain obnoxious taste) but their babies (grubs) are profoundly piquant. (Most insects don't care about their babies. In fact, they eat them if you don't get there first.)

by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · January 20, 2007 · 03:22 PM
Permalink · Comments (11) · TrackBack (0) · Categories: Caterpillar Cuisine

wow! I think I would definetly NOT be able to eat something like that... maaaaaaybe if they wouldn't tell me before but.... yikes anyway! ;)

Comment by: nek0 • Jan 21, 2007 6:07:06 AM

I know...yikes! My first encounter with bug cuisine was in Cambodia long time ago and to tell you the truth, it didn't cross my mind to try one of those multi legged snacks. BUT, then I went to Mexico and South America and I tried some crispy ones. If I am not wrong, I was hungry then and intrigued by the yummyness of those creatures.
:)

Comment by: melissa_cookingdiva • Jan 21, 2007 10:26:34 AM

yo no los como. Pero he visto demostraciones impresionantes.

Montse Guillen estuvo aqui con sus insectos y está en Miami en TransEat. Vale la pena verlos.

Comment by: maria luisa • Jan 21, 2007 2:47:36 PM

En Miami, wow---te escribo para que me des los detalles! Un abrazo,
M

Comment by: melissa_cookingdiva • Jan 21, 2007 2:48:56 PM

Hi Melissa,

Do you really like eating this stuff? :-) Here in Australia the indigenous peoples are famous for eating Witchity grubs (very long and slimy-found in tree bark-you can slurp them down raw (some are a couple feet long) or Barbeque them-MMMMmm tastes like chicken? They als eat a huge moth at a certain time of the year (when they proliferate)-called Bogong Moths. I'm yet to join the feast...

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Comment by: Jesse S. Somer • Jan 21, 2007 11:28:31 PM

I've tried Grasshoppers, not chocolate covered, they go down smoother if you clip off the wings and legs. Haven't tried "grubs" pero, I've heard they have a nutty.

I'm one that'll try anything.

Comment by: Desert Chicano • Jan 23, 2007 6:15:27 PM

Oh, wow!

Paz

Comment by: Paz • Jan 24, 2007 7:50:31 PM

I was kind of going "Oh yuck" when I realized I had eaten the above mentioned witchetty grubs - live! They taste sort of peanutty. And bogong moths too which are a little sweet. I'm not sure I have ever heard of a two foot long witchetty grub though and they're not slimy....until you bite one at least.

Comment by: neil • Jan 25, 2007 1:34:03 AM

Are the legs as edible as the rest of the catepillar, because I think that would add a high cost to the menu; being a la carte?

Comment by: johnwesleyblum • Jun 4, 2007 6:53:55 PM

LOL. No caterpillar legs a la carte for me! Thanks for your comments :)

Comment by: melissa • Jun 5, 2007 11:20:07 AM

I love your turns of phrases, ma'am!
Great read.

Comment by: argus • May 10, 2008 10:35:34 AM