Bugs: The Other White Meat?
Some are beginning to explore the buzz about insects as a food source.
March 17, 2011— -- Bumble bee burgers, grasshopper pie, and beetle tacos -- are you hungry yet?
While these foods may sound outlandish and even unappetizing to most, scientists are predicting that as the global population grows, so will the demand for animal protein.
These factors -- along with the considerable strain that traditional methods of raising mainstream animal protein place on the environment -- make insects as a cheap and nutritionally sound alternative to beef, pork, chicken and other proteins consumed in Western culture a true possibility.
Long before "Survivor" contestants popularized eating bugs as a bona fide main course in mainstream America, insects were considered a source of nutrition for ancient Romans. Even the Bible mentions creepy crawlers as food in its reference to John the Baptist's diet of "locusts and wild honey."
However, insects as a main course isn't a relic of antique times, as a wide variety of insects are used in global cuisine. Traveling throughout Asia, it's not uncommon to come across all manner of insects incorporated in rice dishes, snacks, and even delectable desserts. Similarly, Mexican cooking is noted for making use of crispy grasshoppers, and many nouveau restaurants both at home and abroad are experimenting with insects in traditional dishes.
Bringing a bit of Asian finesse to local palates, Typhoon, a popular pan-Asian restaurant in Santa Monica, Calif., offers a variety of dishes featuring insects.
Included among the more familiar menu items of steamed potstickers, vegetable fried rice and short ribs are Singapore-style scorpions served on toast; stir-fried crickets with raw garlic, chili and green basil; and silk worm pupae served with a spicy dipping sauce.
The stir-fried crickets are the most popular dish, which owner Brian Vidor estimates is served to at least a hundred diners a month.
"I spent a lot of time in Asia where they eat everything -- and so it's my way of bringing it home and respecting that culture," Vidor said.
"Children love it, they get excited about it," he said of the menu, "and I make sure that everything I get is well-sourced."
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