A Bugs Life in Thailand
Image : http://www.flickr.com
A Bugs Life in Thailand is not worth much, and do not last long. You see, if it crawls, flies, jumps or just standing still, we ate ... Bug Thais love. At least the Thai rural people do. They grew up eating insects and wherever you see rural Thai cuisine error trucks and sell them to find. You can see the machine error when you travel Thailand, because they are rural Thais are living everywhere, especially in tourist areas and work and eat insects. Some errorscarts cater to the discerning palate, others offer a veritable smorgasbord of mouth watering critters.
So, you find yourself in Thailand and you come face to face with a bug cart and you want to sample one or two...but your not quite sure which ones.Well, thats where I come in. I may not be Zagat qualified to review bugs but I've had my fair share and think I can accurately describe the subtle nuances of a bbq'd scorpion or the pleasure of eating your first cockroach :)
The first thing I recommend before selecting your bugs of choice is to have a good drink at the ready, preferably alcoholic in nature. You need to cleanse your palate before you begin. After you've cleansed your palate for an hour or two ( 6-8 drinks should do) you're ready to begin. Below is a guide to some of the bugs available to help make your choice a little easier.
Grasshoppers: Grasshoppers are fried and come in two varieties...large and small. A professional bug eater will warn you to Extend the legs and wings before eating, to make a newcomer to the scene, the same thing after having choked to stop, my legs do not do well. The wide variety actually tastes pretty good to me, a little 'not like popcorn. Once past the fact that it eats a bug, are not so bad. The small selection of tastes a bit 'like burnt popcorn. Perhaps because their fry very quickly and very little meat, or perhaps my burned. Locusts do 4 stars, and if you go only for an error trying tothis is the one to try!
Beetles: Fried as well. Small, black and crunchy. I can't really remember the taste as I cleansed my palate a lot that night but they weren't horrible. I have to give beetles 2 stars because in the bug world they really don't rate high.
Grubs: See Beetles.
Frog: Ok, frogs aren't bugs but all the bug carts have them and when in Thailand... The first thing you'll notice is that your frog is small and they come in collectible poses, thats a nice Way of saying that they are roasted alive, and they look good as they were fried, but if you have not been properly cleaned your palate most to you. Ehrlich said that the frogs taste excellent. The fact that the taste of fried chicken to me and I ate the dish with a couple of times. I did not even need to clean my palate (drunk), though I admit that I always wash with beer. Frogs do 5 out of 5 stars. To play Tasty, filling and fun, especially in a bar where people do notThey believe they eat these things.
Eels: very similar to that of frogs and Pretty in reality is not bad. The big advantage is that they are the eyes or really a recognizable head to taunt you as you feel in your mouth. 4 stars just for the eels, because they are not frogs.
Scorpions: I was looking for scorpions for days. Not all errors that has shopping, but are abundant, if you know where to look. Do not know why I am fascinated by the idea of a meal was, but I was. And one night in Mayof 2007 after cleansing my palate for hours a plate appeared at my table. Scorpions are an upgrade to the every day bug. Menacing while alive and equally so while dead and being aimed at your mouth. I don't know if it was the claws or the eyes staring at me, but you can bet the legs and the stinger still attached made me rethink the whole bug eating experience.
I'm not sure if they are fried or cooked over coals as they just appeared miraculously on a plate and cooked but when contemplating eating a scorpion for the first time it's not really the cooking method that interests you. One thing is for sure ...they are crunchy and crunchy is always good. I started with the claws and worked backwards. The claws were very crunchy with a slight burnt taste but when you get to the body thats where the meat is. Also very crunchy the main part of the body has a burnt crablike taste. Not an easy taste to describe but overall not bad. Scorpions get 3 stars. Crunchy is good but until the appearance of a scorpion is difficult to actually get into the mouth.
Cockroach: First I must say that I'm not talking your run of the mill cockroach found in many homes and a wide gastronomic offer in the world. No, I'm talking about free-range (paddy), a species that is very large. I mean, Madagascar hissing cockroaches big. Now, the scorpions are kinda scary, but the cockroaches are even worse. In Western society, we see the cockroaches as they are dirty, ugly creatures that stompon. Unfortunately for me, I was surprised on the way back to my hotel in Pattaya clean one night, and although my mouth was, it was not clean enough, but I was determined to try everything. Bug professional eater (a little 'girls Thai preparations), the Roach to me by the legs and then she showed me how to eat properly. He took the head and chest placed in the mouth and pull some 'down, while the breast away from the head. I must say that this is what I have had 'Most of the problems.
Surprisingly, the flavor was very sweet with me in the right way, but sweet like a cockroach so sweet. If you do not know what was probably not a bad idea, but if you know you eat a cockroach, is never good. 1 star for the cockroach and not for the faint of heart or stomach.
Tarantula: This has escaped me. I have not found another .... But there's always next time. Not quite sure if I'll have to eat, but you can bet that will be 3 sheets .... I meanmy mouth is clean and then some before you try!
Comments
Post a Comment