Sunday, March 1, 2009

Get me a Crocodile sandwich, and make it snappy!

Crock & Roll!
Turn the tables on one of man's oldest predators and get your teeth into some tasty croc meat. Steaks and legs, with or without scaly feet attached, are commonly eaten in Asia, Africa, Australia and increasingly in exotic restaurants the world over. The meat is remarkably low in cholesterol and has a relatively mild taste somewhere between chicken and fish, which is nowhere I want to be if a fight breaks out!

Big-assed ants!
They are crunchy on the outside, with a juicy zing to the centre and they taste something like peanuts. In fact, they are so tasty that even posh London shops such as Harrods and Fortnum & Mason have sold them coated in chocolate. What are we talking about? Hormigas culonas, literally translated as big-assed ants, from north-east Colombia. The winged invertebrates have all kinds of supposed medical benefits, from kick-starting the libido to preventing cancer. Big-Ass Ants are also eaten in big-ass parts of Africa, Australia and Asia.
N.B. No reflection on any family member intended, despite any similarities that you might imagine, allegedly.

Witchety Grubs and yummy worm snacks
OK, grubs up! I'm a witchety grub, get me out of here! Caterpillars, worms and larvae are eaten the world over, not only in reality TV bush tucker trials. In Australia, the humble witchety grub is enjoying a renaissance, so much so that Prince Charles was given one to eat on a recent visit to Alice Springs. Unfortunately he refused, which is strange considering who is is winching. I think I would rather bite the head off a big fat juicy grub than French Camilla!

Likewise, you can pick up a can of silkworm grubs in Korea, eat bamboo worms in Thailand, hu-hu larva in New Zealand (what? what? No hu-hu!), mopane (mogain) caterpillars in Zimbabwe and Botswana, and let’s not forget the good ol’ Tequila worm in Central America.

Cobra shots!
Now you need something to wash it all down with, how about a venomous snake soaked in alcohol. Slainte!

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