Eating insects in Thailand

I stick to poke at food omelet, eggs reviews unwind. They glitter.Sit a while and breathe a little deeper. Can I swallow this item?Here is the experience of a foreigner for the dishes made ​​famous insects in Thailand. 


 

Before coming to Chiang Mai, northern Thailand city, in search of insect cuisine famous here, I imagined a scenario full of horror.The cage containing the crickets are asked bitterly, and the canister worms, insects were crawling lumpy. Instead, the bugs were presented in means way less scary one: the cartoon panels advertising the daily specials are: bee larvae wrapped in banana leaves and bamboo worms fried with salt. He was the husband of landlady goods, Suwatchai Thipayanon, rushed over to greet me and led me to a tiny table covered in banana leaves. Cigarette smoke mingled with the smell of beer. A Thai love song pop up throughout the space overwhelmed pretty quiet in quan.Moi only one other table to serve, the waiters gathered around and offered up bemused smiles when their foreign visitor insisted on all of the bugs on the menu. The sounds flat frying oil stove started emanating from the kitchen, 5 disc special of the day was quickly laid out before me. Decorated with red peppers, tomatoes and lettuce, special items now includes two blackened crickets, battered wasp larvae, bee larvae and worms tre.Mot bit intimidating. My pulse quickened. Eating bugs may be well accepted in Thailand and dozens of other countries, but not where I grew up in Golden Valley, Minnesota, USA. This is the thrill I would remember for a while dai.Toi choose a long-term crickets about to start more than one division, chew chew it down your stomach, all, from the spindly legs.To my surprise, it had a crunch sound when I chew like shrimp or peanuts, and the subtle taste of the mountains. Next, the bee larvae as pie. They tasted sweet and soft as marshmallows. And I continued, with dishes wasp larvae. I found the taste greasy pleasure of it. Then my stomach with a glass of water has no stretch. But as the hungry eat, I then headed to a restaurant of this family across the Thai side Jitsophit Thipayanon pho.Nguoi shop owner sent me a smile challenging when she invited me to try her insect selection. Jitsophit She said she was the first family-style store opened, a decade ago, and customers had clearly rewarded her. The dining tables were packed, couples, and family to enjoy. A Heineken girl made ​​the rounds, serving up beer. The vendors also take the opportunity to sell garlands of lavender. Waiters bustle in the kitchen, with herb salad, fish and vegetable soup and of course insects, mostly ants eggs, by eggs which were in season kien.Cua every place had a busy, lively, like the bar in an American city. On the walls are photos of the family, the famous monk, and the royal family, the photos are often found in most shops in Thailand. The dish I order quickly bring and I found myself to be encirclement around the insect cooked. I figured the worst would be the water bugs. Those are brown and black, to 5cm long, have small claws, and smells like socks smell thoi.Toi and try a piece of rotting leaves. Jitsophit were very understanding, I suggest eating a little chili sauce or a little sticky. "No thanks," I said politely, and moved on to the omelet. I thought maybe I should rest a while With no sign of ant eggs when I poked do.Nhung fork, the eggs poured out as if they were alive. Wait a while to make sure they were not, I scooped some into my mouth. Not too bad. Crunchy and tasted sweet.