Eating Bugs

Last night, I watched this crazy Mexican documentary about people who live out in the beautiful boondocks of Oaxaca who are avid bug eaters. This is not a fetish among many residents of this southeastern Mexican state. They just like to eat bugs. It's a common and reliable food source. And after watching most all of this 30 minutes documentary called "Eating Insects" I started coming around on the logic of Oaxacan bug eaters. They tend to favor these biting worms that they shake from trees and various crickets that hop along the ground. One man put it this way: "We feel sorry for people who live in the cities because they have no idea where their food comes from. Here, we know exactly were our food comes from. And we also know that it's fresh." He's got me there. I actually plan to visit Oaxaca sometime in the near future. And eating a worm taco will be on the agenda. Of course, I'll likely wimp out on the full bug taste and bury the taco with salsa, cillantro and onions. But I draw the line on crickets though --- too crunchy.

My favorite part of this show was an interview they did with two shy little Oaxacan kids. They showed them picking up worms, eating a couple of them, and putting them in plastic bags. They were for sale, they told the filmmakers. Then they took their bags and stood on the side of the highway, holding up the insects as if they were running a lemonade stand. Nobody stopped to make a purchase though.

I wonder if Ava can fill me in some more about bug eating in her country. I'm guessing this isn't real popular in Northern Mexico. I've yet to see them on a menu. But maybe I'm visiting the wrong restaurants.