The new Smokey Mountain Nature Center in Blount County, Tennessee held a seminar last weekend on the use of insects in food. Briana Vere Der Hooke, a counselor at the nature center, said that over 75 percent of the world's population eats insects.
"A lot of people eat insects and not just in the third world countries", stated Vere Der Hooke. "A lot of people don't know that and turn their nose up on a lot of free protein."
When asked about their taste, Vere Der Hooke stated that the common American grasshopper when floured and fried lightly in oil or coated an placed in the over, are delicious. "But you need to remove the heads and legs first."
How about grub worms?
"Little difference there between those and escargot that even the Western World eats in great quantities."
"Another healthful insect that's very easy to find are ants. You can fix ant candy, chocolate-covered, fried giant ants(those big black ones), preserved ant eggs and roasted weaver ants."
Vere Der Hooke then took some samples out that some tried.
"I think I'll stick to vegetables like free sour dock or poke greens", stated one local. "I reckon a cat turd would taste OK if you floured and fried it in enough bacon grease."
