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The first time I came across insects prepared for the sole purpose of eating was on my first trip ever to Hong Kong. We went to a traditional Chinese medicine shop and stacked on the rows and rows of shelves were a massive variety of stuff I never would have considered edible before. Huge centipedes in jars, dried lizards on sticks and deer antlers sliced and stored in big vats to name but a few.
Now, you may think it is only countries in the far reaches of the world where they munch insects. Not so - it's surprisingly easy to find insects sold as a 'delicacy' in London!
The first time I stumbled upon them in London, it was actually in Selfridges of all places. Walking through the food section, I found scorpion vodkas, worm lollipops and chocolate covered ants. Bit of a shocker among the luxury goods! [Note: haven't seen them there in a while. Possibly not sold there any more, this was a loooong time ago.] I soon learnt that although in other parts of the world it might be medicine, an über-cheap food source, or even a marketing gimmick for tequila; in London's unique little bubble insects are an expensive delicacy!
Currently, insects are being sold in a few of the capital's most uptown shops: Fortnum and Masons are selling what I'm sure are lovely BBQ flavour worm crisps, and Harvey Nichols are selling a wide variety of the stuff I originally saw in Selfridges that time, by Edible.
Of course, there is also a restaurant where you can get crunchy little bugs served to you - Archipelago (which also serves a wide range of meat, including kangaroo and crocodile) near Goodge Street serves a few dishes that will have you crunching away.
Chocolate-covered scorpion @ Archipelago
Their infamous love bug salad is a lovely leafy green salad with fried locust and cricket sprinkled on top; or perhaps their sweet desserts are more to your liking - chocolate covered scorpion or bumble bee brulee anyone??? Somehow I've managed to try them all and they weren't as bad as I was expecting!
How many of you have got your protein fix this way? :)
Happy eating,
Kitsune
