Depression Era Cooking

[Bilby]

I love mushrooms to but if I picked them from outside in a field if I didn't end up dead, I think I'd be very high and happy. I'm told magic mushrooms are better than whacky weed LOL

I've had nasturtiums as a salad, was interesting, ok but not sure I'd be that game to make it!

How to cook a cactus pear, I found this info.

[MKS]

Thanks for the link, Kathy. It sounds like the hard part is harvesting the cactus. That's not too surprising. They do sell it in our grocery stores here, but that would defeat the purpose! Maybe one day I will get brave & try it.

[seleach]

When it comes to mushrooms, I'm like you Kathy. I'd be dead or flying high.

I never heard of polk either.

Patti, I would not eat chocolate covered ants. Chocolate covered or not, it's still an insect.

I couldn't eat snake meat either.

I have eaten croc with mango sauce. Thought it tasted like veal.

[Pag36]

Sharon I would not eat choc covered ants either like you said still an insect.
I have never eaten snake nor croc but have eaten alligator it to me was tough my hubby liked it tho'.
When EX & I were in Germany we went to this one restaurant in hopes of getting BEAR but even tho' we went at diff times thro' out the year they were always out of it so never got to taste it.
I will stick with my trusted store bought mushrooms

[bluebird]

Ants are pure protein. A staple in the wild. IF I had too I guess but not for enjoyment. I have read that there is a breed of ant that tastes like cinnamon. Mix with chocolate and you get the best cinnamon chocolate. lol

[Pag36]

I will take their word for it. Protein or not no ants for me. There are plenty of other ways to get my protein in me

[Bilby]

I've had rabbit, snake and eel when I was a kids but I don't remember what it tastes like.
I was looking around and found foods of the world but these suggestions were not quite what I was looking for
Waspasp crackers, deep fried tarantulas from Phnom Penh 10 for $2, worm filled lollipops from Panama with the variety of grasshoppers or meal worms. How about ducks tongue from Hong Kong, seahorse skewers from Beijing or the good old stuffed guinea pig from Peru. The pictures were interesting to say the least and I think I would ask what animal this cut of meat is from on a menu overseas!
Being a vegetarian sound good for travel

[Pag36]

Oh my gosh the thought of eating Guinea pig turns my stomach for sure I use to raise them. No matter how hungry I got could not would not eat any. Yep think you are right best to be a vegetarian if you are over seas.

[apricot]

No guinea pigs for me either. I had a science teacher who liked to eat rattle snake and told us that it tasted like chicken.

I work with someone who used to live in Florida and liked octopus but I've never tried it and don't think I'd want to. When I was 16 and went to Hawaii my aunt cooked squid and it was so tough that it was like chewing on a rubber band. My parents had taught me to eat what was put before me, so after chewing for about 10 minutes I finally swallowed it whole.

[Bilby]

Ahh squid is either hot and quick cooking or slow and low, no inbetweens as is octopus .... can't say I've had much luck catching either LOL

I know the aborigines here eat honey ant and witchetty grubs and they are things you're told to look for in outback survival classes.
Honey ants : Store honeydew in their swollen abdomens. Women in Central Australia dig deeply to uncover them in their underground nests.

I guess there really is nothing wrong with eating these things if we grew up with them we wouldn't think twice about it but to KNOW the right stuff is good research ...... mind you there are so many pesticides sprayed these days I think that worries me more than the plant LOL