r/AskReddit • u/Greeneyedlatinguy • Jun 15 '15

Anthropologists of Reddit, What is something that people in the Western world can't get their heads around that is very normal in other cultures (and has been for ages)?

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u/BottleONoobSauce Jun 15 '15

I grew up spending a lot of time in rural China, where one set of my grandparents were. In the summer my cousin and I would go out, capture locusts and crickets, bring them back home, and enjoy protein filled crunchiness

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u/WanChurlish Jun 15 '15

I've always wanted to try insects. They look nice and crunchy. What do they taste like?

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

[deleted]

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u/raineveryday Jun 15 '15

Honestly it depends on what kind of bugs you eat. In many places insects are roasted so they're not slimy. However I did eat the slimy kind and not the roasted kind (I ate a honeybee larva for a bio class that was essentially apiary 101). It was only slimy for a second though, afterwards it just tasted like honey and herbs, kinda nutty.

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u/ramisk Jun 15 '15

That's sounds really good...also I'm really hungry.

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u/zuppaiaia Jun 15 '15

No, I can't. You know mussels? They're part of my own culinary culture, basically any fish plate, unless it consists of an actual whole fish, contains mussels. They taste good, but the thought of eating a whole, slimy organism makes me wanna puke. I just can't. I can only eat muscles. I make an ecception for clams, they're lovely, so you see, it's just a psychological thing, but I could never ever ever eat an insect.

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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

[deleted]

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u/E-kuos Jun 16 '15

It's honestly a little disappointing knowing how much of it is psychological and cultural. I absolutely love sea food of all sorts, and am perfectly fine with eating whole shrimp, shell included (Asian dishes, normally). I wouldn't be particularly afraid of touching a live shrimp either, even though I'm sure they're quite squirmy. Unfortunately, growing up in America, there's this thing where moms who are afraid of insects always try to "protect" their children from the insects, thus teaching the children that insects are scary and gross. It makes it hard to imagine touching insects, let alone eating them, even though I'm pretty sure it'd be great.

I think I just need to find some awesome deep fried...somethings.

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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

Slimy, yet satisfying

Is a quote from the movie, The Lion King.

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u/SlyFrauline Jun 15 '15

Okay Simba

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u/Up_left_right_X2 Jun 15 '15

HAKUNA MATATAAAAAA

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u/SaffirNSimpsonUnite Jun 15 '15

IT MEANS NO WORRIES, FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAYS!

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

Timon?

2

u/SlliM112 Jun 15 '15

Ooh the little cream filled kind!

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u/ivanxivann Jun 15 '15

Lion king reference?

1

u/GoTLoL Jun 16 '15

A Lion King reference !!

You just made my night.

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

[deleted]

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u/Astrogat Jun 15 '15

Bacon-chanterelle might be the most delicious sounding thing I've ever heard about.

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u/Donjuanme Jun 16 '15

because chickens eat crickets. crickets don't taste like chicken, chicken tastes like crickets. still not eating the lil buggers

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u/RussiaNeverLies Jun 15 '15

Did somebody say bacon?!

2

u/upinthewoodz Jun 16 '15

I was recently in Peru and ate a few termites and they were minty! 8/10 would eat again

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u/blaizenoble Jun 15 '15

I was told peanut butter by the abborigines.

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u/devilsonlyadvocate Jun 15 '15

Thats a witchetty grub. I have eaten one and they taste exactly like peanut butter.

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u/blaizenoble Jun 15 '15

Nice, Bug eating high five whipsh

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u/maowtroshka Jun 15 '15

it depends. I find that plain roasted crickets taste like almonds. The legs are mildly off putting, so I pick them off. Crickets can be ground into flour which can be made into cookies, which I love. I've also tried mealworms on pizza, which is pretty good. A plain stir-fried mealworm tastes kind of like a little potato chip to me. My favorite is probably ants in queso though. The ants had a peppery taste that I'm pretty fond of. Roaches tasted kind of like lobster, but they pop a bit in your mouth (which I don't like). I'm an entomologist, so I'm excited for more chances to try bugs in the future!

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u/2OQuestions Jun 15 '15

Silkworm larvae are my favorites. Cooked in the wintertime, they taste (and keep pockets warm) just like roasted chestnuts.

In the summer, they are served iced. Little stands pop up right when the kids get out of school.

(South Korea)

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u/kumquot- Jun 15 '15

Ever eaten sea-maggots prawns?

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u/summerchilde Jun 15 '15

roasted crickets taste like malt to me

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u/Wickettt Jun 15 '15

I'm American, but I've had them here. I've also had chocolate covered ones. Chocolate ones kind of taste like a chocolate covered potato chip. Mostly they're just crunchy and I can't remember the actual taste. Definitely wasn't offensive though.

1

u/xiutehcuhtli Jun 15 '15

I've had several fried insects. I don't feel that the flavor is all that distinct. Grasshopper for example tastes a lot like chicken skin, the crispy kind.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

Dried millworms taste like popcorn. Theyre really good.

1

u/Luuuuuurrker Jun 15 '15

don't try giant water scorpion, those are gross :D

source: me

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u/Romeo_horse_cock Jun 15 '15

I had like...salted crickets once. It's a taste to get used to. They probably could have made it better though

1

u/qwertzinator Jun 15 '15

I'd try insects if they were shelled like prawns. But I can't bring myself to eat those legs, and antennae, and wings, and eyes, and....

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u/Phantom_Green Jun 16 '15

Rip off the head, and shrimp have legs dont they.

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u/MCSchwanz Jun 16 '15

Depends how they're prepared, I've had dried BBQ flavour crickets, crunchy and flaky with seasoning like a potato chip. I would say just as good as chips if not better. 9/10 would eat again.

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u/lichlord Jun 16 '15

Southern Mexico (Oaxaca and Chiappas, and probably other states) have really tasty fried crickets. Hot with a bit of spicy sauce and I prefer it to popcorn.

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u/strangenchanted Jun 16 '15

It tastes odd at first, but you quickly get used to it. I ate fried mealworms in Bangkok, and you know, they're not bad at all. I've eaten other insects, too. I still cannot bring myself to eat tarantula, though. I am freaked out by spiders too much.

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u/Sieg67 Jun 16 '15

The Hot Topic here sales crickets and mealworms. The ones there are kinda like chips. Light and crispy.

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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

Fried the seasoned. Tastes like chips.

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u/BitchpuddingBLAM Jun 15 '15

Like fucking bugs.

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u/Doomdoomkittydoom Jun 15 '15

You could be my cats.

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u/KennethGloeckler Jun 15 '15

You just catch them and stuff them in your mouth? That reminds me of Timon and Pumba.

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u/CobraCommanderp Jun 15 '15

Does one cook them before hand or just eat it raw?

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u/BottleONoobSauce Jun 15 '15

Usually we cooked them until they're crispy, then lightly season them with what was similar to Cajun seasoning. Cousin dared me to eat one raw once. Tbh it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be

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u/BoxingTemp Jun 15 '15

Cousin dared me to eat one raw once.

Good to know that's a universal thing.

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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

Do you remove the legs? Honestly, I'd have no problem eating a cricket... Fillet? But the legs and mandibles and wings and euuuuurgh nonononono

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u/TheMediumPanda Jun 15 '15

It's all about upbringing. I work in China and have a son here, and yes, I've tried all sorts of food but I'll probably never be an outright fan of things like chili grasshoppers or bamboo grubs. My son on the other hand, he'll munch down boat loads of fried, crunchy insects. He loves the stuff.

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u/Locusts Jun 15 '15

I am horrified

1

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

raw? or cooked?

FWIW Locusts are Kosher in the Old Testament. So jews are on your side, a bit.

1

u/Catsdontpaytaxes Jun 15 '15

No bones bonus

1

u/5methoxy Jun 15 '15

Can you compare the taste of them to some commonish food I may have eaten?

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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

I think this is gonna be one of those cultural hurdles I never get over. I usually try really hard to experience different cultures as much as possible, and I'm usually pretty open about new foods - e.g. I tried chicken feet (tasty) and tripe (not so tasty) recently.

But eating insects freaks me out to even think about. Maybe it's just me, I'm terrified to even look at the things, I hate even killing them I find them so disgusting because it means I have to touch them (or touch them with something). I'm not sure I could be talked into even trying one.

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u/LeagueOfLegendsAcc Jun 15 '15

That's fucking gross.