Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-10
SINGULAR FOODS.
Curious Tastes of Different People
Some Delicious Larvae of Flies.

curious IaSCeS OF D1nerent People
Some Delicious Larvae of Flies.
From the London Glote.
Some remarkable facts are given in
Science Sittings as to the food eaten by
the people of various nations. It is stated
that in Mexico the honey ant is eagerly
sought after by the natives. In South
America the large lizard, the iguana. is a
delcacy. not to speak of the larger snakes.
which in taste are like chicken. The ordI-
nary rattlesnake. It Is said. is very good
eating II one can overcome the Unborn pref
udice. We are inclined to regard the Chi
nese as race of rat eaters and denounce
the animal as unclean. at the same time
consuming tons yearly Of the most loath-
some of all animals-the pig. The common
skunk. owing to its peculiar and offensive
glands, will never be popular as food. yet
Its flesh is not only good, but delicious, &C
cording to various connoisseurs who have
eaten 1t. That insects do not enter moro
into the food supplies of nations is due to
prejudice. Grasshoppers are eaten by some
tribes. Ground up. they make a meal that
is said to be both nourishing and agreeable.
Many white man has pressed through
country, believing himself nearly starving,
as large game was not to be had, when
worms and various insects were al hand.
The most singular food. in all probable
ity, is the larvae Of fly common In GER
tain portions of California, and known
as ephydra- This insect is found In such
vast quantities In Lake Mono, Cal, that
1t is washed up on the shores and col
lected by bushels. The water OF Mono
is very singular, seemingly very heavy
and smooth, like oil, so much so that IL
resists ordinary wind and refuses to be-
come ruffied. When the larvae begin TO
appear the Indians gather from far and
near and scrape them up, place the
wormike creatures on cloths and racks
in the sun and dry them. when they are
rice. That the larvae are nutritious Is
shown by the condition of the Indians.
who soon grow fat on the rich diet. on
Lake Texcoco, in Mexico, a curious fly Is
found which also Is eaten by the natives,
and known as ahuati; the eggs OF the IN
sect, which are deposited on sedges. are
also collected and eaten for food. On Lake
Chalco a certain sedge is cultivated on
which the eggs of a species Of Ay are de-
posted. Bundles are made OF these ana
placed in Lake Texcoco for the purpose,
and, when covered the sedge Is beaten
over the pieces of cloth and the eggs Sc
cured These are collected and ground into
a meal. also called ahuati. and are in great
demand on fast days when FISH Is required,
the insects or eggs not being considered
flesh, as they come from the water. The
food Is made into small cakes and tastes
not unlike caviare. Not only the eggs, but
the larvae, themselves a disagreable look
ing worm are used as food under the name
of puxi
The civilized man, perhaps. turns from
such food with disgust, but It is well to re-
member that epicures in many countries are
particularly fond of cheese when inhabited
by the larvae of a very common fly. In
this country the large octopus. or squid,
common on many a coast, offends the pal
ate but the Italian. Frenchman or Portu-
guese eats 1t with avidty and considers It
a delicacy. The meat Is clear and white
like chicken and has the flavor OF crab.
We find the Chinaman selling eggs Of un-
known age especially duck eggs containing
H. To lr. hNs ~la cd =
"a tough. disagreeable food-are In de-
mand, while deer horns In the velvet and
lizards of various kinds are eaten The
nest of the swallow, with its embedded
secretion of the mouth glands of the BIRD,
is nearly worth It's weight in gold. ire
pang the tough impossible holothri2n, IS
eaten and It's collection is an important m
dustry along the Malay coast. valued at me
least 10000 per annum. In France the
sea anemone is used as food; stuffed ana
boiled 1T calls to mind crab or craytish- Inc
sea urchins of various species are also n9ed,
cooked in their covering, like an egg, ana
eaten with spoon.