Insects: An Edible Field Guide

by Stefan Gates

Ever been tempted by the thought of trying juicy deep fried mealworms, protein-rich cricket flower, or swapping your snacks for salt and vinegar flavored grasshoppers? If so then you are not alone! Over 2 billion people regularly eat insects as part of their diet, and the world is home to around 1,900 edible insect species. For adventurous foodies and daring dieters comes the newest way to save the planet, eat more protein, and tickle taste buds. But this isn’t an insect cookbook. Instead it’s an informative field guide: exploring the origins of insect eating, offering tips on finding edible bugs and serving up a few delicious ideas of how to eat them once you’ve tracked them down! It includes a comprehensive list on edible insects and where to find them, how to prepare them, their versatile usage and nutritional value as well as a few recipes. A bug-eating checklist covering all known edible bugs so readers can mark off the ones they’ve eaten and seek out new delicacies concludes the book.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2018

Reviews

[Bail3y · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to scratch the surface of entomophagy and it could have gone much deeper to encourage foraging, insect preparation, as well as the general background on many of the insects and Arthropoda featured.

I appreciated the unique tasting notes and effort to connect entomophagy to writing styles and descriptive words used in food science and cooking literature.

I think the authors didn’t include enough entomological background and also could have added more about indigenous recipes as opposed to ambiguously making suggestions regarding how to serve insects. It would make it feel less colonization-esque if the author gave more acknowledgment to local cooking techniques and recipes.

Lost opportunity to include a section on restaurants featuring insects...

[Debbie Tremel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good General Information

The book's intro has a good overview and cautionary information. Each listing, which are divided by continent or region, has an overview, hazards and preparations. What it's lacking is any information on habitat or how to find. It is also not comprehensive of all edible insects and tends to present a specific type instead of more general coverage of the species.

[Ateeqahdzulkefli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! full with knowledge area that I never thought I would explored! great for food sustainability. It include recipes and information that change my perceptions on insects.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humorous but thought provoking.