Broadening insect gastronomy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

  • Afton Marina Szasz Halloran
  • Christopher Münke
  • Paul Vantomme
  • Benedict Reade
  • Joshua David Evans
In recent years there has been a trend among chefs to diversify their ingredients and techniques, drawing inspiration from other cultures and creating new foods by blending this knowledge with the flavours of their local region. Edible insects, with their plethora of taste, aromatic, textural and visual characteristics, is an example of an area of nature that requires further gastronomic exploration. Many parts of the world consume insects, neither as a novelty nor as a fall-­back famine food (FAO, 2013). Insect-­consuming populations often eat them as a delicacy, seeing each insect as an ingredient in its own right – not collectively as ‘insects’, as it is easy for many uninitiated to do. Many of these insects frequently fetch higher prices than other meat sources in the market, and it is this approach of investigating insects as a delicious gastronomic product that interests us. Indeed, if people might be expected to adopt a new food, it is necessary that it tastes good!
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Food and Gastronomy
EditorsPhilip Sloan, Willy Legrand, Clare Hindley
Number of pages7
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherRoutledge
Publication date2015
Pages199-205
Chapter18
ISBN (Print) 978-0-415-70255-3
ISBN (Electronic)978-0-203-79569-9
Publication statusPublished - 2015

ID: 150175870