Australians Eat Their Pests

xoxoxoBruce · 10-07-2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

After years of being encouraged to "throw another shrimp on the barbie", Australians are now being urged instead to tuck into the bogong moths that are plaguing many parts of the country.

The "munch a moth" campaign is being led by Jean-Paul Bruneteau, 51, a French-born chef who is regarded as a worldwide pioneer of such delights as smoked emu, lemon myrtle and bunya nuts.

He first began eating the brown bogong moths 11 years ago while researching a book on "bush tucker" eaten by Aborigines.

"They have a lovely popcorn flavour, like hazelnut," he said.

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[Euell Gibbons] Oh yummy, hazelnuts. [/Euell Gibbons]

Aliantha · 10-07-2007, 07:37 PM

yeah, we're the only country in the world that considers their national fauna emblems to be a tasty dish.

Nothing would surprise me about this. I once went on a bush tucker tour led by an ancient aboriginal man. It was very interesting. We even had witchety grubs although I have to admit, I only ate them cooked.

Urbane Guerrilla · 10-07-2007, 09:16 PM

What did you think of fried witcheties?

I've run across references to "mulga mutton," quite aside from that one song with the chorus about "Who put the 'roo in the stew?" Any experience there?

"Australia eats its pests" -- Hassenpfeffer!

Cloud · 10-07-2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

one study found that 3oz of bogong moth abdomen contains three times as much fat as a Big Mac.

now, would that be saturated fat?

Aliantha · 10-07-2007, 09:56 PM

witchety grubs cooked over hot coals taste a bit like hard fried egg yolk I think. They were ok, and if I had to eat them I would, but probably not my meal of choice.

yeah, hasn't everyone had roo steak before? I think it's a bit like venison. You have to have it fairly rare or it's very tough.

ZenGum · 10-08-2007, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

SNIP

yeah, hasn't everyone had roo steak before? I think it's a bit like venison. You have to have it fairly rare or it's very tough.

Agreed, skippy steaks are good, but tough if over cooked. I've heard they are very low in cholesterol too. As a "mostly but not absolutely" vegetarian, if I had to eat meat it would be 'roo. They aren't farmed at all, so there's no branding, mulesing, feedlotting, antibiotics, pesticides, hormones etc, and they have much less impact on the environment than hard-hoofed cows and sheep. Just munchin' away at the grass one night when ... pow, bullet to the brain.

If you want something really tasty, try crocodile. Looks like fish, tastes like .. well, crocodile.

TheMercenary · 10-08-2007, 08:44 AM

I would love to try roo. We have gator meat down here. You can get it in most of the fresh fish markets and it is a bit pricey. But if you cube it up and deep batter fry it it is actually pretty good. A bit chewy.

Cloud · 10-08-2007, 09:06 AM

I don't eat bugs. At least not on purpose!

monster · 10-08-2007, 10:26 AM

(When can we expect the "pets" clone thread? I'm on tenterhooks here.....)

Cloud · 10-08-2007, 10:33 AM

LOl! Me too!

DucksNuts · 10-10-2007, 05:56 AM

I considered it, then thought ....nah, too obvious.

Aliantha · 10-10-2007, 05:23 PM

and that's coming from someone who's about as subtle as a sledgehammer?

DanaC · 10-10-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

yeah, hasn't everyone had roo steak before? I think it's a bit like venison. You have to have it fairly rare or it's very tough.

Whenever there's a big roo cull in Aussieland, we end up with Roo steaks in Sainsbury's...yum!

Aliantha · 10-10-2007, 05:27 PM

There's roo culling constantly over here. It's how a lot of young fellas in the outback earn their living. All they do all day (actually mostly at night) is shoot roos.

DanaC · 10-10-2007, 05:29 PM

I recall one time reading the label on a pack of roo steaks and it talked about a particularly big cull that takes place at semi-regular intervals. Maybe that was just marketing though, give it a sense of transience and future scarcity, so people buy lots of it?

10-07-2007, 07:37 PM	#2
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	yeah, we're the only country in the world that considers their national fauna emblems to be a tasty dish. Nothing would surprise me about this. I once went on a bush tucker tour led by an ancient aboriginal man. It was very interesting. We even had witchety grubs although I have to admit, I only ate them cooked. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-07-2007, 09:16 PM	#3
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	What did you think of fried witcheties? I've run across references to "mulga mutton," quite aside from that one song with the chorus about "Who put the 'roo in the stew?" Any experience there? "Australia eats its pests" -- Hassenpfeffer! __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course.

10-07-2007, 09:56 PM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	witchety grubs cooked over hot coals taste a bit like hard fried egg yolk I think. They were ok, and if I had to eat them I would, but probably not my meal of choice. yeah, hasn't everyone had roo steak before? I think it's a bit like venison. You have to have it fairly rare or it's very tough. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-08-2007, 08:44 AM	#7
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	I would love to try roo. We have gator meat down here. You can get it in most of the fresh fish markets and it is a bit pricey. But if you cube it up and deep batter fry it it is actually pretty good. A bit chewy. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

10-08-2007, 09:06 AM	#8
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	I don't eat bugs. At least not on purpose! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-08-2007, 10:26 AM	#9
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	(When can we expect the "pets" clone thread? I'm on tenterhooks here.....) __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-08-2007, 10:33 AM	#10
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	LOl! Me too! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-10-2007, 05:56 AM	#11
DucksNuts Bitchy Little Brat Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 5,067	I considered it, then thought ....nah, too obvious.

10-10-2007, 05:23 PM	#12
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	and that's coming from someone who's about as subtle as a sledgehammer? __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-10-2007, 05:27 PM	#14
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	There's roo culling constantly over here. It's how a lot of young fellas in the outback earn their living. All they do all day (actually mostly at night) is shoot roos. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-10-2007, 05:29 PM	#15
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	I recall one time reading the label on a pack of roo steaks and it talked about a particularly big cull that takes place at semi-regular intervals. Maybe that was just marketing though, give it a sense of transience and future scarcity, so people buy lots of it?

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