Why not eat insects, by Vincent M. Holst (1885) Part 3 contContents Pg 1 Pg 2 Pg 3 Pg 4 Pg 5 Pg 6 Pg 7 Pg 8 Pg 9 Pg 10 When not interfered with, Nature's whole machinery works with perfect regularity, and her balance is exactly poised. If, however, we presume to intermeddle, the whole system soon becomes deranged. By importing or cultivating fancy fruits unnatural to the soil, we have interfered with the machinery; by killing the birds to protect these fancy fruits, we destroy Nature's balance of her creatures—for birds are the natural counterpoise to insects. In consequence we have, to the great detriment of our crops, an overweight and undue increase of insects. To save them from their devourers, we must throw some extra weight into the opposite scale to compensate for the loss of the birds we kill. I have done my best to show how this weight may be added, and how the balance may be restored.
On the following pages I have sketched out two menus, comprising some specimen dishes which may be made from insects. Of course these menus are unnaturally crowded with insect items; but they are merely intended to show how such dishes may be usefully introduced into the chief courses of an ordinary dinner. I. FRENCH. Menu. Potage aux Limaces a la Chinoise. Morue bouillie a l'Anglaise, Sauce aux Limaçons. Larves de Guepes frites au Rayon. Phalenes a l'Hottentot. Boeuf aux Chenilles. Petites Carottes, Sauce blanche aux Rougets. Creme de Groseilles aux Nemates. Larves de Hanneton Grillées. Cerfs Volants a la Gru Gru. I. ENGLISH. Menu.
Slug Soup Boiled Cod with Snail Sauce. Wasp Grubs fried in the Comb. Moths sautes in Butter. Braized Beef with Caterpillars. New Carrots with Wireworm Sauce. Gooseberry Cream with Sawflies. Devilled Chafer Grubs. Stag Beetle Larvae on Toast. II. FRENCH. Menu.
Potage aux Limaçons a la Française. Soles frites. Sauce aux Cloportes. Hannetons a la Sauterelle des Indes. Fricassée de Poulets aux Chrysalides. Carré de Mouton, Sauce aux Rougets. Canetons aux Petits Pois. Choufleurs garnies de Chenilles. Phalenes au Parmesan. II. ENGLISH. Menu.
Snail Soup. Fried soles, with Woodlouse Sauce. Curried Cockchafers. Fricassee of Chicken with Chrysalids. Boiled Neck of Mutton with Wire-worm Sauce. Ducklings, with Green Peas. Cauliflowers garnished with Caterpillars. Moths on Toast Contents Pg 1 Pg 2 Pg 3 Pg 4 Pg 5 Pg 6 Pg 7 Pg 8 Pg 9 Pg 10 |