Edible Insects: A Global History

Gina Louise Hunter

$19.95

Publication Date: October 28th, 2021

Publisher:

Reaktion Books

ISBN:

9781789144468

Pages:

176

Description

From grasshoppers to grubs, an eye-opening look at insect cuisine around the world.

An estimated two billion people worldwide regularly consume insects, yet bugs are rarely eaten in the West. Why are some disgusted at the thought of eating insects while others find them delicious? Edible Insects: A Global History provides a broad introduction to the role of insects as human food, from our prehistoric past to current food trends—and even recipes. On the menu are beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, and grubs of many kinds, with stories that highlight traditional methods of insect collection, preparation, consumption, and preservation. But we not only encounter the culinary uses of creepy-crawlies across many cultures. We also learn of the potential of insects to alleviate global food shortages and natural resource overexploitation, as well as the role of world-class chefs in making insects palatable to consumers in the West.

About the Author

Gina Louise Hunter is associate professor of anthropology at Illinois State University.

Praise for Edible Insects: A Global History

"The work not only delves into the historical role of insects as human food, but their contribution to sustainable future food systems. . . . Edible Insects highlights stories of traditional methods of insect collection, preparation, consumption, and preservation. It also explores the role of world-class chefs in making insects palatable to consumers in the West. The book includes recipes for beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, grubs, and more."
— Illinois State University News, Redbird Scholar

"Hunter contributes a needed book on the global history of insects as food... Highly Recommended."
— Choice

"If you have never considered insects as food, this book will change your mind. Gina Louise Hunter, a food anthropologist at Illinois State University, will take you on a lovely ride across space and time in the steps of entomologists, historians, and anthropologists who have studied and tasted insects. . . . this little book might inspire you. Maybe not to eat insects, but certainly to question your relationship with them and the food we eat."
— Community Ecology

"Dr. Hunter’s book is a combination of a culinary eye-opener with a more serious explanation of how insects may provide a sustainable and healthy source of food for a number of presently under-nourished societies around the world."
— The Well-Read Naturalist