Side View’s weekend challenge: Food

Every weekend, Viewfromtheside gives us a theme to ponder upon. This time the subject is ‘Food’, and it got me thinking about how omnipresent and pervasive this essential commodity is. Of course, we all need to eat to survive, but certainly not in such large quantities that some people do. You can’t switch on the TV without being bombarded with food commercials. Walking around the town or city, there are restaurants galore and huge billboards showing giant burgers with fries. Even at the cinema, we’re encouraged to take in giant cold drinks and even bigger buckets of popcorn. It seems that no activity can be entirely food free. Gyms and sports clubs, also have the obligatory coffee bars and restaurants, so that after exercising, you can put back all those calories you worked so hard to lose. From morning to evening, we’re faced with the nonstop temptation to eat. No wonder that obesity is so rife and such a major global health concern.

Of course no-one forces us to pick up the food and put it in our mouths. It’s a conscious decision on our part, and exactly what we eat is also up to us. Most nations have a national dish, and there are so many foodstuffs which whilst thoroughly enjoyed by some cultures, would be abhorred by others. For example, this poor guinea pig, roasted on a spit is considered quite normal in Peru, but I’m sure not many of us would want to try it.

On the other hand, I didn’t feel any remorse whatsoever, whilst enjoying these crayfish, which we had in Jamaica.

They were absolutely delicious.

Different cultures have different ideas about what is edible, and in some countries, it’s perfectly acceptable to dine on insects such as wasps and grasshoppers. Scientists say that eating such insects has health benefits, and should be encouraged in the Western diet. Bugs are apparently rich in protein and low in cholesterol, and 1,700 species are eaten in 13 countries around the world. The late Emperor Hirohito of Japan’s favourite dish was wasps with rice, whilst Columbians eat ants, which they grind and spread on bread. Filipinos are partial to grasshoppers, crickets and locusts. I’m afraid that I’m definitely not tempted, even though crickets are a rich source of iron, zinc and calcium.

Chocolate covered ants would never get past my lips,  but give me a piece of this from ‘The Cheesecake Factory’ and I certainly won’t refuse. 😉

Wishing you all a delicious weekend.