Foods
Edible Spiders and Edible Scorpions
In society arachnids are eaten in many places in the world, with the exception of the United States. Entomophagy is the eating of insects but also includes two non-insect classes. The non-insects are the arachnids, such as spiders and scorpions, and the myriapods, centipedes. There are about 1,400 noted edible insects. Of the arachnids there are about 100,000 species in total and only a few are edible. The most commonly eaten are scorpions and spiders.
The United Nations (UN) has an edible insect program. They are promoting the consumption of insects as they feel that they are beneficial to humans in a number of ways. Insects are highly nutritious, they are a sustainable product to farm, they use considerably less resources than other foods and they are more affordable. The United Nations is now considering adding arachnids to their edible insect program.
Spiders and scorpions can be prepared and eaten in a number of ways. They can be baked, fried, oven roasted, dipped in chocolate and even made into Vodka. There are numerous recipes and regional favorites. The fangs of spiders need to be removed prior to consuming and the tail tips of scorpions need to be either removed or not eaten, as they contain the stinger and the venom sacks. .
Spiders taste like a mixture of mild flavored crab, or prawn, and nuts. Scorpions taste like mild flavored crab or lobster meat. Both can take on the taste or flavor of what they are cooked in and if prepared correctly, can have a light and crispy taste. The legs are especially good when a little crispy.
In some areas of the world arachnids are considered regional delicacies.
Cambodia and Venezuela: Fried Tarantula
Beijing: Toasted Scorpions
New Guinea: Roasted Golden Silk Spider
Vietnam, Thailand, China: Scorpion
The United Nations (UN) has an edible insect program. They are promoting the consumption of insects as they feel that they are beneficial to humans in a number of ways. Insects are highly nutritious, they are a sustainable product to farm, they use considerably less resources than other foods and they are more affordable. The United Nations is now considering adding arachnids to their edible insect program.
Spiders and scorpions can be prepared and eaten in a number of ways. They can be baked, fried, oven roasted, dipped in chocolate and even made into Vodka. There are numerous recipes and regional favorites. The fangs of spiders need to be removed prior to consuming and the tail tips of scorpions need to be either removed or not eaten, as they contain the stinger and the venom sacks. .
Spiders taste like a mixture of mild flavored crab, or prawn, and nuts. Scorpions taste like mild flavored crab or lobster meat. Both can take on the taste or flavor of what they are cooked in and if prepared correctly, can have a light and crispy taste. The legs are especially good when a little crispy.
In some areas of the world arachnids are considered regional delicacies.
Cambodia and Venezuela: Fried Tarantula
Beijing: Toasted Scorpions
New Guinea: Roasted Golden Silk Spider
Vietnam, Thailand, China: Scorpion
Edible Spiders
Andrew Zimmerman, from Bizarre Foods, eating tarantulas in Cambodia
Edible Scorpians
Stephan Gates, from the BBC, eats scorpion kebabs in Beijing