A Beetle A Day

Yum, Tasty

The UN Agency have said that 'bugs are the food of the future' and that caterpillars, beetles and wasps could supplement diets as "an environmentally friendly food source." Eva Mueller, director of forest economics at the FAO said, "the main message is really: 'Eat insects'. Insects are abundant and they are a valuable source of protein and minerals."
Well Dai Jakes is way ahead of you Ms Mueller because ive been snacking on bugs for a few years now. Indeed that's me up there in the above picture tucking into salt n' vinegar crickets (bought at Manor House in Tenby.) And you know what? They're very tasty (once you get over the idea of a fistful of creepy crawlies.) Admittedly they are not very filling but then again, neither is a bag of crisps. And don't worry about the 'ick factor', they are dried insects so there is nothing slimy going on. Best I can describe is that it feels like you have sawdust and salt in your mouth. Pop down to Manor House and grab yourself a box, you might surprise yourself!
Of course Eva, the UN and this blog can sing the praises of wasp butties until the earwigs come home, I doubt it will get folk swapping a wonderful pastie from Jenkins bakery in favour of a caterpillar roll. (Probably a good thing too, those Jenkins pasties really are fabulous.)

But thanks to a wonderfully adventurous spirit, Mr Jakes must be years ahead of his time.

Egg On Beard

Th new beard dye didnt catch on

Beards and food. How I love both but sadly they don't love each other. Or maybe they do and thats why they insist on sticking to each other like a furry symbiote, fusing to a body (and yes I read too much Spiderman/Venom stories.)
Pies and eggs are the worst in my opinion. (Others will say soup but ive not experienced the soupy beard strainer myself.) If ever I fancy a fried egg sarnie, like I did earlier, then I can almost guarantee to be tasting egg an hour after ive eaten it. Burgers with the works can prove a whiskery minefield as well with onions, grease, ketchup and mustard making a good beard seem like a wild almost edible Christmas tree.
But you know, some women (the good bad kind) dig this so don't be hasty in grabbing that razor. Never trust a man without facial fungus! And trust less the ones who grow goatees which look a bit like fluff stuck to the chin.

Tabloid Scroodge

The Sun newspaper has an article in todays issue telling us that 'Christmas dinner with all the trimmings can cost just £2.89 a head — if you trawl six different supermarkets'. Crumbs, I feel as if I should be moving in with Tiny Tim's family! Now forgive me if I sound a little bratty here, im aware the world is in financial turmoil, but isn't this just being miserly? I mean the Silly Season comes but once a year, so shouldn't it be a time when we can forget the misery and woes for a while and splash out on the finer things in life? Do we really need to eat cheap foods all the time? Its Christmas for Heavens sake! Cut loose for a while, we need it!
I haven't got anything against cheap food and supermarket own brands, hell's bells a lot of them are superior to the branded rubbish (who use too much salt), but just this once can't we open our wallets/purses a little wider than usual?


Christmas cheer: one drumstick each please

One could swear we were living in Third World Britain the way certain parts of the media paint it. Like I said, I know times are hard but surely not so hard we can't push the boat out once a year? Are things really that bad where you can't afford a lavish feast on December 25th? I think some folk kid themselves they are in this situation. (*Some* not all).
Im not a fan of these big family meals where there is 15 to a table and 4 dogs and a cat underneath but I do enjoy seeing the table and fridge groan from the weight of good food come Christmas, and before that Thanksgiving. There is no scrimping and only the best goes into my squealing trolley. The way I look at it is, there is enough money going out on different things throughout the rest of the year so these holidays are a time for me and my loved ones, a time where hard earned money comes to us for a change.
I urge everyone to do the same. We'll keep sane this way and won't fall completely into the depths of despair. Now pass me a cracker, one of those expensive ones which contain iPods and diamond nose studs.