Eating Bugs in Amsterdam...

[ulterior epicure]

I know this sounds crazy, but a friend of mine said that there is/was a restaurant in Amsterdam that serves traditional Australian aboriginal food - everything from toasted bugs to different cuts of meats and preparations from Australia.

Is my friend making this up - or can some worthy eGulleter reference such a place??

Thanks!

U.E.

[DRColby]

We're currently on a cruise arround the Pacific and just spent a week in Australian ports. We have dinned twice on what the Aussies call "bugs" and never got a very good answer as to what they are.

Whatever they're good. A crustation, that seems some what between lobster and scampi in taste, we have had them grilled and sauted. I think what "bugs" probably are is a freshwwater scampi raised is SE Asia and Australian that is about as the size of a lobster.

dave

[ulterior epicure]

I'm pretty sure my friend meant "insect." But, whatever "bug" you had sounds WONDERFUL!

[Pan]

Witchety grubs are what I imagine you're looking for. Good luck in your quest.

[anzu]

We're currently on a cruise arround the Pacific and just spent a week in Australian ports.  We have dinned twice on what the Aussies call "bugs" and never got a very good answer as to what they are.

  Whatever they're good.  A crustation,  that seems some what between lobster and scampi in taste, we have had them grilled and sauted.  I think what "bugs" probably are  is  a freshwwater scampi  raised is SE Asia and Australian that is about as the size of a lobster.

dave

←

These 'bugs' would be Moreton bay bugs.

[wesza]

We're currently on a cruise arround the Pacific and just spent a week in Australian ports.  We have dinned twice on what the Aussies call "bugs" and never got a very good answer as to what they are.

  Whatever they're good.  A crustation,  that seems some what between lobster and scampi in taste, we have had them grilled and sauted.  I think what "bugs" probably are  is  a freshwwater scampi  raised is SE Asia and Australian that is about as the size of a lobster.

dave

←

These 'bugs' would be Moreton bay bugs.

←

There are Freshwater Prawns and a type of Crawfish native to Australia that are sold locally and could have been available on Cruise Ships. If anyone is interested I can look up the names or they can be Goggled.

I have posted on eGullet several times previously about Moreton Bay Bugs.

"Moreton Bugs" were a under-utilized species we began developing for export in the late 1960's and 1970's that became successful until finally requiring being controlled in Australia.

It is indigenous to most Oceans thruout the world in various sub-species. I have caught then in the bays of Long Island Sound and the South Shore as well as Northern California and Hong Kong and Honolulu.

They are merchandised in the United States as "Slipper Lobsters" and available frozen in most metropolitan areas.

They were very popular at our Honolulu Restaurant where we purchased them fresh when split and prepared "Scampi Style".

We may have been the only Restaurant ever to serve "Scampi Style" with four acceptable species.

Authentic "Scampi" from Italy and Ireland

Shrimp Scampi from 9/12 per pound Gulf Prawns by Ocean Garden Seafoods.

Hawaiian deep Ocean "Red Shrimp" caught 3000 + feet deep on Dennis Hoppers boat the "Easy Rider".

Lobster Scampi from Hawaii or Australia.

The most popular "Scampi" was the Lobster but the one with most flavor, taste and character was the real Scampi from Europe. All Scampi's are delicious fast and easy to prepare quickly if you set yourself up initially.

The recipe could best be shown if we can convince "Ah Leung" to take photos and prepare the dish with his trusty fry pan and camera skills.

Irwin

[wesza]

I know this sounds crazy, but a friend of mine said that there is/was a restaurant in Amsterdam that serves traditional Australian aboriginal food - everything from toasted bugs to different cuts of meats and preparations from Australia.

Is my friend making this up - or can some worthy eGulleter reference such a place??

Thanks!

U.E.

←

The Restaurant in northern Europe now getting publicity about serving "Bugs" is located in Dresden, Germany called "Espitas" that is featuring imported "Maggots".

They was another place that was featuring a real "Gross Out" menu that was mentioned previously on eGullet not sure it still in business.

Irwin

[Hector]

I thought the name was "Bailman Bugs".. A kind of crayfish. In many cultures crayfish has been always regarded as bugs.. and inedible.

In Sweden we always thought otherwise.. and had big feast where weeat big piles of gallons of crayfish and drink aquavit every august. Thanks to the crayfish plauge we often eat imported ones from Turkey, where they are regarded as bugs, and can't understand why we will eat them.