We talked about chocolate-covered ants once before, but when we did, I got the impression that we were considering the tiny little guys that crawl around the patio and that end up in movies, not the so-called big-butt queen ants that are making an entry onto the gourmet foods market. "The first loud crackle tastes and feels like popcorn, but by the time the juices spray wildly in your mouth and the filament-like legs slide down your throat, there's no mistaking this toasted ant queen."
Filament-like legs? Spraying juices? Thanks - but no thanks.
These insects, called hormiga culona, are popular in Colombia, where they are gathered, and thought to have medicinal properties, including acting as an aphrodisiac and as a defense against cancer. There, they are often toasted and salted, though restaurants in the area they are harvested offer ant-spreads and ant-based sauces for their dishes. They are often given away, as the ants are not only a traditional food, but a part of the culture.
Starting last year, some 800 pounds of the creepy-crawlers were exported to Belgium, dipped in chocolate and sold in upscale London stores like Harrods and Fortnum & Mason. Some ant breeders hope to cash in by raising more ants, and some entrepreneurs hope to see the ants (already dead and ready for eating) spread worldwide, as does Tom Dalton, the founder of Edible, a company that specializes in fear-factor style exotic foods.
I'm sticking with insect-free ants on a log, despite the fact that Edible plans to expand its sales beyond the UK, making the ants available to all who want to order them.
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