"fear factor" news and stories

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.

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I debated whether to title this post as "food porn" or something worthy of being on Fear Factor. I'm a big fan of the food blog Matt Bites, since not only am I always happy to see another Los Angeles area food blogger, but Matt writes well and takes outstanding photos. He can be a bit daring, to say the least, when it comes to food. When snails were munching away in his garden, he decided to take advantage of his little (albeit unintended) herd and to "farm" them, preparing them to be part of a meal. Read his whole post about the experience to learn more about farming and eating backyard snails. Actually, it might even be a better read if you have no intention of ever eating snails, just so you don't feel like you're missing out.

One of the most interesting parts of the post is also the most, for lack of a better word, icky. So, to see what the snails looked like after coming out of the boiling water, click past the jump. And, as fair warning, snail entrails are not for the faint of heart.

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Is Fear Factor your favorite show, but you don't like the idea of eating icky things enough to apply? Do you have small children who think it's fun/entertaining to eat variously gross foods? The Popsicle company is coming to your rescue! Unlike the Cherry Chip Bada Bing! ice cream sandwiches, which tie in to the hit Sopranos show via name alone, the new Fear Factor Pop-Ups try to get the eater involved in the spirit of the program. The sour cherry flavored pop has an eyeball gum-ball atop it and the sour watermelon flavor is coated with "sour lemon slime." There are only four pops in a box, but that should provide more than enough ammunition for your child to gross out the neighbor's kids - at least for one afternoon.

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