Unique culinary experience to feature gourmet dishes made with insect-based ingredients
Paul Schattenberg, 210-859-5752, paschattenberg@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Molly Keck, 210-631-0400, mekeck@ag.tamu.edu
SAN ANTONIO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County will offer a unique culinary experience Nov. 3 at the Lone Star Brewing Company, 1414 S. Alamo St. in San Antonio.
Experts from the agency’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and members of Bexar County 4-H Food Challenge teams will present a “night of gourmet entomophagy” by preparing special dishes created using some insect-based ingredients,” said Molly Keck, AgriLife Extension entomologist, Bexar County.
The Insecta Fiesta event will be will be from 6:30‐8 p.m. with cocktails and salsa bar from 6:30‐7 p.m.
“This will be a three-course, five-star, fiesta-inspired meal, with many of the vegetables and other ingredients having been grown at Texas A&M AgriLife farms,” Keck said.
Keck said the evening’s menu will include a salsa and guacamole bar with fire ant queso, toasted mealworm salsa and waxworm guacamole paired with honey margaritas made with AgriLife Extension honey.
“The main course will be poblano corn cream vegetable and chicken enchiladas made with cricket powder tortillas and accompanied by locally grown squash and zucchini,” she said. “We will also serve cilantro rice, a micro-greens salad with cilantro lime dressing and charro beans, paired with an appropriate beverage.
“Dessert will be flan cake sweetened with Texas A&M AgriLife honey and cinnamon sugared crickets.”
Keck said the Bug Banquet entomophagy event last year attracted more than 100 people and was a great success.
“We’re hoping to have an even better turnout for this year’s Insecta Fiesta,” she said.
Keck said insects are a dietary staple in many countries and are a sustainable form of agriculture that makes for a surprisingly enjoyable culinary experience.
“Insects require less water, grain and space to produce more protein when compared with chicken, beef and pork,” she said.
Cost is $50 per person or $75 per couple.
To register, go to http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/BexarCounty .
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