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Why Not Eat Insects?
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfectionssuch as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact,or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections,have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed worksworldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition++++Why Not Eat Insects?Vincent M. HoltField & Tuer, 1885Cooking; Entertaining; Cooking (Insects); Cooking / Entertaining; Edible insects; Food; Insects; Menus
104 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 21, 2014
An amusing read to pass a short train journey. Provides an easy going overview of insects eaten in other cultures and through history, followed by specifics of edible insects within the UK. This is presented as a friendly and engaging monologue, rather than a detailed scientific or historical essay. The writing is somewhat of its time, coming across as classist in places, but otherwise an agreeable little book.
I have not tried any of the recommendations in the book, but must admit it has made me curious …
I have not tried any of the recommendations in the book, but must admit it has made me curious …
December 25, 2025
(Read for an "Edible Insects" course through the National Taiwan University)
Fascinating little book that is very relevant today in how humans are very contradictory in their consumption of food. (Warning, there are some very dated terms used for a few different cultures) The writing was also very funny at times! Some of my favorite quotes:
“I venture to say that if it had been previously suggested to those people to have such items included in the menu at a country house, they would have expressed disgust at the idea. Fashion is the most powerful motive in the world.”
“It has been cleverly suggested…that their very name, Gryllus, is in itself an invitation to cook them.”
(in reference to moths) "They fry and grill themselves before our eyes, saying, " Does not the sweet scent of our cooked bodies tempt you? Fry us with butter; we are delicious. Boil us, grill us, stew us; we are good all ways!""
Fascinating little book that is very relevant today in how humans are very contradictory in their consumption of food. (Warning, there are some very dated terms used for a few different cultures) The writing was also very funny at times! Some of my favorite quotes:
“I venture to say that if it had been previously suggested to those people to have such items included in the menu at a country house, they would have expressed disgust at the idea. Fashion is the most powerful motive in the world.”
“It has been cleverly suggested…that their very name, Gryllus, is in itself an invitation to cook them.”
(in reference to moths) "They fry and grill themselves before our eyes, saying, " Does not the sweet scent of our cooked bodies tempt you? Fry us with butter; we are delicious. Boil us, grill us, stew us; we are good all ways!""
October 6, 2025
Why Not Eat Insects? was published in 1885 by Field and Tuer and written by Vincent M Holt. As far as some cursory googling tells me, it was his only work.
It’s not a joke, but a genuine little polemical pamphlet encouraging more people to eat our creepy crawly friends. He was a few reasons for this, which he repeats a number of times:
1 - many insects are very clean animals, especially the vegetarian ones and are much cleaner than pigs or lobsters, which are very popular food items.
2 - They are plentiful, nutritious and free, which should endear them to the poor.
3 - Eating insects will stop them eating and ruining our plants.
4 - People of the past ate insects with relish.
5 - People in other countries eat them with relish.
6 - Many highly prized foodstuffs, like oysters, aren’t much different to insects anyway.
7 - They taste good and it’s only cultural prejudice keeping them off the table.
He talks about Romans and Greeks enjoying them, natives of West Africa and Australia, even the French and their snails. He talks about Erasmus Darwin trying some and enjoying them, and of his own culinary experiments. He talks about a very fashionable event where people tried a Chinese meal, which didn’t have insects but did have Bird’s Nest soup - and insects have to be nicer than twigs and bird spit (not to mention the Chinese do have insect and chrysalis meals).
He says woodlice taste like prawns, some caterpillars taste delicious and it’s a mistake that only some snails are edible, they all are and so are slugs.
The best part of the book is where he creates two insectivorous menus. One starts with slug soup, braised beef and caterpillars and ending in gooseberry cream - with sawflies. The second includes curried cockchafers, wireworm sauce, caterpillars as garnish and ends in moths on toast - though whether spread or laid, I don’t know. To make these dishes seem more classy, he gives the same two menus with French names. I can’t say he swayed me (though I have had crickets and they were fine).
This book is one of those joyously bizarre things you come across sometimes and I am putting it in the bedside table of my spare room alongside How to Speak Wookie and Knitting with Dog Hair.
It’s not a joke, but a genuine little polemical pamphlet encouraging more people to eat our creepy crawly friends. He was a few reasons for this, which he repeats a number of times:
1 - many insects are very clean animals, especially the vegetarian ones and are much cleaner than pigs or lobsters, which are very popular food items.
2 - They are plentiful, nutritious and free, which should endear them to the poor.
3 - Eating insects will stop them eating and ruining our plants.
4 - People of the past ate insects with relish.
5 - People in other countries eat them with relish.
6 - Many highly prized foodstuffs, like oysters, aren’t much different to insects anyway.
7 - They taste good and it’s only cultural prejudice keeping them off the table.
He talks about Romans and Greeks enjoying them, natives of West Africa and Australia, even the French and their snails. He talks about Erasmus Darwin trying some and enjoying them, and of his own culinary experiments. He talks about a very fashionable event where people tried a Chinese meal, which didn’t have insects but did have Bird’s Nest soup - and insects have to be nicer than twigs and bird spit (not to mention the Chinese do have insect and chrysalis meals).
He says woodlice taste like prawns, some caterpillars taste delicious and it’s a mistake that only some snails are edible, they all are and so are slugs.
The best part of the book is where he creates two insectivorous menus. One starts with slug soup, braised beef and caterpillars and ending in gooseberry cream - with sawflies. The second includes curried cockchafers, wireworm sauce, caterpillars as garnish and ends in moths on toast - though whether spread or laid, I don’t know. To make these dishes seem more classy, he gives the same two menus with French names. I can’t say he swayed me (though I have had crickets and they were fine).
This book is one of those joyously bizarre things you come across sometimes and I am putting it in the bedside table of my spare room alongside How to Speak Wookie and Knitting with Dog Hair.
May 20, 2023
Found this book from the Coursera course titled Edible Insects.
It's a quick read and a fun look into the late 1800s. It makes the case that eating insects should be fine and we just new a few trend setters to do it before the masses follow. Talks about other places in the world that eat insects and the like. Also has a bunch of recipes.
It's a quick read and a fun look into the late 1800s. It makes the case that eating insects should be fine and we just new a few trend setters to do it before the masses follow. Talks about other places in the world that eat insects and the like. Also has a bunch of recipes.
January 7, 2023
Funny and interesting and did make insects sound like delicacies, I thought it was good!
August 23, 2025
leuk boekje, helemaal zin om engerlingen te eten.
January 17, 2017
Read that one as I was digging into start-ups working on the future of foods. Turn out they were already thinking about this solution, what is it, 130 years ago?
Good luck to the entrepreneurs working on making us (Occidentals) eat insects. Your vision is noble, but the challenge is just too big if you want my advice. And i'm usually an optimist. Don't be sad, they are plenty other good things to do!
Interesting and cute little book!
Good luck to the entrepreneurs working on making us (Occidentals) eat insects. Your vision is noble, but the challenge is just too big if you want my advice. And i'm usually an optimist. Don't be sad, they are plenty other good things to do!
Interesting and cute little book!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews