Pompadour

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Cockchafers.....

I have just been up to shut in the chickens and ducks and became aware of a strange noise. Underneath an oak tree in the garden I could hear a loud drone, which sounded like the noise of bombers in an old war film. On closer examination I noticed loads of May Bugs flying around the tree making this noise.

Of course I rushed back to "Google" the May bug and found out that they are more commonly known as Cock chafers - and that they feed on oak leaves. The larvae are the mysterious white bugs that we often find in flower and vegetable beds.

I also read, and I quote - A 19th century recipe from France for cockchafer soup reads: "roast one pound of cockchafers without wings and legs in sizzling butter, then cook them in a chicken soup, add some veal liver and serve with chives on a toast".

I don't think I will be trying it any time soon!!

11 comments:

  1. Like the recipe I saw for lampreys...I was keen to try them, but the instructions for preparing them put me off competely. Medieval kings would have been safe in my hands, no chance of a surfeit.

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  2. Oh yuk, disgusting, and before I've had my breakfast too! Roz I don't think the one I found was a may bug because it didn't have any legs and was completely white except for a light brown head. I'll keep googling.

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  3. Oh, well maybe it was and I just didn't notice the legs.

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  4. Jan, have a look at the grub on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockchafer and Helen - Lampreys, it's back to google I go!!

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  5. I just wikipedia'd Lampreys and yes, they look disgusting - best used as bait to catch something more attractive to eat I would say!!

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  6. I have to admit that I don't think my palate would appreciate this recipe. I always say I eat anything, but I have just realised that maybe it is not quite true...... Diane Strange that we have both done a blog on bugs the same day!

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  7. Fried locusts are pretty good, though I agree these do look fairly disgusting.

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  8. Think they would make a terrific bait for fishing.

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  9. Neil feeds them to the chickens!!

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  10. Roz, here we can buy Natural Honey from the supermarkets, it's very freely available. This is the company website http://www.thecolomergroup.com/asp/marcas_base.asp?id_subapartado=1232&idioma=2&pos=1
    if it's any help, but I'm sure you should be able to get it in France.

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