Mackerel!

Mackerel.... I don't think so!

Yes, Thai people eat bugs. And, from what I can gather (without actually eating bugs), they are generally fried and seasoned, and delicious. I've seen only one item on the bug cart bigger than this little number, and that is the glossy, black scorpion. (I wish I were kidding.) Deep fried silk worms (think popcorn in worm form) are quite common, but these cronchers (or should I say "crunchers") are not a daily snack. More of a special occasion bug. I hasten to add that my family are not bug eaters, and no one has ever offered me one in a setting where I could not politely decline.

The last time I politely declined was at the neighborhood photo shop. I was picking up our Christmas prints last year, and on the counter for general consumption were a beautiful plate of fresh pineapple and a big bowl of grasshoppers, along with a little side plate for the legs - apparently they stick between the teeth in a terribly unpleasant way.

I had to wait a bit for the prints, as the grasshopper-eating staff were going through my photos one-by-one, passing them around, and chatting amongst themselves. What intrigued them most about our I-might-have-preferred private holiday celebration were a few photos Amnat took of the food. These included a bowl of mashed potatoes (documentary style aerial view) and a dish of stuffing (ditto). Our first Christmas album also includes a roast chicken and a bowl of steamed broccoli.



Thai people LOVE food, and though they prefer their own cuisine (adamantly), they are very curious about what other people eat. As a Westerner, I am often asked, "Can you eat Thai food?" It's a bit of machismo, Asian style. I take it to mean, "Can you take the heat?"

So, while I'm wandering around taking shots of (and shots at) boiled eggs on a stick and "mackerel," my husband is doing the same with my food, in his quiet and respectful Thai way.