Casu Marzu - Italian cheese that contains live insect larvae

We are Italian. Why remarking this fact? In Italy the concept of entomophagy is light years away from our cultures and culinary traditions. The huge variety of dishes, spices and recipes known all over the world has never left space (apart from sporadic exceptions that we will analyze later) for insects designed as food. Quite the opposite despite what we are trying to build!! The idea that something that has always been thrown out of homes can turn into nourishment repels most Italians and at best is not considered at all. The question therefore arises spontaneously, what prompted us to sell, but above all to try firsthand and insert in our diets something so different from our habits? We will explain but a concept must be highlighted, the awareness. Giving food for granted without questioning its provenance and sustainability is naive and dangerous especially for our health. Various surveys confirm that in 2050 we will be 9.8 billion against the current 7 billion..

Delicious. Today me and Beatrice had a sports day. We woke up, went running and later on, swimming. This was hard but would have been harder without the POWER of the Eatgrub cricket bars. This was really good and tasty. The bars is a full upgrade of proteins!!! The taste is like eating a normal chocolate bar. Eyes shut, feeling is to taste almonds with very strong cacao. The second bite obliges you to ask for a fresh glass of water because the density of the bar is amazing. In 36grams you can find all proprieties you need to restore your body from a full sports day. Once you chew it you have the felling eating small bits of ----fruit dipped into chocolate. We didn’t find difficult to eat more than one bar. Once you start, you wold wish to go on eating thanks to their sweet taste. We bought many of them of different flavours, we’ll come up to you all with our feelings. In September we are planning to go to Santiago de Campostela Pilgrimage, we’re sure to bring many of those bars. Chopped Dates (18.9%), Sultanas (18.9%), Coconut (15.1%), Gluten Free Oatbran (9.1%), Cricket Protein Powder (8.7%), Sunflower Seeds (6.3%), Cacao Powder (5.5%), Water (5.0%), Vegetable Glycerine (4.7%), Cacao Nibs (3.9%), Cacao Butter (3.8%)

Marcel Dicke , a dutch entomologist who teach in Wageningen University, said during Ted talk (link above) that everyone is eating insect every day , reaching up to 500 grams a year. But, how is possible? Well, we have to consider some facts about "normal" food we eat every day. First of all, did you know that every food, before consumption, must meet certain requirements ? Not only for quality and freshness, but also in terms of presence of insects. Take a look at the stats about the quantity of insects allowed in food (Agency of food): Chocolate - 60 insects component / 100 grams Peanut butter - 30 insects part / 100 grams Fruit juice in cans - 5 fruitfly eggs and 1 - 2 larvae / 250 ml Wheat flower - 75 insects parts / 50 grams Noodles - 225 insects parts / 225 grams What about surimi steaks, pink cookies or.. Campari ? A lot of food products with red color are dyed with a natural dye, called Cochineal , that is made from an insect that lives on cactus ( E120 remember you something? ) and it's very precious, about 30 € per gram ! The real problem is getting used to eating insects because, as you see, you're already eating them. Give a chance to edible insects.

Our first big challenge! Let's try "Alphitobius Diaperinus", better known as Buffalo's worm. Made by Jimini's, we treat this deliciousness as a starter, perfect with a good glass of wine . The packaging is very practical and essential. A cardboard box with a single hatch where it's possible to glimpse buffalo's worm.

Another Jimini's amazing product! Packaging The packaging is quite similar to Buffalo worm (check out our review about Buffalo worm HERE !), the predominant colour of the box is red . We love that box, it's about right dimension to hold it in a hand and it's really inviting. We find interesting, as in buffalo worm box, that the box has only one single hatch to see the product. Maybe it's better for those who is not used to eat insect to not see clearly the product. As the box says " Don't be shy, take a honest pinch! ", let's going on and let's reflect on the flavor . Taste Cricket flavored with BBQ and smoked onion are AMAZING. They taste very good and we sincerely prefered them to buffalo worms. They have a crunchy texture that remember rice puffs and smoked onion it's the perfect accompaniment to BBQ sauce. They dries the mouth out so we advice to match them with a light white wine. Nutritional information:

Second pack are Buffalo's (Alphitobius diaperinus); excellent source of high quality nutrients. These insects contain a high concentration of proteins (all nine essential amino acids) and are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and antioxidants. All the products are completely non-GMO and 100% free of sugar and lactos. Furthermore, the insects are completely chemicals, antibiotics and hormones free. Farmed and produced in Europe. In order to preserve the quality of the buffalo's, please store them in a cool and dark place. How to use: these insects are ideal as a natural protein-rich addition in various dishes or (as protein powder) can serve as basis in food preparation. Allergy advice: gluten ; if you are allergic to shellfish, you may be allergic to insects as well.

1 - Food And Water Insects need less food and water than other well-known species as porks or cows. For example crickets consume 1 -2 KG of food and much, much less water to grown. Porks takes 5 KG of feed to produce 0,5 KG of beef. 2 - Less gas 3 KG of greenhouse gases are produced by cows, according to U.N. report . Most species of bugs, produce almost none of methane and ammonia contained in cow's rumps. 3 - Space "Microfarm" is the proper word to describe the space that need insects to grown. In developing country, where resources are scarce, also in terms of space, it could be a sustainable way to produce food. 4 - Nutrients Clean proteins, calcium, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins. Most species of bug count a large amount of essential nutrients we all need. 5 - Tasty  Insects are tasty, deal with it. Maybe you'll need to try something (as every food) to find your best. It's time to start eating edible insects!

Edible insects are not a Vegan choice, but why don't try? Insects are a sustaianble eating choice and are a good help in order to move from animal to vegan. “We used to think of health as a diet—some worked for us, some didn’t. Once we looked at health as the truth, instead of a diet, it became a mission for us to share that truth and lifestyle with as many people as possible.” Both artists are using their influence to promote the benefits of veganism throughout the month of January, otherwise known as Veganuary -- an annual challenge that sees many people attempting to follow a plant-based diet throughout the month of January. “We all have a responsibility to stand up for our health and the health of the planet. Let’s take this stand together. Let’s spread the truth. Let’s make this mission a movement. Let’s become 'the Greenprint,'” they added. Beyoncé announced her lifestyle change back in March 2018 by posting a photo on Instagram with the caption "44 days until Coachella!! Vegan Time!!" as she followed a vegan diet formulated by the 22 Days Nutrition meal planner; a program she co-founded alongside her husband Jay-Z and Borges. If you're not sold on it quite just yet, Beyoncé has a few words to inspire you: "If I can do it, anyone can..all you have to do is try," she states. At least the vegan choice is a very hard matter, why don't make some steps between and try oue EDIBLE INSECTS??????? :)

Here is a short outlook about laws regarding edible insects. We foucus ourselfes on ITALY. Now a days, Italy, has a tolerance close to zero, slowly changing. Germany has become very tolerant in 2018 and some bug products are in supermarkets since then. The European Commission (EC) has developed an e-submission system for Novel Food applications. The timeframe in an hypothetical “ standard” case (where no additional information is requested) should be as follow: – 1 month (European Commission, for a formal check) – 30 working days (at the Food Authority, if a technical preliminary verification is needed) – 9 months (at the Food Authority, for validation of all the data) – 7 months (at the European Commission, for the draft implementing act) TOTAL: 1 year and a half. This timeframe is hypothetical. The new Novel Food law is in place since January 2018, as of December 2018 no insect applications has made it to the final phase, so there are no precedents to refer to in terms of timeline. Once a species is approved, all the products containing it can be marketed in all the EU country. In other words, once the food (for example, the house cricket) is approved, it is for everyone’s benefit, including the producers and importers.