Surviving on frogs and snails

Our former housemaid lived in a remote area in the province. The subsist in planting crops and have money only when the crops are harvested and sold. But most of the time, they have no money and what they have is rice only. And for the dish? They gather snails and cook it in different styles - with coconut milk, roasted or fried. On lucky days, they catch frogs and they would have a feast with the frog's legs. I couldn't believe that they lived on such food for countless of days in a year. To me, their ordinary life is already a survival mode to us. Can you imagine eating snails for 3 days in a row? How about frogs for the whole week?

 

Man, that doesn't sound pleasant at all. But, I guess it's considered a delicacy in some places.

 

In a Japanese restaurant, a chef make live frog sashimi. A disturbing meal made with Bullfrogs skinned alive and chopped in pieces. The restaurant in Tokyo's 'Memory Lane' is known for serving unusual dishes such as soft-shelled turtle, pig testicles, snake liquor, grilled salamander, still-beating frog's heart. As you can expect, this fact arose an outrage in the media.

 

It's funny but in certain fine French restaurants people pay a hefty amount to eat frogs legs and escargot. I'm sure that the preparation is different but very often what can be peasant food in one place can be very expensive in another.

 

I've never had frogs or snails, but aren't they generally expensive as food? I think that may be a specific type, but I know escargot and frog legs are delicacies in some parts of the world. I've heard that frog tastes like chicken, or something of the sort. I don't think that's a diet I'd ever want to be on, but if they don't taste too bad, I could imagine eating them regularly. I don't think I would ever want to eat them regularly if I could avoid it though.

 

I personally wouldn't resist on a frogs and snails diet. I wouldn't eat a frog in my life but I have eaten snail before and it's not the worst, but I couldn't eat it everyday for years. It's a rough situation and I know people that have to live in these conditions, it's pretty sad that your former housemaid had to endure this.
@SirJoe I guess people are willing to pay a hefty fee just because those dishes are exclusive, not a lot of people eat them. It's a way of showing their wealth and character, it's stupid.

 

@Corzhens ....Every culture and in this case province, has it's own delicacies. Need I remind you that dogs are eaten a lot in the Philippines. That alone would make most cringe. Snails are actually a delicacy in some parts of the world, and frogs are eaten world wide. Nothing wrong with eating them, it's all about preparation and seasoning.

Philippines is a very small place. Look towards other parts of the globe and you will a see a diverse diet. Durian fruit is considered one of the most foul odored fruits on the planet, but found in the Philippines and eaten all the time. Balut in the Philippines is consumed all the time for protein and it's really cheap. Most parts of the West think it's disgusting.

Also, in regards to your former employee, I don't think knocking them because of what they can afford to eat is very polite. I know most people in the Province can't afford the luxuries of hired help and freshly cooked meals from the local market. Most are poor and need to eat something. In my opinion, they are living off the land and being resourceful. They are true survivors and reflect what this forum is all about, resourcefulness and survivors.

Durian fruit and Balut, half developed duck embryo.

 

@joshposh I agree to what you say especially the kind words for the family of our former housemaid. She is now back to their home and unfortunately has a baby to take care of... without a father. That's why I sent some money to her as a sort of gift. They are planting sugarcane now and the last harvest was pretty good so they are spared from their haunt in the fields.

Durian is the favorite fruit of my husband. He said that it used to have foul odor when he was young that you have to press your nose when eating so you will not lose your appetite. But now most durian sold here in Manila has a mild odor that is not really foul. And with the balut, that is high in cholesterol so my physician had advised me to keep away from it.

 

That is another debate onto it's own. High cholesterol is actually good for you. Your physician is part of the old lectures that the world was lead to believe was the truth. Please watch the video as I do not want to explain this in words. It will give me a headache. But decades ago those that would profit from having everyone think that animal protein is bad for you paid scientist to lie. That lie had infiltrated every university and had become part of curriculum.

Skip to 3:18 of the video.

 

In some places eating frogs and snails is something not new anymore. And like what one of the above poster had said these kind of foods is already considered a delicacy in some places. And we should just give respect if these are the kind of foods that they can afford to eat everyday in order to survive life.

 

I agree 100% with you it is stupid and there is a world of difference being forced to eat something because there is nothing else to eat and eating something that is so over priced that those same people could survive a week on the value of that dish with out having to eat frogs and snails.

 

I do not eat meat right now. it's been three years but I tried both, snails and frogs once and I have to say these are considered to be specialities and although those people live in a harsh reality they actually eat healthy and good food. Even expensive food if you wish. It was delicious as well and coconut oil and herbs just make it better. Survival is a broad term and right now I am surviving. I live in a family of 5 and a dog. We have a 3-year old in our household and we are all out of work right now. We have 50 Euros budget right now. I started to work online but that money will come later. I ate bread and bread for some time. No rice, no frogs no nothing and we are even okay when you look at others. Recently, an old couple starved to death.

 

Really sorry to hear that so what can seem like one persons burden is another persons luxury. I hope things straighten out for you soon.

 

I just hope that the aren't all extinct b the time that we need them to survive on. The serving of frog legs in several countries is causing for many species of frogs to be eaten at an alarming rate. Pretty soon we will be surviving off of poison dart frogs and snails.

 

I'm not surprised, there are even far more bizarre dishes that are considered delicacies that I've heard before, i guess it really depends on the culture and what's available to them, if anything it makes them creative and resourceful for coming up with something we would've never thought possible. If people eats these dishes and they are safe, then i don't see anything wrong. I guess it's not for everyone but i wouldn't knock something i know nothing about.