South By Southwest offers a variety of foods for attendees to expand their taste buds, but something they might not be expecting is to eat insects. They’ll get the chance to do so at the SouthBites panel “Food of the Americas: Dishes from our Ancestors.”
Eating bugs is something we probably associate with “Fear Factor,” but before you get grossed out by the concept, Diego Galicia, owner of Mixtli restaurant in San Antonio, wants you to consider a few things.
Mixtli is a Mexican restaurant, but not one where you find tacos and tostadas.
A photo posted by Mixtli (@mixtlicloud) on
“We try to get people to understand that Mexican food doesn’t fall under one group,” Galicia says. “Every region uses different ingredients, there’s different altitudes, different everything.”
There are different landscapes to Mexico, he says. Some are coastal, others are desert or mountains. Naturally there are different food locales.
And one major ingredient in many of those locales’ traditional food is – you guessed it – bugs.
Before the Spanish came to Mexico in 1519, the big proteins we eat today – cows, chicken and products like butter – did not exist in the Americas. Aside from some small game and venison, natives thrived on primarily plant- and insect-based diets, Galicia said.
“We have grasshoppers on the menu,” he said. “They’re not gross or disgusting. They’re actually pretty good. They have their own taste. So we’re going to talk a lot about that (in the panel). A world without big proteins.”
Insects are still a large part of some regions’ diets, including Mexico, Cambodia, Thailand and South America.
“(Mexican) food here – it’s absurd. It’s an abomination,” Galicia said.
Staying true to his heritage, Galicia said it was natural for him to add insects to his menu.
Mixtli is unique in several ways aside from the food. It has an online ticketing system where patrons pay ahead of time for the 10-course meal, served at 7 p.m. The menu changes every six weeks to reflect a different region of Mexico.
Galicia says they try to make each menu exciting and innovative, from preparation to plating.
So is it difficult to get people to eat insects? He says it’s easier than he expected.
“A few menus ago we had ant eggs on the menu,” said Galicia. “People were pretty taken aback because that sounds gross. Then they try them and they realize they’re actually really delicious. They’re buttery and really good.”
But Galicia doesn’t expect to change anyone’s eating habits. The insects are hard to find and, of course, Texans aren’t inclined to give up barbeque anytime soon.
Instead, he wants to educate.
“For a long time people ate these things. And even the world right now people thrive on insects,” he said. “I want people to understand that that’s nourishment for somebody else.”
At the panel, Galicia says they will have grasshoppers, ants and scorpions, among other insects for visitors to try.
“Be respectful, be open-minded and you’d be surprised how delicious they are,” Galicia said. “They’re animals, they’re not something weird.”
When and Where:
2- 3PM
Old School Bar
401 E 6th St
Find out more: Food of the Americas: Dishes from Our Ancestors