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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: Thomas Grizzle <griz AT mindspring.com>, ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Edible Honey Bees
  • Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:26:27 -0400

Tom,

Section 8.3.3 of the FAO book "Value Added Products from Beekeeping" talks about how other cultures highly value drone larvae as food. For example, it says, "In China and Japan, drone larvae are canned for export or, after being covered in chocolate, become a sweet treat. Bee brood is regularly sold alongside honey in markets in many parts of Asia."

I've tried raw drone larvae and to me, it tasted a little like chestnuts. Other people have told me that it tastes a bit like corn to them. I haven't yet tried cooking them up, but they would undoubtedly be delicious. That's the primary reason bears raid bee hives --- not for the honey but for the larvae.

BugFest at the Natural History Museum in Raleigh is September 15th this year. Cafe' Insecta is a major part of what they do. Maybe they can offer some recipes. Your recipe doesn't appeal to me --- I don't like tomatoes or mayonnaise!

Randall Austin

On 4/11/2012 6:19 PM, Thomas Grizzle wrote:

Hi everyone,

 

A question for you adventuresome eaters, has anyone ever eaten honey bees?   I know they are edible and supposedly the stinger and poison are rendered harmless by cooking.  I cannot, however, find any recipes.  I did find this bee larvae recipe…

 

Bee-LT Sandwich
Ingredients:
-Bee larvae
-1 egg white
-1 tsp butter
-1/4 tsp honey
-1 tomato
-1 leaf lettuce
-2 slices of bread
-1 tbsp mayonnaise
-1 pinch salt
Sautee the bee larvae in the butter, with a tiny bit of salt and a few drops of honey. Once larvae become golden brown and crispy-looking, remove, and mix into enough egg white to cover and bind them into a mass. Then return them to the sautee butter, pressing them together into a patty.
Toast bread, and slice tomato. Spread mayonnaise on toasted bread when ready. When bee patty becomes firm, place it atop the lettuce and tomato on the sandwich. Enjoy!

 

Tom



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