Marc West chows down on insect life at a sustainable meal with an acquired taste

A wander along Cowley Road offers the most cosmopolitan selection of cuisine you could possibly hope for – from Jamaican patties and Indian curry to Cypriot moussaka and Spanish tapas.

However, I wonder how many of East Oxford's multicultural residents regularly sit down to a plate of …insects – let alone having ever even tried them.

My guess is that for the majority – even OX4’s most liberal locals – this might just be a stretch too far. until now.

More than 24,000 species of these tiny creatures have been identified in the UK alone, and they live across almost every habitat, including your own back garden. So, potentially there’s a ready source of sustenance right on your doorstep that you’ve never known about.

It’s not only celebrities in the jungle who chow down on this six-legged species. Insects are a healthy food, and that’s why a third of the world’s population already consumes insects as part of their regular diet. In fact, these abundant creatures could be a protein-packed and environmentally-friendly answer to the question of how we are going to feed the nine billion people who will inhabit planet Earth by 2050.

Now, I positively hate all kind of creepy crawlies and would normally be screaming to “get me out of here”, but for this particular bush tucker type trial I was hungry and ready to grab some grub(s). Apparently, tarantulas are best served toasted (like marshmallows) and taste a bit like …no, not chicken, but crab. Thankfully these mini monsters weren’t on today’s menu, but we could look forward to tasting an experimental platter that would delight even the most discerning of diners. Heston eat your heart out!

Hitting the palate somewhere between popcorn and pork scratchings, Pinocchio’s wise partner can be an acquired taste. However, smothered in smooth chocolate Jiminy Cricket becomes a surprisingly moreish fine dining delicacy that Bear Grylls would eat for breakfast (literally). Today’s specials include calcium-rich banana wormbread, iron-infused ant truffles and low-carb cricket cookies – which we all try our hands at making to take home and tempt our families into joining the entomophagy revolution!

If you too fancy joining a Bug’s Life-style Bake Off, Science Oxford is hosting another interactive event (for big kids only this time) at the Story Museum on June 21, from 7.30pm. To celebrate the Royal Entomological Society’s biennial National Insect Week, the evening will roll out some Roald Dahl-inspired revolting recipes that will explore the future of food.

Tickets priced £10 are available now from scienceoxford.com.