When in Rome, amiright?
A delicacy in Southern Africa is the mopane worm. They come from the mopane tree, which is known for its durable wood used for furniture. Mopane worms are thicker and shorter than the pink worms you might be picturing.
Before I left for study abroad, I told myself that I would be willing to try new foods. Throughout my 4 months of living in Namibia, I tried pap, which is an African staple made from mealie meal that is eaten with meat or turned into a porridge and various types of meat- ostrich, springbok, kudu, impala. Lots of yummy new foods. The one that really catches people attention though was my tasting of the infamous mopane worm. I went with a few of my housemates to the local Heritage Market. There was a week long celebration of Namibian Heritage with various events. At the market, I had pap, lamb, and other side dishes. While waiting in line to order a smoothie, the lady in front of me offered me a mopane worm. I'm not sure if I had been staring at her food, but I graciously accepted one. I had heard about the delicacy and was planning to try one, but maybe did not need a full serving. Biting into a worm was not something I have done before. It was a weird sensation with the small body squishing in my mouth. I did not love the taste, but I also did not want to make faces in front of the kind lady. Although it was not to my taste, I understand the appeal. I could tell that it was packed with protein and when I tried one later in the trip, I found that with the right spices, the flavor really improved!
