I replied to the effect that I wouldn't have wasted it. I would have just removed the earwig, but several readers agreed wholeheartedly with her and said they would have chucked it out too.
Well, I know I am probably one of only a few bloggers who were born during the Second World War and food rationing didn't finish until I was 10 years old, so I feel I was definitely influenced by the "waste not, want not" attitude of the era.
The majority of you are probably young enough to be my children & some of you my grandchildren, but that doesn't matter! I like friends of all ages. I do believe though, that many of you have been brought up in a more affluent environment than I was.
However, this has got me thinking what would have to be found in a stir fry to make me throw it out!
Any human bits, finger nails etc., would send me straight to the bin! As would hairs that looked totally unfamiliar!
Bluebottles & houseflies ............ straight to the bin!
Also mouse, or droppings ... Heaven forbid!
Spider, crane fly or similar inoffensive creature ............. probably not!
Bee, wasp or moth.......... no!
Caterpillar ........ mmmhh - not sure, a bit squeamish!
I would hope that the frying on high heat would sterilize germs, if there were any.
Anyway, don't the Australian Aborigines eat wichety grubs live? I have seen them doing this on travel documentaries. Well, I couldn't do that, dead or alive.
Now if I found only half an earwig in my stir fry, I would definitely look carefully for the other half, as I certainly wouldn't want to crunch down on the remainder!
So may be I discriminate between certain types of creature. Some seem more dirty than others. I really don't know.
So come on, would you throw good food out because of an earwig? If not, what WOULD make you chuck away your dinner?
