Comments on: About Us

By: val

val — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 06:12:54 +0000

Thank you, Ericka, I’m glad you enjoy it. Feel free to leave comments – I love a good discussion!

By: Ericka

Ericka — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 05:47:05 +0000

Love your blog! Great resource. I’m looking forward to your posts.

By: val

val — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:40:04 +0000

Let me know where you can get the crickets – another reason to love Austin!

By: Belle

Belle — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:42:53 +0000

Hi there, I finally got around to looking at the website. Sounds a lot like someone I know. I looked at the menu at Kirby last time I was there and they no longer have Irish Nachos. But I hear Austin has some great chocolate covered crickets.

By: Sarah al-Hamad

Sarah al-Hamad — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:23:58 +0000

Hi Valentino, just wanted to say I really enjoyed your pieces on the Coachella Valley dating scene – very informative… and funny! I’m originally from the Arabian gulf where we eat lots of dates; I’m intrigued by the US varieties and planning a trip to California soon to sample and see for myself … and will be sure to pass by Shields for that steamy flick. Muchas gracias!

Sarah

By: val

val — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:03:36 +0000

Cool, George! A job where I get to duck responsibility…

By: George Van Winkle

George Van Winkle — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:29:16 +0000

Hey Val,

You could be the new, more tasteful Gilbert Gotfried! (and get paid to do it)

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/03/18/are-you-quacked-up-to-be-the-next-aflac-duck-video/?icid=maing|main5|dl9|sec3_lnk1|50620

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 14:44:03 +0000

I’m in the Evergreen State, Redmond (east of Seattle) to be precise. Thanks for the excellent suggestions! I looked into Oaxacan restaurants in our area, and found this: http://lacartadeoaxaca.com/index.html. I didn’t see chapulines in the menu though, but edible.com has a huge selection. Nice! Here I go with entomophagy…

By: val

val — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 07:13:22 +0000

I’m glad you enjoyed your visit, Michelle. I’m not sure what area you live in, but you can certainly get chapulines at many Oaxacan restaurants, including Gueleguetza in Los Angeles (where I ate the ones in the article). Stir-fired crickets are really tasty and you can get them online from reptile supply stores, or in more human-freindly packaging from edible.com.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:28:14 +0000

When I searched for “where to buy chapulines”, your post “hormigas culonas” turned up as one of the results. I couldn’t pass it up so I read the post, then explored your blog, and then fell in love… with your writing and adventures, that is. Glad to have discovered your blog! Consider me a new fan.

By: val

val — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:06:27 +0000

Well, you’re to be commended for the preparation. As I recently discovered the hard way with a non-eviscerated pigeon, cleaning an animal can be the worst part.

By: Donna

Donna — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:57:59 +0000

Sorry, I recently thought of looking up your site up again. I pounded that dead bobcat and breaded it with Italian seasonings, hot pepper sauce and fried it in oil. I wouldn’t touch it as I was picking hair off it while cleaning it and just couldn’t bring myself to taste it.

By: val

val — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:30:31 +0000

Well, Jeff, I found snakehead at Hawaii Supermarket in San Gabriel, California, but because they’re so eel-like, they’d be difficult to stuff with anything. All we can hope is that they stuffed themselves with small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish before their demise.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:06:26 +0000

Umm, snakehead? I want to see snakehead stuffed with a land animal, stuffed with a sea animal (since it can walk and swim)

By: val

val — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:35:02 +0000

Donna, your post intrigues me – you have to tell me:
a. How did you prepare the bobcat?
b. How did it taste?
Unfortunately this is going to result in a pun, but the things I’ve eaten are tame compared to bobcat…

By: Donna

Donna — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:17:03 +0000

It looks like life has treated you to a lot of fun. I will tell you the craziest thing I ever cooked – Bobcat! I made it while in California for a bunch of rich hunters in the late 70′s for Safari Club International. After the dinner everyone came to the kitchen and complimented my cooking. I wish you luck on your new endeavor.

By: val

val — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:17:02 +0000

Life imitates art, and truth is stranger than fiction – the Chapulines a la Mexicana at Guelaguetza in Los Angeles is as close to grasshopper nachos as you can get…

By: val

val — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:07:34 +0000

Glad you enjoy the stories! I’ve graduated from loaded nachos to Irish nachos (at Kirby Lane in Austin, Texas they substitute home fries for the tortilla chips – mighty tasty). I just hope I can find a place that has decent grasshopper nachos

By: Wendy

Wendy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:13:55 +0000

Fun blog, Tino (you’ll always be “Tino” to me–sorry!) Looks like you’ve come a long way from loaded nachos at Matt Garrett’s! Who knew you had such a taste for the exotic?

By: val

val — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:59:25 +0000

Bill, I was a little confused – were you referring to your comment? There are several others posted on the individual blog entries, but all comments are welcome!

By: val

val — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:58:51 +0000

In a way it’s an old career that I get to share with others. I’ve always loved travel, especially when visiting unusual sites or trying unique food. The blog gives me the opportunity to share those experiences. I hope you enjoy it – please let me know what you think.

By: Bill Forrest

Bill Forrest — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:47:38 +0000

PS:

Was that your first comment?

By: Bill Forrest

Bill Forrest — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:39:39 +0000

Nicely done, Val! It looks like it must have taken a lot of work. Is this the start of a new career for you?

-Bill Forrest