Exploring two of the world's greatest luxuries
In support of our upcoming event as part of the Cambridge Science Festival we recently did a spot on a local radio station, Cambridge 105. It’s now available as a podcast on the web, and you can listen (mostly to Charlotte) here. Stay tuned for more!
We’ve been busy behind the scenes of late. One of the things we’ve been busy with has been talking to various people from the media. In doing so, it occurred to me (Chris) that we never explicitly explained the origin of this site and project, or its goals. So, here they are:
Insects and Wine is a collaboration between Charlotte Payne (Insects, Dept. of Zoology, University of Cambridge) and Chris Kaplonski (wine, Anthroenology). Charlotte and Chris met at a conference on sustainability and food, and realised that what the world was missing was a chance to bring two of its greatest luxuries, insects and wine, together for people. They promptly stepped up to fill the void.
Apart from a love of delicious insects and good wine, both Charlotte and Chris have a keen interest in issues of sustainability in the realm of food and drink. Ultimately, that’s the point of Insects & Wine, and the tastings they run: not only to get people to try and hopefully enjoy a new food, but to think about issues of sustainability. What do we mean when we say a food is ‘sustainable’? What do we need to do to encourage people to eat and drink more sustainably?
I&W aims where possible not just to introduce people to insects as food, but also to sustainably-produced wines. This can often include exposing people to types of wines (low-intervention, orange) that they may not have tried before. These may well taste unlike the wines they are used to. And that’s another goal of the collaboration: not only to introduce people to new ways of eating and drinking, but to think about how sustainability is linked to the sensory aspects of food and drink. Sustainable wines can taste ‘funky’ (and yes, that’s the word used) and insects can have a ‘yuck’ factor for many people. So, how do we address and overcome these stumbling points on the way to eating and drinking more sustainably?
Our approach is to guide people through the stories behind the food and drink. Many sustainable wines are produced using traditional, artisanal methods, and the production of new wine is a celebrated event. Similarly, many insects are collected and prepared by people who look forward to the harvest season and are proud of the deliciousness of their traditional cuisine. Understanding these stories can help us to challenge and break down our own prejudices, and in doing so, appreciate the flavours of both insects and wine.
At our events, we hope to get you to think more broadly about what you eat and drink, and to have a good time while doing so.
If you are interested in having us holding a tasting for you, contact us at info [at] insectsandwine.com