Taiada Silvania is a unique cheese made by a single producer in Sao Paulo's Caçapava municipality, who thought mixing milk with native leafcutter ants would be a great idea. Camila Almeida, the owner and founder of
Have you eaten them and did you enjoy the taste and texture?
I’ve eaten ants before, but just the little guys. The size of these things, the tactile experience of biting into an abdomen, would give me hesitation.
It’s on my bucket list. They are usually fried with manioc flour and seasonings, served as a side dish. I’ve tried something similar that used bacon instead of ants, it’s delicious. The flour becomes crunchy itself, so I imagine the ants would not feel out of place.
I can confirm içá ants (specifically their butts) are eaten toasted or fried in several places in Brazil, most notably in the Amazon region.
Have you eaten them and did you enjoy the taste and texture?
I’ve eaten ants before, but just the little guys. The size of these things, the tactile experience of biting into an abdomen, would give me hesitation.
It’s on my bucket list. They are usually fried with manioc flour and seasonings, served as a side dish. I’ve tried something similar that used bacon instead of ants, it’s delicious. The flour becomes crunchy itself, so I imagine the ants would not feel out of place.