Week of events planned around 34th annual Bug Buffet
from MSU News Service
Montana State University’s 34th annual Bug Buffet will include a week of events and activities exploring the history of edible insects across western North America and their relation to Indigenous cuisine.
Events will begin with the Bug Buffet itself on Monday, Feb. 28, from noon to 5 p.m. in the Strand Union Building, Ballroom A. President Waded Cruzado will offer welcoming remarks at 1 p.m.
At 6:30 p.m., chef Sean Sherman, founder and CEO of The Sioux Chef, a company promoting Indigenous cuisine, will speak in Inspiration Hall in Norm Asbjornson Hall. Sherman also owns Owamni, an Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
All events are free and open to the public. Individuals with allergies should be aware edible insects can trigger shellfish allergies.
This year’s Bug Buffet menu will include:
- Pumpkin bread with cricket or mealworm powder.
- Salsa with scorpions (spicy preparation).
- Salsa with chapulines (mild preparation).
- Tamales with black ants.
- Wild rice, juniper berry sauce, cedar-braised chapulines.
- Pemmican with sunflower seeds and chapulines.
- Grasshoppers fried in a marinade.
- Native American cookie (gluten-free, maize base with cricket powder).
Additional Bug Buffet week events include:
- Tuesday, March 1 – Jeff Tomberlin, who helps lead the Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming at Texas A&M University, will speak about insect farming and circular agriculture at 4 p.m. in the Plant Biosciences Building, Room 108.
- Wednesday, March 2 — There will be a screening of the PBS NOVA documentary “Edible Insects” in the Procrastinator Theater at 1 p.m. Insect snacks will be available.
- Thursday, March 3 — Presentations and workshops will be held in the American Indian Hall Great Room by anthropologist Mark Q. Sutton from the University of San Diego; Brian Yazzie, a chef at Owamni in Minneapolis; chef Kay Ann Miller; Jill Flores, MSU executive chef for Culinary Services; and Tomberlin. Walter Fleming, head of the Department of Native American Studies, will provide welcoming remarks. Also, MSU’s dining halls will serve insect dishes based on Indigenous recipes.
- Saturday, March 5 – The student bug cuisine cook-off will be held in the Hannon Hall teaching kitchen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
Sponsors for the week include: The Office of the President; the College of Agriculture; the College of Education, Health and Human Development; the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship ; the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering; the Growing and Sustaining Pathways in Agriculture for Tribal Students project; the Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming; Peak Protein LLC; an anonymous donor for the Sean Sherman event; and the family of the late Robert Fellenz.
More information on the Bug Buffet and the week’s events can be found at montana.edu/ehhd/thebugbuffet.html. •
