Thursday, September 6, 2012

Tacos And Grasshoppers

The hot peppers I showed you in my last post were from the garden out back. I neglected to add that information in the post. The first thing I made from them was tacos. I didn't just make the American kind you get out of a packet though. I made the kind of tacos you get at good Mexican restaurants. That's what I call good food.

I only used to milder chilis for the tacos. I'll save the hotter ones for some good salsa or something similar. I've never made tacos like this before, and I was lucky enough to get it right the very first time. Maybe I'll try enchiladas next.

So by now I guess you're wondering just what that has to do with the grasshoppers in my pictures today. Well, I ground them up to make the taco meat... Just kidding! These pictures have nothing to do with my taco story, but I'm getting to the subject of them now.

These two grasshoppers are really the same one. I found it hopping around on the road by my house. I took the time to get these kind of bad pictures of it, hoping they would turn out better. This grasshopper was the only critter I saw out there that day. Actually, there were more grasshoppers, but this one was ther only one that was kind enough to stop and let me take my pictures of it.

I'm going to try to focus a little bit on plants in the future, but I'm never sure what to write about them. I don't really know much about plants, and the internet isn't much help with trying to learn. I've bought books in the past, but the ones I've tried never give enough information to help either.

Maybe I'll give the internet another try. It's possible I've just never found the right places to look. Flowers can sometimes lead to information, but there aren't many flowering plants around here. Maybe searching for plant information will be my next big internet project. What do you think?

31 comments:

  1. I was really hoping you HAD made grasshopper tacos - I bet that would be yummy! Very kitty-friendly fare.

    I'm afraid I don't know any more about plants and doing searches on them than you do. Except for catnip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would have tried the grasshoppers in tacos, but I'm afraid only my dog might have appreciated them.

      I'll begin learning a little at a time about plants, and then maybe I can pass some of that knowledge along.

      Delete
  2. these wild life creatures do look wonderfully from my office. Great photos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's always good to see a little bit of nature when we are indoors for a long time.

      Delete
  3. Beautiful photographs, unusual views. I am greeting

    ReplyDelete
  4. Grasshoppers are looking good and great photography....

    ReplyDelete
  5. I took many pictures of grasshopper.

    They were handsome critters.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like a great project, Ratty. I agree, some type after a search, I get more confused!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm just beginning my search for plant knowledge and I'm already learning more than my past attempts.

      Delete
  7. you had me worried there for a second. I thought you really did make the tacos with grasshoppers....lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're all lucky I only got close enough to one of those little critters. Besides, beef tastes much better.

      Delete
  8. We are one of the few cultures who don't include insects in our diet

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah. If I lived in a more southern country from here, I may have been serious. I know they eat roasted grasshoppers for snacks in some places.

      Delete
  9. love how the light is hitting the grasshopper in the 2nd photo, I do not know how to make really good tacos :( maybe I should try harder since I love tacos :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Making good authentic tacos is actually much easier than I ever thought before.

      Delete
  10. You did great to get those pictures of the grasshoppers Ratty. I can always here them when I'm out but finding them is another story altogether.

    I'm glad you used some of the chillis in a meal...I love chillis, they are great sliced up with cheese and then melted over jacket potatoes.


    I think it would be great for you to look into plants more, I'm sure you have some plants to show me that i don't see growing in England...and maybe some of your readers can help with information about them??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope I have enough time before winter to really explore my new quest for knowledge with these plants. This will also give me a chance to work on my photography.

      Delete
  11. Nothing like a good home-made taco with fresh chili peppers.

    And with regard to plants, something I know a little about, there is much information on the net but its not all in one place. And some of it is technically written. Try focusing on a topic with regards to a particular plant like "Ecology of Milkweed" or "Symbiosis between trees and soil fungus". Anything you can think of, just be specific.

    Good post Ratty!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good advise on the plants. I've decided to learn about a particular feature of the plants to start out, the shape of the stems.

      Delete
  12. I should learn the differences between some of the hoppers. Plants, I'm good with. There's a learning curve for recognizing different families, then that helps a lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope I can begin learning a little at a time about plants. I'm going to take it slow and easy so I don't get overwhelmed

      Delete
  13. I was hoping to find a recipe for grasshopper tacos with the hot chili's. Oh well . . . :) We came up short on jalapeños when making salsa. I added a generous shot of Blair's After Death sauce. Perfect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure there is a real recipe for grasshopper tacos somewhere. I looked at the website for Blair's After Death sauce. It looks very interesting. I might just have to order some.

      Delete
  14. You are too funny, Ratty, and I always enjoy your photos and commentary. The internet is such a great resource, you just haven't found the right spot for your plant education!!

    Grasshopper tacos wouldn't surprise me. When I used to go to Puerto Vallarta, my friend there would take me out for tacos and tell me they were iguana tacos. That always made me cringe though I have eaten alligator and snake and some other weird things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll find a few good places to learn about these plants one of these times.

      I know that in some places in that area they do indeed eat roasted grasshoppers.

      Delete
  15. Hobbes says to tell you that grasshoppers are actually very yummy! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll take Hobbes' word for it. My dog Isabella doesn't like them very much though.

      Delete