Bee Larvae and Dog Meat

As I write, it is 0045 in the morning. 1145, 15 minutes before noon in North Carolina. The seven of us have just returned from an evening meal of traditional Korean food after which we all went to a bar to try Korean vodka with a variety of appetizers including lightly sauteed larvae from a bee of some kind, I think? Our two Korean hosts, Gil and Thomas, 24 and 31 respectively ordered for us from the menu from both places. Their Korean names I can not even begin to say as they said it. They also gave their given English names as well. About half of the Koreans I have met here will tell me their name in Korean then they will tell me their given name in English. I wonder if they have a given name in English for those who are not of Korean descent in order to make it easier for us to remember. The majority of the group were very hesitant to even taste the Korean delicacy of bee larvae. I will try anything, especially if washed down with Korean vodka. The larvae had a consistency of a once hardened shell softened by being lightly sauteed with an inner consistency of liver mush which oozed out of the soft shell upon the first bite. I thought the larvae appetizer was tasty as I ate a few more tiny morsels through the evening conversations. Thomas, our remaining host at the second location did not try any saying he was not fond of them but wanted us foreigners to have the chance to try something out of the ordinary to US custom. Here are some interesting things I found out about dog meat. According to the National Assembly of South Korea, more than 20,000 restaurants, including the 6484 registered restaurants, served soups made from dog meat in Korea in 1998. Dog meat is often consumed during the summer months and is either roasted or prepared in soups or stews. In North Koreain early 2010, the government included dog meat in its new list of one hundred fixed prices, setting a fixed price of 500 won per kilogram. That`s about 45 cents per 2.2 pounds of dog meat. In contemporary times, some cultures view the consumption of dog meat to be a part of their traditional cuisine, while others consider consumption of dog to be inappropriate and offensive. In response to criticisms, proponents of dog meat have argued that distinctions between livestock and pets is subjective, and that there is no difference with eating the meat of different animals, while countering that those critical of dog meat consumption are guilty of cultural supremacy, if not racism. During teleconferencing and casual conversation about odd Korean foods before we all met one another in Chicago, the conversation once led to the personal consumption of the meat form a dog which can be found and is somewhat common here in Korea. After eating the larvae, I brought up the subject again at the dinner table as all but two of us said they would never consume what we here in the United States consider a pet. Our remaining host whose English is slow but understandable said he would never eat dog meat as the dogs which are raised here for restaurant consumption are not treated in the best manner of factory farmed animals although there are many establishments throughout the country which serve dog from the menu. If the opportunity arises, I am sure I will try it. Earlier in the day, Gustavo and I took a taxi to the city center with a goal in mind to walk indirectly back to the University, a distance of about 3 miles as the crow flies. As we meandered through the central shopping district including a shopping mall about 10 stories high, we say many karaoke bars, night clubs and entertainment venues which would open later in the evening. These establishments were mixed with the daytime street vendors selling a wide variety of things from clothing to fresh live seafood sold street side.