Existing comment:
In the Market: Meat and More:
Grasshoppers:
Hundreds of species of insects were eaten in what is now Mexico. Toasted grasshoppers were a common food in the in the ancient Aztec market, and are still sold by street vendors in Mexico today.
Dogs:
Domesticated dogs were available for purchase in the market; most were fattened up with avocados and corn and sold for meat, like pigs, cows and lambs are today.
Turkeys:
One of the few animals raised for meat in the Aztec Empire was the turkey. This large bird quickly became very popular in Europe; by 1550, the turkey was the food of choice for Christmas dinner in England. Why was it so popular? One attraction was its huge, feathery tail, which reminded Europeans of the prized peacock -- to which the turkey is related.
Maguey Worms:
Maguey "worms" -- actually moth larvae -- were a delicacy in the Aztec court and are still popular today. |