The Joy of Cooking Invasive Species
March 27, 2014 | Modern Farmer | By Brian Barth
In Louisiana, Chef Philippe Parola spreads the word on the culinary qualities of invasives through a relentless campaign of public appearances and cooking demonstrations. A Frenchman, Parola comes from a culture of open-minded eaters. In his childhood, wild boar, rabbit and escargot were common fare.
As an enterprising young chef in Baton Rouge, he took it upon himself to expand the culture of food in America, while combatting invasive species at the same time. He spoke to me with glee about eating nutria, a semi-aquatic rodent introduced from South America as a fur-bearing game species in the 1930s.
“The best red meat you’ve ever had,” he says in an undeniably charismatic French accent.
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