Florida Is 5th Best State To Try Edible Insects And Wildlife Cuisine

The Sunshine State ranks high (and low) on many lists. But some are more esteemed than others. Take for instance this one. Florida is 5th best state to try edible insects and wildlife cuisine. Who knew?

So that cucaracha (cockroach) crawling up your wall...eewwwww. Maybe not that one. However, there is a farm in LaBelle that specializes in producing high-quality insects. The cockroach is one of them. I'm not sure what makes a quality cucaracha. Perhaps it dines on filet mignon and lobster tail rather than decaying garbage.

By the way, the name of the farm is Ovipost. They also produce high-quality crickets and superworms that are all meant for consumption.

We're told by health and nutrition experts that we unwittingly consume lots of bugs. Pieces of them (whole ones too) are in our produce and other foods. But some people not only intentionally eat them, they also call them a delicacy.

Don't want to cook insects in your own kitchen but are cricket curious? Head to KoKo in Coconut Grove. This chic, modern Mexican restaurant has an entire section on the menu labeled "Los Insectos". The options include creepy crawlies like Chicatana ants, grasshoppers, agave worms, and ant eggs.

Bugs like these are said to be a great source of sustainable protein.

Florida's buggy stats come from LawnStarter. They were looking to explore the growing trend of foraging for food and harvesting edible species. Including bugs.

To come up with the rankings they considered things like climate, number of edible species available, number of restaurants serving insects, and Google searches. In addition, they looked at regulatory policies on roadkill. Yes, those regulations do exist. I just threw up a little.

Points were awarded in each category to determine the rankings. California wins the #1 spot for edible insects. 21 restaurants in the state are serving the creepy crawly cuisine. Click here for complete details. Here is how Florida stacked up.

Number of invasive edible species: 19- Rank: 1
Number of animals legal to hunt: 9- Rank: 32
Food establishments serving insects: 2- Rank: 7
Google search interest: 710- Rank: 3

The next big question is not only "why?" but also what goes with this food? What is the best bug dipping sauce. Sauce makes everything better, especially if it is battered. A garlic aioli? Dark chocolate?

Ranch Dressing won an informal poll of co-workers. It goes with almost everything from carrot sticks to chicken wings. Then there is the Publix Buffalo Chicken Sauce. The perfect blend of tang and heat. It was top choice of another friend.

Don't want to experiment with cooking insects in your own kitchen but are cricket curious? Head to KoKo in Coconut Grove. This chic, modern Mexican restaurant has an entire section on the menu labeled "Los Insectos". It has several options like Chicatana ants, grasshoppers, agave worms, and ant eggs.

Bugs like these are said to be a great source of sustainable protein.

When you are taking a road trip into and out of Southwest Florida, it can take a minute. Not just because of traffic but because we are so far south. It's inevitable that you'll need to stop for some kind of refueling. Next time you need a good pit stop for sustenance, check out the biggest BBQ sandwich found in Bartow.

It's at a restaurant called Boney Mac's BBQ and it is my latest discovery for Favorite Florida Pit Stops. Favorite Florida Pit Stops is a culinary and travel series. It primarily features mom and pop restaurants along well traveled roads to and from Southwest Florida.

This is one of those places that you can smell before you see on Highway 17 and Martin Luther King Jr, Blvd. in Bartow. You likely whiz right by if 17 is the route you take to Orlando and other Central Florida locations.

Boney Mac's is old school. The smoker is in the parking lot facing the highway. The interior is wide open and orders are taken at a small counter. Beware, it also has tempting, homemade desserts linted up. The selections change daily.

The rest of the menu is full of southern and soulful favorites like collard greens, lima beans, fried okra, mac-n-cheese and more. Smoked meats include chicken, ribs and pork which all come in a variety of ways.

I ordered what I thought was a simple rib sandwich. I could not pick it up. The rib meat didn't even come close to fitting between the two pieces of white bread it came with and I wasn't mad about it at all. The amount of meat was enough to feed three people.

The BBQ sauce on the side was sweet and tangy mustard base. Best part was the value. The sandwich was only $11. If you are trying to feed a bunch of people and not break the bank, this is your stop. Everything I had was delicious too.

There is another great stop for BBQ lovers on Highway 17. It's about 20 minutes south of Boney Mac's. Click here to find more about Smokin' Joes.

It's easy to drive by Boney Mac's BBQ. The building sits on an odd corner of Highway 17 and Martin Luther King Blvd in Bartow. If you pass it, it's pretty easy to do a U-Turn. I know from experience.

The parking lot of Boney Mac's BBQ is reserved for smoking. Smoking slabs of pork that is. Don't worry, there is more parking along the side.

This is how Boney Mac's BBQ serves up a sandwich. Piles of perfectly cooked meat between two slices of white bread. Classic.

I caught Boney Mac's smoker in action. It's just outside the small restaurant on a concrete slab. It smells as good as it tastes. Find the restaurant in Bartow next road trip

Boney Mac's Broccoli Salad is a staple. It is sweet and tangy and makes you feel like you've had something healthful...kind of.

The desserts at Boney Mac's BBQ are all homemade. I couldn't wait to try this red velvet cake, but I left it on the counter. Always double check your order before you leave.

The walls at Boney Mac's BBQ have fun posters as well as photos paying homage to local Civil Rights leaders.