Sweet and sour cane toad legs, anyone? Museum launches exhibition and cookbook encouraging Aussies to fight invasive species by EATING them
- Bizarre delicacies are being served at Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art
- Sweet and sour cane toads, fox curry and possums are some of the dishes
- The dishes are also part of a cookbook launch challenging conventional eating
Sweet and sour cane toad legs and fox curry are some of the bizarre dishes being served at a museum exhibition.
The 'delicacies' are part of an exhibition dubbed Eat the Problem, which aims to challenge ideas of conventional eating and sustainability at Hobart's controversial Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) over the next few months.
'Why don't we love cute little lambs, why don't we serve cute little bunny rabbits?' artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele said.
'We serve those at restaurants all over. It's all cultural. Within one culture an animal is a cute pet, in another it's a food source.'
Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art are serving a range of bizarre dishes such as sweet and sour cane toad legs
The 'delicacies' are part of an exhibition dubbed Eat the Problem, which aims to challenge ideas of conventional eating and sustainability
The exhibition, which opened on Saturday, is coupled with the release of a 544-page book costing $277.77, filled with invasive species recipes including from renowned chefs such as Heston Blumenthal.
Deer, rabbit, boar, camel milk pana cotta, possum with salt-baked vegetables, wild boar's eye martini and sweet and sour cane toad legs are just a few.
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'Invasive species are a problem but we can re-frame them; how are they actually a resource?' Ms Kaechele said.
'If we're eradicating these plants and animals for environmental purposes and doing nothing with them, that seems a bit short-sighted.
'So why don't we do something? Celebrate their abundance and do something delicious with them.'
'A lot the dishes are very easy to appreciate as food. Some are definitely more challenging,' Ms Kaechele said.
The exhibition, which opened on Saturday, is coupled with the release of a 544-page book by Kirsha Kaechele (pictured)
Deer, rabbit, boar, camel milk pana cotta, possum with salt-baked vegetables and wild boar's eye martini are some of the delicacies
Ms Kaechele, who was born in America and is the partner of MONA creator David Walsh, believes a vegan or vegetarian diet are the most ethical ways to live but says recent protests in Melbourne and Sydney aren't the best way to preach to the unconverted.
'I don't like heavy-handed environmental messages. They're no fun,' she said.
'I totally support vegans but sometimes the message comes across in a way that doesn't inspire people.'
In typical outlandish MONA fashion, guests at the feasts sit at a massive angled rainbow table that also doubles as a glockenspiel.
Select guests have been offered a feral cat consomme but it won't form part of the regular menu.
'It's certainly interesting to think about the impacts of cat. Our pets that we love and adore,' Ms Kaechele said.
'It's not about glamorising animal cruelty, just looking at things from a more holistic perspective.
Select guests at the exhibition have been offered a feral cat consomme but it won't form part of the regular menu
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