FROGS & FROGS LEGS
New studies in 2008 & 2009 indicate that the world market for frog legs is threatening to drive many species to extinction. Estimates are that up to 1 billion frogs are killed each year for food.
At an archaeological site in the Czech Republic dating from about 2900 B.C., researchers found nearly 900 common frog bone fragments. Most of the bone fragments were from the meaty hind legs, and 10% were charred, indicating that they had been cooked.
In the 1930s there were 23 frog farms in southern Florida.
Rayne, Louisiana, is known as the Frog Capital of the World.
Bangladesh at one time supplied most of the frogs-legs consumed in the U.S. The Bangladesh government soon discovered that the fly population increased drastically. It was more expensive to control the flies with insecticides, so they banned the export of frogs, and the frogs could return to what they do best - eating flies and mosquitoes!
In the early 20th century frogs legs were considered a disgusting food by the British. Escoffier, while chef at the Carlton Hotel in London, had them accepted by no other than the Price of Wales by listing them on the menu as 'cuisses de nymphes aurore', or legs of the dawn nymphs.
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