Waiter, There's a Cabbage Looper Caterpillar In My Greens!

Another take on the “Knowing What’s Really In Our Food” theme:

Last week I cut a huge amount of greens from my garden (photo, right). In addition to making two greens pies, I’ve been sautéing the greens as a side dish.

As is my habit, I’ve been using some other basic ingredients for added flavor and nutrition, such as fresh lemon juice, unrefined sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a cabbage looper caterpillar.

Excuse me?

OK, it was inadvertent, but using the photo at left, let’s play “Find the (Cooked) Caterpillar.” (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

“Ewwww!”

But—and here’s the moral of the story—what would you rather have in your food, a (cooked) cabbage looper caterpillar which is medically harmless or the virulent strain of E. coli (O157:H7) that paralyzed Stephanie Smith?

An (uncooked) looper caterpillar is pictured to the right, and they have a habit of attaching themselves to the underside of a variety of vegetables, especially my dark leafy greens (kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, etc.).

Sometimes, if my wife is lucky, I'll see them when I am washing the greens.