The current Chinese Covid19 outbreak has focused the minds of many in this world on the practices of some Chinese people, often encouraged by their authoritarian government, to eat anything that moves. These culinary practices and indeed the food supply chain in China are now being recognised as a significant factor in the transmission and mutation of zoonotic diseases. If you don’t handle or eat bats for example then you are less likely to contract the sort of diseases that can be harbored by bats.

There’s a famous stand up comedy sketch from Jasper Carrott that seems apt for these times when someone munching down on a bat or pangolin or a few baby mice in Wuhan has caused misery throughout the world. This sketch sums up the sort of culture shock that anyone would feel if they took ‘authentic’ just that little too far. I hope you enjoy.

Part One

Part Two