France Frog legs, or as it is known in
France, are a traditional dish particularly found in the region of the
Dombes (
département of
Ain). Eaten for over a thousand years, they have been part of the national diet of France. Roughly 4,000 tonnes of frog legs are consumed every year in France.
China In culinary environment, frogs are known in
Chinese as (, literally 'field chicken'). Frog legs () are also eaten in China, but are generally restricted to Southern Chinese cuisine traditions such as
Cantonese and
Sichuan cuisine.
Bullfrogs and
pig frogs are farmed on a large scale in some areas of China, such as
Sichuan. In
Chinese cuisine, frog legs are usually
stir-fried and mixed with light spices, stewed,
fried, or made into
congee. File:Herbal frog leg soup, Zi Yean Restaurant, Singapore - 20090714.jpg|Chinese-style Singaporean herbal frog leg soup served at the Zi Yean Restaurant File:Yanwo Town - frog farm - P1540348.JPG|Frogs being raised for food in a enclosure in a pond in Yanwo Town, Honghu City,
Hubei, China
Indonesia in Indonesia
Kodok Oh, frog legs in
tauco soup served with rice at a
Chinese Indonesian restaurant in
Jakarta In
Indonesian cuisine, frog-leg soup is known as
swikee or , most probably brought by the
Chinese community in Indonesia and popular in
Chinese Indonesian cuisine. is mainly frog-leg soup with a strong taste of garlic, gingers, and fermented soya beans (
tauco), accompanied by celery or parsley leaves. is a typical dish from
Purwodadi, Grobogan in
Central Java province. Frog legs are also fried in margarine and
sweet soy sauce or tomato sauce, battered and deep fried, or grilled. Frog eggs are also served in banana leaves (). The dried and crispy fried frog skin is also consumed as
krupuk crackers; the taste is similar to fried fish skin. Indonesia is the world's largest exporter of frog meat, exporting more than 5,000 tonnes of frog meat each year, mostly to France,
Belgium, and
Luxembourg. The large presence of frogs is mainly due to the agriculture typical of these areas which have always been known for their
rice. The large cultivation of rice means that there is a large presence of artificial water channels used to flood rice fields during the growing season, which makes a perfect habitat for frogs. During the growth period when fields stay flooded, and even more during the draining of the fields, farmers and others often gather to go frog hunting armed with nets. Some towns even organize collective hunting sessions and games. Frogs have gained much culinary relevance in these areas, with many rural towns hosting food festivals called – centered on frogs – where frogs are prepared in various ways. They typically take place during the rice-harvesting periods. With frog consumption closely connected to rice production and being the native land of the Italian dish
risotto, one of the most common dishes is frog risotto, . Other local frog dishes include them being dipped in egg batter, breadcrumbed and then fried, or in soups and stews.
Slovenia Frog legs () are a popular dish in
Slovenian cuisine, especially in areas of eastern Slovenia (
Prekmurje and north-eastern
Styria). They are also quite popular in the country's capital,
Ljubljana, and have been considered the "basis of the traditional city cuisine of Ljubljana". Up to modern times, they have been traditionally considered
Lenten food and were especially popular in spring.
Greece In Greece, frog legs are particularly associated with the city of
Ioannina and its adjacent lake
Pamvotida.
Mexico The capture of frog legs is usually carried out in states such as
Baja California,
Chihuahua,
Jalisco,
Sonora,
Tamaulipas,
Veracruz,
Zacatecas, and much of the
Central Plateau of Mexico. It occurs almost year-round and the haunches are consumed fried, in soups, broths, or stews such as haunches in
green sauce.
Romania In Romania, edible frogs are known as (). The legs are eaten breaded and fried.
Ukraine Fried frog legs are a specialty of the small city of
Vylkove in
Odesa Oblast, Ukraine, but they have also gained popularity in
Odesa.
United States Frog legs are eaten in parts of the Southern United States, particularly in the
Deep South and Gulf states where French influence is more prominent, including
South Carolina,
Georgia,
Florida,
Alabama,
Mississippi, and
Louisiana. The legs are almost always served battered and fried. The
Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival in Florida celebrates the dish every January. They are also eaten in Eastern states, but not as commonly. Frog legs are a popular dish in
Cleveland, Ohio, especially in its
Little Italy and
Asiatown neighborhoods. The most common kinds of frogs eaten are
bullfrogs and
leopard frogs, as these are abundant in most of the country, including the South. Although the consumption of wild native frogs is generally discouraged, the harvest and cooking of invasive bullfrogs, especially in the Western US, has been encouraged as a form of control and to promote local cuisine. Some methods of cooking include egg-/cracker-crumb breading or battered. They are either fried or grilled. Deep-fried frog legs can also be found at
fairs.
Raccoons,
possums,
partridges,
prairie hens, and frogs were among the fare
Mark Twain recorded as part of American cuisine.
Caribbean Mountain chickens (
Leptodactylus fallax) are frogs named for their habitat and flavor which are eaten in
Montserrat and
Dominica. The frogs are now critically endangered.
United Kingdom In 2013, archaeologists digging at
Blick Mead,
Wiltshire found the remains of a cooked frog leg which was served as part of a feast in BC during the
Mesolithic era. However, in the modern era frog legs are widely regarded as "repellent" in Britain. "Frog" has been used as an
anti-French slur in the English-speaking world since the late 18th century. During the late 19th century, French restaurateur
Auguste Escoffier tried to rename them "
nymphs" in a vain attempt to sell them to London diners.
Australia, New Zealand and Canada In
Australia and
New Zealand, frogs are more exotic, usually eaten at Asian or French restaurants and mainly the hind legs are the priority. In Canada, they are a little more common, mainly in eastern and northeastern
Canada. ==Issues==