Hhhmmmm....Tasty

For about 5 years I was a Pac NW Vegetarian, which is essentially a regular
vegetarian who has a weak spot for salmon tacos, steamed clams, and fresh
crab. I felt healthy and was happy with my reasons for being so. I
realized that when I came to Belize, however, I would have to adapt to the
food and traditions of my new home. I slowly started eating meat again.
First chicken (and the BBQ here is tasty), then pork (nothing like deep
fried pork skin right off the hog), and yesterday, Iguana.

Bush meat, as it is known here is Toledo, is actually quite the delicacy.
People pay good money for Armadillo, Gibnut (a big guinea pig), and Iguana,
but I had so far avoided the craze. But your body does weird things when
you lack protein, like starting to salivate at the sight of a freshly killed
lizard. Since I have been cooking for myself I have limited my meat intake
to about once every week or two, with eggs, beans, and limited dairy making
up the bulk of my protein. This work fine, but every once in awhile meat
just sounds really really good. So when my host family invited me over to
Iguana dinner, I was in.

Iguana is prepared much the same as every other meat here. Stewed in a
greasy bath of lard, spices, cilantro and a bit of water. Put enough pepper
on something and it all tastes the same, really. Only with Iguana you throw
in the 30-50 eggs that are found in the females, which are generally hunted.
I am not even sure if this is legal, but it is tasty. I was skeptical of
the eggs, but ended up asking for seconds of the little leathery sacks of
goodness. And I was shocked at how much meat you can get off of a 3 foot
lizard (they're pretty big and scary looking). I still plan on going back
to my old ways once I am in the land of Trader Joes and farmer's markets,
but while I am here and I know where my food is coming from, pass the
Iguana.