What are you eating and/or cooking for Thanksgiving?
This year I am traveling in the United Kingdom, where Thanksgiving is not such a big deal. However, in the past, I’ve served grasshopper kabobs, cricket and chestnut stuffing, and cranberry cockroach relish, among other bug delights. I also enjoy deep-fried tarantula spiders and chocolate-dipped capulines, which are small, wild-harvested grasshoppers that have been roasted and seasoned in Oaxaca. Another one of my all-time favorites is my three bee salad.
Why eat bugs?
I urge people to eat insects and their kin because they are nutritious, delicious, and more environmentally friendly than beef, chicken, or pork. AND it’s fun to tweak people about their oftentimes arbitrary food preferences. Add bugs to your menu on Thanksgiving! If you happen to have leftovers, put them in your bird feeder to give our feathered friends a treat.
Can you share some insect recipes?
Yes — these are both from my Eat-a-Bug Cookbook. Bug appetit!
Deep-Fried Tarantula
Yield: 4 servings
2 cups canola or vegetable oil2 frozen adult Texas brown, Chilean rose, or similar-sized tarantulas, thawed1 cup tempura batter (see below)1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Tempura Batter
1 medium egg1/2 cup cold water1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Three Bee Salad
Yield: 4 servings
1/2 cup (about 40) frozen adult bees1/2 cup (about 60) frozen bee pupae1/2 cup (about 60) frozen bee larvae2 tablespoons red wine vinegar6 tablespoons olive oil1 teaspoon Dijon mustardSalt and freshly ground pepper to taste1 ounce bee pollen granulesLettuce for servingNasturtium petals or other edible flowers for serving
