I rather like a cricket on the hearth

[sovay]

When I was in second or third grade, one of my life goals was to eat a chocolate-covered grasshopper. I no longer remember why. I had learned about insects as a food source very early on—I credit either Natural History or Smithsonian, both of which I used to read in bed—but something about the grasshopper in specific must have sounded especially appealing. Possibly I thought they would taste green. Or they were familiar enough to me from the back yard that they were not offputting, like scorpions or mealworms. I remember similarly trying to persuade my parents to buy me chocolate-covered ants and feeling acutely disappointed when they told me there was nowhere in Boston that made them. I understood I shouldn't try in our kitchen. I wondered if I could order them through the mail.

nineweaving just sent me this link. Crickets are possibly the one insect I feel bad about eating! They are kept as pets. They sing. Locusts are voracious, kosher, and I've always wanted to try them fried, but flavored cricket chips feel like buffalo linnet wings. Plus, calling them "Chirps"? It's a cute, endearing name. It sounds like crickets singing. It reminds me of my brother's parakeet. Sustainable food is wonderful; I have no revulsion about eating insects. I eat animals all the time. I don't think I can bring myself to eat crickets. Their little twittering antennae. I was never upset to find them in the house.

That said, I am all for Mei Mei reverse-engineering garum, with or without mealworms.

But not crickets. I had no idea I was so attached.

Comments

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Are locusts kosher but crickets not? That ... is a distinction I would find it difficult to draw.

(Confession: I have eaten crickets. In Taiwan. After the older generation does its tai chi in the park, you see lines of them walking through the grass peering intently, with bags in their hands. Catching crickets. Whether they eat them at home or sell them to the restaurants, I am uncertain, but fried crickets are very much available in restaurants.)

[schreibergasse.livejournal.com]

Leviticus 22 says both are fine--assuming my translation is right. (And yes, I looked this up on The Brick Testament)

[sovay]

Leviticus 22 says both are fine--assuming my translation is right.

I have always only heard locusts.

[sovay]

Are locusts kosher but crickets not? That ... is a distinction I would find it difficult to draw.

I believe locusts are the sole kosher insect, although there is some confusion over the specific species. The question was resolved to enough rabbinical satisfaction to include them in this feast, however, and incidentally I am very happy that whole thing occurred. I had no idea there was a carp that is supposed to taste like pork. I'm very curious now. Also the idea of years of scientific research in the service of religious observance. That's not usually the way that combination goes.

Confession: I have eaten crickets.

I still think you're cool!

but fried crickets are very much available in restaurants.

The eating of insects overall is something that makes a lot of sense to me: they're plentiful, proteinaceous, and no more inherently creepy than eating most non-fish seafood. I mean, I think sea urchins are delicious. I think I would just have done better if Six Foods' first snacky foray into entomophagy had involved grubs or cicadas.