KCCI IS JUMPING ON THCIE CADA CRAZE. ONCE EVERY 17 YEARS THE INSECTS EMERGE FROM THE GROUND, AND THIS YEAR YOU鈥橵E SEEN LOTS OF UNIQUE WA TYS CELEBRATE INCLUDING COVERING THEM IN CHOCOLATE AND EATING THEM. YOU鈥橵EEE SN SOME PEOPLE GET THEM TATTOOED. A:SI WE PROMISED YOU WE WOULD ORDER SOME AFTER WE FIRST HEARD OF THE STORY. TODAY, WE ARE MAKING GOOD ON THAT PROMISE. D.C. THIS? AL:YX THERE IS A WING POKING OUT. WERE GOING TDOO IT. THIS CARAMEL ON THIS TOO, RIGHT? TISIA:HE CERS. METINKA: CHEERS. ALYX: I CAN鈥橳 TASTE IT. TISIA: TASTE LIKE CHICKEN. THAT WASN鈥橳 BAD. ALYX: I TOOK THE TINIEST BI.TE METINKA: I ATE THE WHOLE THING. TIA:SI ONE MORE. AL: IT鈥橲 MOSTLY CHOCOLATE, LITTLE CINNAMON. HOPEFULLY ATTH鈥橲 THEIR FLAVOR AND NOT THE BUG. THAT WASN'T SO BAD. IT WAS CLEARED WITH MY DOCTOR, WE DID PICTURES. METINKA: THANKS FO GRETTING
If you're an adventurous eater, or just want to do your part to rid the world of as many cicadas as you can, check out this cookbook by the University of Maryland. Use their recipes to make an entire meal of the bugs, which are full of protein, gluten-free, low-fat and low-carb. Start with cicada dumpling appetizers, move to "El Chirper Tacos" and finish with "Chocolate-Chip Trillers," which are cicada cookies.In 2021, sister station KCCI's morning crew tried chocolate-covered cicadas on the air. Watch that video in the player above. How to eat cicadas"We really have to get over our dislike of insects, which is really strong and deep-seated in most people in our culture," said David George Gordon, author of "Eat-a-Bug Cookbook" and known as the "Bug Chef."When eating adult cicadas, it's advised to pull the wings and legs off to reduce the crunchiness. But Gordon advises home cooks to gather the cicadas when they're nymphs before their body armor hardens and while they are still soft and chewy, like soft shell crab.He puts them in the freezer, a humane way to kill them. Once defrosted, cicadas can become a pizza topping like sundried tomatoes, or replace shrimp in any recipe. "People can't really deal with the idea of looking at a bug and eating it. So that's why I like tempura batter or something that just conceals the features of the nymph," Gordon said. "Plus, I'll eat anything that's deep-fried. I have a recipe in my book for a deep-fried tarantula spider and they're really good."Gordon describes the taste of cicadas as akin to asparagus. University of Maryland entomologist Mike Raupp goes further: "They have a buttery texture, a delicious, nutty flavor, probably from the tannins, from the roots of the trees on which they fed," Raupp said. "And they're going to be really good with a Merlot."
If you're an adventurous eater, or just want to do your part to rid the world of as many cicadas as you can, .
Use their recipes to make an entire meal of the bugs, which are full of protein, gluten-free, low-fat and low-carb. Start with cicada dumpling appetizers, move to "El Chirper Tacos" and finish with "Chocolate-Chip Trillers," which are cicada cookies.
In 2021, sister station .
Watch that video in the player above.
How to eat cicadas
"We really have to get over our dislike of insects, which is really strong and deep-seated in most people in our culture," said David George Gordon, author of "Eat-a-Bug Cookbook" and known as the "Bug Chef."
When eating adult cicadas, it's advised to pull the wings and legs off to reduce the crunchiness. But Gordon advises home cooks to gather the cicadas when they're nymphs before their body armor hardens and while they are still soft and chewy, like soft shell crab.
He puts them in the freezer, a humane way to kill them. Once defrosted, cicadas can become a pizza topping like sundried tomatoes, or replace shrimp in any recipe.
"People can't really deal with the idea of looking at a bug and eating it. So that's why I like tempura batter or something that just conceals the features of the nymph," Gordon said. "Plus, I'll eat anything that's deep-fried. I have a recipe in my book for a deep-fried tarantula spider and they're really good."
Gordon describes the taste of cicadas as akin to asparagus. University of Maryland entomologist Mike Raupp goes further: "They have a buttery texture, a delicious, nutty flavor, probably from the tannins, from the roots of the trees on which they fed," Raupp said. "And they're going to be really good with a Merlot."
