According to Butterfly House, the dishes will include “semi-scampi” and “spicy fried cicadas.”
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — An “insect chef” will publicly cook cicadas at an upcoming Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House event.
The cooking demonstration will take place at Butterfly House’s Chesterfield store on May 24 at 1pm and 2pm, the group announced in a press release.
related: Cicadas are officially present in Missouri, but peak emergence has not yet begun.
Although cicada tastings will not be offered during the event, chefs will teach guests how to incorporate cicadas into dishes, such as cicada scampi and spicy fried cicadas, the news release states. Adventurous guests will have the opportunity to try other insect-based snacks or bring along a cicada recipe card to try at home.
“Our goal in cooking insects is not to convert everyone to an insect-based diet, but to educate people that there are other options,” said Butterfly House chef and senior entomologist Tad Jankoski. ,” he said in a news release. “If some people have more open-mindedness to trying new foods and changing their perspective on what they eat, that’s a win.”
Cicadas are especially edible when they have emerged but have not yet shed their skin. However, cicadas should not be fed to people or pets if infected with the yellow Massospora fungus, as they can be harmful to people with shellfish allergies.
read more: Yes, cicadas are safe to eat for both you and your pet
“Americans already have no hesitation in eating animals that are closely related to insects,” Jankoski said. “In other countries, sea turtles are a staple at special occasions and are closely related to lobsters, shrimp, and crabs. In fact, if you’re allergic to shellfish, you may also be allergic to cicadas and crickets.” .”
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