E ATO LO GY
By Jere Keys
YOU’VE BEEN GOOD TODAY. YOU ONLY HAD ONE SLICE OF BANANA WORM BREAD THIS MORNING. YOU HIT THE GYM AND FOLLOWED UP WITH A CRICKET FLOUR PROTEIN BAR. YOU DESERVE TO CHEAT A LITTLE FOR DINNER. SOMETHING MEXICAN…BUT SHOULD YOU GO FOR THE TLAYUDA CON CHAPULINES (CRUNCHY TORTILLA TOPPED WITH SAUTÉED GRASSHOPPERS) OR DO YOU REALLY INDULGE WITH NACHOS AND BLACK ANT GUACAMOLE? YOU DEFINITELY DESERVE THAT COCKTAIL IN AN ANT-SALT-RIMMED GLASS.
That’s right: worms, crickets, grasshoppers, and ants. Human entomophagy—the practice of eating insects—is one of the growing trends of 2015. And for good reason. According to a 2013 report released by the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, insects are a sustainable source of protein that uses a fraction of the water, land and other resources that we put into livestock farming. The report also suggests that as human populations rise, an increased reliance on insect farming for protein, fat, and fiber has beneficial effects for the environment and global hunger. Also, eating insects can be safe and healthy (despite Western taboos), which is why over two billion people worldwide already eat insects, sometimes as great delicacies. While you might not see sautéed silkworms in the organic section of Whole Foods just yet, that doesn’t mean the trend hasn’t come to New York. Take the BLACK ANT (60 Second Ave.), a Mexican restaurant which has been receiving rave reviews for its diverse menu that includes a number of authentic dishes featuring insects imported weekly from a farm in Mexico. In addition to the aforementioned Tlayuda con Chapulines and guacamole, you could also try Tacos Enchapulinados (shrimp tacos with a grasshopper crust). There’s also a long list of spicy specialty tequila cocktails to help you overcome those Western aversions.
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