— a plate of crispy fried grasshoppers, a beloved snack from Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta. For many people, the idea of eating insects might sound strange or even off-putting. But in Gunungkidul, a region in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, fried grasshoppers—locally known as walang goreng—are a beloved snack and a true culinary icon. Often described as tasting like shrimp … Read more
Deep-fried scorpions on a stick — crispy, golden-brown, and ready to eat at a night market. Imagine a scene straight out of a daredevil’s food fantasy. A vendor holds a skewer loaded with large, dark scorpions. Their barbed tails and pincers are still perfectly intact. Then, with a quick dip into bubbling oil, they turn … Read more
Witchetty grub — “bush chocolate” — a traditional Aboriginal food source for over 60,000 years. Deep under Australia’s hot outback soil lives a creature called the witchetty grub. This plump, white larva of the cossid moth is far more than just an insect. For over 60,000 years, Aboriginal Australians have relied on it for survival, … Read more
Escamoles — “Mexican insect caviar” — creamy ant larvae prized since Aztec times. In the high desert plains of central Mexico, there is a special food called “insect caviar.” Escamoles are the edible larvae of the Liometopum apiculatum ant. This is one of Mexico’s oldest dishes. Its history goes back to Aztec emperors. Many “extreme” … Read more
