If you're driving down 8th Street in Koreatown, Los Angeles, you might see this large vertical sign with a picture of a grasshopper on it.What's this all about?
If you're looking for something different, you can stop in here, at this Oaxacan market. They sell chapulines, a delicacy served as a snack or appetizer. The chapulines are toasted on a hot griddle, and seasoned with garlic, salt and lemon.
Some people pop them in their mouths like snacks, and crunch away. Others wrap them in tortillas. How do I like them?
Jeez, people! Are you kidding? Me, eat grasshoppers? Nuh uh!
Mmm, I'll bet they are the perfect crunchy snack.
ReplyDeleteYep, I knew they were grasshoppers. And, I'm not going to eat them, either.
ReplyDeleteNope, not me. ;-)
I'm not that hungry!
ReplyDeleteSue
Nope. Don't fancy grasshoppers, either. At least the sign is quite clear though!
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was a teenager there was a fad for chocolate covered insects ... I remember having chocolate covered grasshoppers. Actually, they were fairly tasteless and crisp ... like a very cheap wafer. I preferred the chocolate covered bumble bees.
ReplyDeleteThey taste a little like Baco-bits. I had them in tacos with green salsa - the green salsa seemed appropriate.
ReplyDeleteThat was me up there being anonymous. Sorry
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I saw the picture sign, I knew what was up.
ReplyDeleteChapulines are pretty good. Salty and crunchy. But the smell of them cooking makes me gag a bit, and when I was in Oaxaca, I could ALWAYS tell if a lady in the market had a tray of chapulines behind me. They have quite a distinct odor.
In the markets, it was always the same - a tiny lady with a red painted wooden tray heaped with chapulines. They would measure them out from a little bowl into a plastic bag. At first, I thought they were a novelty item, but people in Oaxaca eat them like we eat potato chips.