Consuming meat is expensive in many ways—economically, emotionally and politically. But above all, the loftiest of all price tags we pay our obsession with warm-blooded umami is at the expense of our planet. The burgers we buy, the steaks we consume, the poultry we devour — whether by the ounce or pound or ton — are all, quite literally, pillaging good ol’ Mother Nature.
Turns out there’s a way out of this that food scientists are highly recommending: eating bugs, not bovines. Yes, you read that right: eating bugs. Entomophagy, as it’s called, is already one of the hottest, most sustainable food trends of 2018, an eating style that’s already practiced by over two billion human beings around the globe. And we, Bay Area loci, just so happen to be in one of the most hopping places for all things insect cuisine in the country.
So why not put down the In-N-Out burger every once in awhile and treat your palate for an eco-chic culinary odyssey. Here’s how you can join in on all the health-conscious, insect-loving hype right here in the Bay Area.
Grasshoper Tacos from La Oaxaqueña
Sautéed-grasshopper Jumbo Tacos—wrapped in either flour or corn tortillas, with the usual fare of guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream on the side—can be ordered as either entrees or appetizers at this Mission eatery to share with your entomophagy-open gang. Rumor has it that you can also ask to have those same cooked grasshoppers sprinkled atop their famous nachos. While they seem a bit left of field to those who may not be accustomed to traditional Oaxacan cooking, believe us when we say they’re a complete home run.
Chauplines from Mezcal
Yes, grasshoppers again, this time in a slightly different style. At San Jose’s foremost Oaxacan restaurant, Mezcal, you can introduce a plate of crunchy chapulines (sautéed grasshoppers) into your culinary calendar. Pan prepared and simply seasoned with garlic, lime and salt, this dish is served with a side of guacamole and tortilla chips. It’s the perfect high-protein, low-fat meal that will leave you full but still feeling summertime snatched.
Cricket Protein Powder (or Flour) from Tiny Farms and Bitty Foods
Ditch the traditional mass-produced baking mixes, and instead, embrace all things cricket flour made and sold by these two NorCal small businesses. Make your own high-protein creations with either Bitty Foods’ High Protein, All-Purpose Baking Flour or Tiny Farms’ Cricket Powder.
Both are grain-free and offer an ideal nutrition ratio to help you live your O magazine best self. Bake up delicious and perfectly textured cookies, muffins, quick breads and pancakes using Bitty Foods’ insect-based flour. Or opt for the iteration sold by Tiny Farms to add loads of clean protein to hummuses, smoothies and other foods that don’t necessarily need to be cooked.
Chili-Lime Crickets with Pumpkin Seeds from Don Bugito
Want to kick the potato-chip habit and simultaneously help save the planet? Munch on these sour yet tangy toasted chili-lime crickets from Don Bugito, loaded with heaps of protein and good-for-you exoskeletal fiber. For a bit of extra crunch, you can flash-bake them in a 400-degree oven for only three minutes, giving you that warm, fry-like indulgent taste — but at a fraction of the calories and carbon impact.
Silkworm (Bundegi) Soup from Dan Sung Sa
With the Bay Area’s ever-present cold-weather spells, it’s only fitting that at some point you’ll want to cozy up to a bowl of steaming soup — so why not have it spiked with silkworms? Silkworm soup, while a Korean staple food, seems to finally be gaining traction in the United States, and Oakland’s Dan Sung Sa ladles out the best anywhere in the Bay Area. Ask for a bit of lemon; the acidity will lend a refreshing flavor profile to the pupae, the not-yet-grown-adult silkworms used in Dan Sung Sa’s popular insectivorous soup. (It’s not always listed on their various online menus, but those who ask for it will be rewarded with said silkworm-smooth soup.)
Hey! The Bold Italic recently launched a podcast, This Is Your Life in Silicon Valley. Check out the full season or listen to the episode below featuring Aarti Shahani, technology reporter at NPR. More coming soon, so stay tuned!
