The cicadas began bursting out of the ground in full force about a month ago and have since made their presence known across the country, including Georgia.
Cicada Safari, a mobile app for users to track and report cicada sightings, has reported more than 2,000 sightings across the state. But Georgians are not alone, as this is part of the simultaneous emergence of double brood, with cicadas emerging in Arkansas, the Carolinas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Virginia.
While some consider these noisy and ugly insects a nuisance, others consider them a pleasure. Here’s a closer look at how and why people are eating cicadas:
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Is it safe to eat cicadas?
University of Georgia entymology professor Nancy Hinkle said it’s safe to eat cicadas as long as you’re not allergic to the insects. People allergic to shrimp may also want to proceed with caution because the insects’ exoskeleton has similarities to shrimp shells. UGA Extension Agent Campbell Vaughn added that you must remove the wings and legs.
What do cicadas taste like?
The taste of cicadas varies from person to person. Vaughn ate some during a segment of CBS News, during which one of the hosts said they taste like French fries. Hinkle said it mainly depends on the type of sauce they are cooked in. The outside is crunchy and cicadas are typically quite oily on the inside, giving them a smooth richness.
Are there cicada recipes?
Vaughn ate some fried cicadas dipped in hot sauce on CBS. He said afterward that those interested will probably want to Google some better recipes because what he tried didn’t taste very good.
The Washington Post has a “Spicy Popcorn Cicadas” Recipe involving freezing cicadas for hours, covering them in Worcestershire sauce and various seasonings, coating them in a flour mixture and then frying them.
Grilling 24/7 has a Tempura style recipe which pairs the cicadas well with a sriracha aioli.
CBS News has a “Cicada Cookies” Recipe It involves dry-roasting the cicadas, brushing them with an egg white and sugar mixture, and placing them on top of chocolate chip cookie dough before baking.
Why are people eating cicadas?
There are several reasons why people eat cicadas. On the one hand, it’s a rare addition that won’t be available until the next month or so. Once the cicadas are gone, they won’t reappear for more than 10 years, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. It also contains a lot of protein, according to Vaughn.
But there are also some practical reasons not to reject this idea. Joseph Yoon is a chef and founder of Brooklyn Bugs, a group of edible insect ambassadors who have recently appeared in several media outlets explaining how cicadas present a possible ecological solution to food insecurity.
“How are we going to sustainably feed the world’s population in 2050?” he asked NPR. “Much less resources are needed in terms of water, feed and land. And it creates far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the equivalent livestock farming we traditionally use today.”
This article originally appeared in the Augusta Chronicle: Eating Cicadas in Georgia: Recipes, Safety Tips, Environmental Pros
