If you haven’t heard, the East Coast is about to be overrun by alien creatures who’ve been buried in the ground, hibernating for the last 17 years. BROOD II is upon us!
It turns out you can actually eat these suckers — and people do, all around the world. Cicadas are chock-full of protein with minimal carbs, and they’re local, seasonal, and eco-friendly. Entomophagists — those who eat insects, but were totally, TOTALLY cool in high school, anyway, so don’t even ask — argue that they’re one of the most sustainable and healthiest food sources on the planet, and that we should all start eating them on the reg. So look upon this not as a zombie-apocalypse, doomsday-type scenario, but as a chance to expand your palate and score a TON of free food right in your backyard.
Of course, you’ll need some guidance on the best ways to catch, kill, and cook ’em…and what wines to pair them with. We chatted with a few bug-eating experts and one NYC chef who cooks with insects (and made a cicada-fueled recipe JUST FOR US), to get all the info: