I like fried insects, with a carbonated soft drink or beer to wash them down.
Not all fried insects are synonymous in taste though. I can still smell the yellowing fried grasshoppers of my very young summers in Kigali, Rwanda thanks to a neighbour who couldn’t get enough of his own outdoor fried particulars, and though he’d offer me a bite on numerous occasions I’d remind him, once again, I didn’t like the stuff (too much work, not enough crunch). But, if he’d cooked up some Maeng Kee Noon beetles or Jing Leed crickets the Thailand way (fried in a wok briefly, with a light coating of Golden Mountain Sauce, and a bit of White Pepper Powder [Prik Thai]) I wouldn’t have had to come to Chiang Mai to figure out that insects, on top of being a great sustainable source of low-fat protein, aren’t that bad afterall.
Lately I’ve been obsessed with the idea that poutine topped with Jing Leed, Non Pai bamboo worm, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, jalapeño peppers, baby green peas, and a dash of black pepper would be absolutely amazing, if not just original.