Soft-shelled Cicadas

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The seventeen year cicada is considered a delicacy by nearly every
living creature and when emerging, by the millions, stuff every  animal
for miles. Birds have trouble getting off the ground.  Foxes  waddle.
Garter snakes are lumpy.  Dogs and cats curl up and sleep all  day. In
former times, the Native Americans found them to be a worthy  addition
to their diets when available.  The cicadas emerge at night and hang
like snow white Christmas  ornaments from the trees.  As they dry,
their color darkens to a  black with orange decorative stripes.  They
are at their finest at  night when they just emerge and are still soft.
They make great  campfire cooking fare. For those who are interested,
they are kosher!  The best way to prepare them is to dip them, still
alive, in beaten  egg, roll them in the seasoned flour and then gently
saute them until  they are golden brown.  They have a wonderful rich
nutty flavor.  Preparing them is simplicity itself.  To find a supply
of cicadas, call or write a local college or  university department of
entomology.  They can supply information as  to which brood will be
emerging in your area or near your area.  They  may be able to supply a
general map and even specific dates when the  emergence will occur.
Here, in Indiana, we will have to wait until  about Memorial Day
weekend, 2002 A.D.  So you see, this is not a  treat that you can just
go out and pick up at Krogers.  It is worth  the wait, even if it is
just to say that you have done it!  John Hartman Indianapolis, IN 1996
Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V3 #276  Date: Tue, 08 Oct 1996 22:48:56
-0500  From: hartman@indy.net (John Hartman)

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 901
Calories From Fat: 259
Total Fat: 29.5g
Cholesterol: 247mg
Sodium: 77.6mg
Potassium: 259.7mg
Carbohydrates: 131.5g
Fiber: 4.6g
Sugar: <1g
Protein: 24.3g