things i eat

So this week I was assigned a pre-story for the Insectival, an insect festival that happens annually at Oxbow Meadows. Among the event's biggest draws? Edible insects. So for research purposes, I decided to fulfill my voracious appetite by eating some creepy cooked critters. Here's what happened. All photos come from the very talented Joe Paull.

OK, at first glance you might think this pic is something my dog Bailey would leave in my backyard. And in 99 percent of cases, you'd be right. This time, however, you're looking at a chocolate-covered cricket. Jill Carroll, coordinator of public outreach for Oxbow Meadows, appropriately described it as tasting like a Kit Kat bar. She was right. Probably the least daunting of all the offerings. Take note, boys. I want a heart-shaped box of these for Valentine's Day.

You've seen this one before: a lollipop with an insect larva inside. Again, pretty harmless. Even if you follow through and actually eat the worm.

A slightly more advanced take on the lollipop, this one has a cricket inside. It's crunchy.

OK, now things get a little more scary. I got two packages of insect larvae, in two separate flavors: cheddar and barbecue. The biggest drawback here is the crunchiness factor. They're heavily seasoned, so you don't really have to worry about a bad taste. It's just the feeling that you're chewing FOREVER.

Again, here are the larvae in their original packaging. Each pack (about 30 larvae) nets 9 calories. Good and good FOR you.

And now the least mouth-watering selection of the bunch: bacon/cheddar flavored crickets. These are the hardest to eat because there's more of a conscious realization that you're putting a whole bug inside your mouth. The stray legs in the package don't help much, either.

The taste? Again, um, crunchy. It's kind of like you're eating hay. With a comfortable bacon/cheddar accent.

So yes, I really ate all this stuff. And no, I won't be making out soon.