We stopped at a candy store the other day with the express purpose of buying sugar-free chocolate covered coffee beans. Don’t ask—it is what it is.
Excuse the pun, but I felt like a kid in a candy shop and had to look around, but as usual, I was looking for something different.
I found it.
Crick-ettes®–I chose the Salt N’ Vinegar version over bacon and cheddar or sour cream and onion. And yes, they were actual crickets. Before you get too uppity, if you use red lipstick, eat red candies, etc. it’s color is most likely created by using ground cochineal bugs. According to National Geographic (Feb 2017) back in the 19th century, chemists figured out how to make a substitute, but with today’s emphasis on organic and all-natural ingredients, it’s back to the bugs.
Various scientists have predicted that insects are such a great source of protein that it is only logical to use them to feed a hungry world. They’re even mentioned several times in the Bible, most notably with regard to John the Baptist who ate locusts and wild honey.
So, here’s my report:
They’re expensive—but it is pretty much a novelty item, in a package with a wry sense of humor. The box shows the various “cuts” of a cricket, just as a butcher’s shop would show a chart of the cuts of beef.
One gram of Crick-ettes cost $2.59 (about seven dried crickets) and provides 4.3 calories, 4 mg sodium, .014 g of sugar, and .67 g of protein. I suspect most of the salt and sugar is due to the flavoring, and, yes, they were salty—as salty as potato chips. They were about as crunchy as potato chips, as well.
I don’t usually watch the Superbowl, but it’s just as well. Buying enough Crick-ettes® to fill a serving bowl would be cost prohibitive—at least if purchased through a candy store.
In case you’re interested in Crick-ettes® are distributed by HOTLIX® Inc, http://www.hotlix.com.
sfnowak 