Mexican cuisine is characterized by being full of flavors and textures that are not so common, this is generally due to the mix of ingredients used, ranging from sweet like chocolate, the acidity of lime, or that spiciness that you feel on your lips like that of habanero. However, sometimes we have some ingredients that can make more than one person surprised or even feel a bit of disgust. Timon and Pumba would describe them as slimy but tasty, and although they are not slimy, boy are they tasty!
I mean that if one day you visit Mexico, you might suddenly be surprised that we eat various INSECTS! It's not uncommon to see guacamole with chapulines or someone eating a taco full of maguey worms. And that's fine, the reality is that they don't look very nice to the eye, even many Mexicans don't dare to try some of these little animals full of flavor - I admit, it also took me a long time to be able to do it - but once you try them, you might discover one of your favorite combinations.
There is a variety of insects that are regularly eaten in Mexico and that we are going to learn about today.
Chapulines
The first -and my favorites- are chapulines; when you see them, the only thing you will think about is them jumping and how their little legs will feel on your tongue, but the reality is that once you have them in your mouth, they taste like crunchy chips with chili and lime.
Chapulines are generally eaten more in states like Oaxaca, Chiapas, Hidalgo, and the central valleys of Mexico. You can usually find them in markets, where you can choose them in different sizes and already seasoned with garlic or with chili and lime. Many restaurants also offer a variety of dishes with this fun ingredient.
Escamoles
Escamoles are not an insect per se, but they were on their way to becoming one; these are the larvae of the leafcutter ant. They are considered a seasonal food since they are collected in March and April, and although it may sound easy to collect, each nest takes at least 5 years to achieve good production, which is why they are known as 'Mexican caviar.' Dishes with escamoles usually have very few ingredients, as the flavor of escamoles tends to be very subtle. Another reason to try them, apart from their unique flavor, is that they have a very high nutritional value, with a protein content up to four times that of meat.
Maguey worm
Maguey worms are really the image that comes to mind when someone says that word; they are white, about 5 centimeters long, plump, and have a brownish head. More specifically, they are the larvae that live inside the leaves of the agave and are quite difficult to collect since they are generally found three to four per plant. For this reason, they are considered a delicacy and tend to be a bit expensive. The way to eat these worms is very simple; they are just fried in lard or oil and eaten in corn tortillas with a bit of guacamole and salsa.
Chicatana ants
This type of ant is a bit different from the regular black ones we see everywhere; they are a larger, reddish-brown flying ant that appears during the rainy season, between May and July. The ideal time for collecting this ant, according to experts, is during the first heavy rain of the season, which is when they decide to leave their anthills. These little creatures are usually toasted and eaten on their own or ground to make sauces and moles that acquire a smoky flavor thanks to this excellent ingredient.
