A buggy Thanksgiving
This week, patrons of the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans can sample a series of Thanksgiving dishes with a twist: a hearty helping of insects will be part of the dishes.
Side dish
The traditional centerpiece of the meal, turkey, will become a side dish to showcase the insect-y options.
Mealworms and cornbread stuffing
The turkey will be stuffed with a cornbread stuffing made with mealworms. Mealworms have an earthy taste, almost like a hearty pumpernickel bread.
Wax worms in cranberry sauce
The cranberry sauce is made with wax worms. Wax worms have a slightly sweet taste, as they live subsist entirely on beeswax from honeybees. Many liken their taste to almond paste.
Insect proportions
Most of the dishes being offered by the insectarium will be about 25 percent insect, but those who are hankering for a higher fraction of bugs can always ask for extras on the side.
Cricket pumpkin pie
The final element of the Thanksgiving meal will be cricket pumpkin pie. Because the crickets are pan roasted, they taste akin to nuts such as walnuts or pecans.
