Chapulines finalmente

Spent much of the last few days having anxiety about verb conjugations, which has led to much wandering around town, yakking with people, and doing not much in the way of studying, which is what I should have been doing

But, as I'm sure everyone has been waiting with bated breath to find out, I have now tried the chapulines. That's grasshoppers to you who don't have a strong grasp on Spanish.

They eat a fair amount of insects here but the chapulines are the most prevalent. There is, of course, the worm (or gusano) in the bottom of the mezcal bottle but they eat them on tacos and such as well. I'm sure also before I quit this place, I will have tried some ant mole.

The chapulines are sold all over the streets and markets of Oaxaca. They come in three flavours: natural (lime and salt), garlic, and chile. They also come in a variety of sizes. Being a bit of a grasshopper virgin, I asked around and most people told me that they preferred the little ones. So at the market the other day, I got a handful of each flavour of the little ones and gave them a go. Ate them straight up. Not bad. Tastes like the flavours that are on them although they do have a very distinct smell (which is amplified when it is both hot and humid/rainy, which it has been the whole time I've been here). I liked the garlic the best but don't eat them if you're planning on having smooches any time in the near future.

I really tried to eat one of the bigger ones but as it sat on my plate the other day with it's grasshopper legs and crunchy aspect to it, I just couldn't do it. I still might but for now I'm going to ride the wave of having eaten grasshoppers at all.