There's a lot of buzz about eating locusts this Pesach, inspired by the, er, locust surplus in the Middle East.
Is anyone shipping them to the states?
Is the whole insect edible or is there some sort of preparation required like removing the head, cleaning out its insides. My eyes are not what they used to be and its size would preclude any precooking preparations. I don't know if I would be game to try but maybe if it was prepared and cooked then frozen with simple microwave or frying reheat instructions.
If anyone sees any upscale takeout places like Gourmet Glatt or Pomegranates carry them then give a holler here.
I actually did see some Zelda's
chocolate covered locusts in my local kosher butcher yesterday.
They appear to be a new addition to the chocolate covered frogs which I've seen in past years.
Imho, the marshmallow filling is a lot more appealing than the genuine article :)
As of two years ago, no insect production facility has registered with the FDA to comply with the food facility safety regulations (thanks to fears of terrorist threat to the food supply). Additionally, the FDA had not certified any producer of insects for human consumption, either domestic or international for the more normal (ie non-terrorist inspired) food safety / health inspection issues, such as clean facilities, soap in the bathrooms, etc. I don't think that this has changed, which makes importing insects for the express purpose of human consumption technically illegal and subject to seizure by customs if detected. I know a restaurant in Houston that had to stop serving grasshoppers because they got enough press about it that the FDA stepped in and threatened action if they continued to import the grasshoppers from Mexico.
That said, insects do get imported and domestically raised insects are served (and have passed local health departments) to people.
Human consumption insects are generally fed human-safe feed, and the insects are eaten whole (no need to take out the microscope to gut/clean the insects).