Gastro-Entomology: Stir Fried Grasshoppers in Thailand

[SpaceCadet]

In 2008 I went with my girlyfriend to visit her native Thailand for the first time (we just did a second trip in Nov. 2010,) and got to do a little Andrew Zimmern action along the beaches at Rayong.

A vendor rolled a cart up to the curb with an array of random creepy-crawlies, which he stir-fried on the spot - beetles, worms, grasshoppers, basically lots of creatures with six or more legs. I got a mixture of grasshoppers and sea worms, and I really dug the hoppers (you've just gotta remember to pull off the big back legs, 'cause they'll get stuck in your throat.) They had a taste and texture a little like barley straw, with a whole bunch of Thai spices and salts mixed in via stir-fry. I put away about a dozen and would've had more if we hadn't just had a big meal - pure fat-free protein!

The worms were not so enjoyable - a very gritty, sandy texture once you started chewing, so I gave up on them after a single one. You can read my whole travel journal about the trip here (my very first stab at travel writing):
http://www.travelpod.com/members/bahtman

'Anyone else gotten the bug?
.