At first, it was a little strange eating them one by one, but my friend showed me that you can eat them by the spoonful with lime and salt, or even put them in a taco, quesadilla or guacamole!
The process of cooking the chapulines is surprisingly simple. The grasshoppers are collected, cleaned and smoked whole (sometimes chefs may add a small bit of chili powder into the mix, but nothing more). The method of cooking surprises me because chapulines are some of the most flavor-packed foods I had ever tried in my life! They had a very smoky taste that was so powerful that it made the back of my jaw clench, similar to the feeling you get when you bite into a raw lemon or lime. It amazes me that such a small bite can have such a big natural flavor.
Chapulines, along with other insects that are popular sources of protein in México (ants, termites,and many more), are connected very closely to the environment and history of the country. The type of grasshopper used for chapulines (Sphenarium) are only collected in the summer, after they have hatched and through the rainy season. This species is also mostly found in the middle of the country around the state of Oaxaca and up north as far as México City. So far, I have been able to eat roasted grasshoppers from México City, termites from the jungle of Palenque, chiapas, and ants from the old tortilla in my kitchen in Chetumal (the last one was an accident and you should really look at your food before you bite into it, no matter how hungry you are).
