I’ve been contemplating something…

This month is going to be a long one. It’s also full of meals. I’m only on the fourth day, and I already fear that I’m at risk of seriously boring you.

I’ve structured my posts all the same. First, breakfast. Second, lunch. Third, dinner. That’s it. Sadly, this is how things are. There’s not much story here. If you’re anything like me, you’d just as soon read a good story than someone’s food diary. As interesting as it might be to eat insects, you have to concede that this food diary isn’t always that compelling. Sure, professionals who do tree services in Burke might be curious about insects. They’re more used to repairing their damage to trees than eating them, which might explain their curiosity. Then again, how many of you are arborists?

This is a big reason why I’ve decided to change things up.

Most of the time, I blog about I’m going to keep logging everything I eat, but I’m also going to include narrative. This doesn’t have to be just a food diary. It’s also a blog, and it’s a blog that’s supposed to be about food.

So, let’s dive in, shall we?

My first meal today was a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t totally classic.

Here’s some trivia for you: that peanut butter you put in normal sandwiches? It’s already got bugs in it.

I’m not that familiar with waxworms, but they are truly adaptive creatures. I have yet to put them in every single meal, but I’m pretty sure I might be able to apply them to nearly any recipe I tried. These critters are like really small sponges that easily absorb the surrounding flavors.

When many people who aren’t bug eaters might start off with something like a cricket, I believe that waxworms make great starter bugs. Their taste profile is a very neutral palette. Besides, if you were to consider any bug as being ‘cute’, it would have to be waxworms.

I’m not elitist about my worms, though.

Mealworms are okay, too.

When I first washed a batch of mealworms, I was reminded of chow mein in many ways. When I met up with friends for lunch at Panda Express, I couldn’t resist bringing mealworms. I’m not sure anyone there could tell the difference. If you’re the self-conscious sort of entomophagist, then chow mein with mealworms is a good meal to enjoy when dining in public.

Or, just stick to eating cricket bars. They have a rather normal taste, if you talk to my friend Erin anyway.

Tonight, I actually invited a campus newspaper photographer to come snap some photos of the dinner I was eating. He enjoyed the privilege of seeing my initial meal for a series I’ve decided to call Chipotle Mondays. The first workday of each week, I order a chipotle bowl without meat. I take it home, cook some bugs, and toss them in. This week was crickets, and they were tasty. The photographer certainly liked it. He told me those crickets would be on his mind all night long.

That’s understandable, isn’t it?