Why do otherwise peaceful people go on a killing spree at the first sign of anything creeping and crawling?  While it may be that primitive man screeched and ran at the sight of a roach, psychologists tell us that fear of bugs came about as human hygiene improved.  Granted no one likes to be stung, whether by a wasp or an overly critical relative, but it seems that as we got cleaner we became more entomophobic.

Of course, all bugs are not objects of fear and loathing.  Some are worshipped.  The caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly is for many cultures a symbol of rebirth and joy.  The Aztecs always smelled a flower from the side, leaving the top for the butterfly, which they believed could be the soul of Uncle Quetzalocoatl.  And the Papagano believed that butterflies could sing until songbirds complained to the Creator.  Beautiful and talented has always inspired envy.  In contemporary culture, the talented Jiminy Cricket, Charlotte with her web, and those wise-cracking Antz are all evidence that we can learn to love a bug.

Bug love brings us to snack time.  People all over the world feast regularly on grubs, dragonflies, ants, and bees.  Fifty years ago, it was common for an apple to have a few worms, and even today it is estimated that each year we unknowingly nosh on up to two pounds of insects ground up in peanut butter, jam, flour, etc.  After all, is a grasshopper any less appetizing to the eye than an oyster?  Whether in the spirit of facing your fears or indulging your culinary senses, we offer from author David George Gordon’s The Eat a Bug Cookbook the following:

FRIED GREEN TOMATO HORNWORMS
3 tablespoons olive oil
16 tomato hornworms
medium green tomatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
salt and pepper to taste
white cornmeal

In a large skillet, heat oil.  Lightly fry the hornworms, about 4 minutes, taking care not to rupture the cuticles of each insect.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Season tomato rounds with salt and pepper, then coat with cornmeal on both sides.  In a large skillet, fry tomatoes until lightly browned on both sides.  Top each round with 2 fried worms.  Garnish the paired worms with a basil leaf.  Serves 4.

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