May 15, 2004
Cicada Revue
Here are some photos I took yesterday morning and early this morning (1 AM). It's not very often one gets to see the cicadas before they darken.
Are they gross? Maybe. But they are so cool! And the wings? Beautiful.
Posted by cradle at May 15, 2004 02:54 PMThat's when they're most flavorful, too. Even after just an hour's opportunity to harden, the tenderness goes away, as well as that asparagus flavor, which gives way to something which is a little harder to describe; maybe it was just the flavor of the onions coming through more strongly in those less-fresh cicadas. Have you had any yet, David?
Posted by: Bob S at May 16, 2004 02:48 AMNo. I'm not sure they're kosher. Locusts are, and people often mistake cicadas for locusts. I did a Google search a few weeks ago, and found a few commments in message boards that they were kosher, but nothing "definitive".
Posted by: David at May 16, 2004 11:00 AMWell, look at that, first hit on Google: http://www.urhome.umd.edu/newsdesk/scitech/cicadas.cfm
Posted by: David at May 16, 2004 11:02 AMWell, my initial thoughts on this are that the laws seem to be carefully crafted to allow for locusts as an exception due to some precedent or other. But now, with the miracle of modern biotechnology, I can envision more bugs getting onto the average observant Jew's chavosh[1] in the coming years and decades. Imagine, Madagascar hissing cockroaches genetically engineered with 8-inch-long legs, jumping from the floor right on to your chavosh[2]! 17-year cicadas, though, I don't know. I'll be over 40 by the time the first batch are ready to leap out of their shells, so I'm not sure I want to wait for that. Luckily, your kosher laws have no power over me, MWHAHAHAHAHAAAA!
[1] A Hebrew-sounding word I just invented to mean "dinner plate".
[2] This is the same word.
Are they out en mass now?
Posted by: kan at May 24, 2004 11:37 PM