Insects are the new protein in town: not only are they environmentally friendly, they are also nutritious and delicious. But if the idea of eating bugs gives you the creeps, you’re not alone. Research suggests that the easiest way to get over that disgust is to make insects taste delicious while also making sure you can’t see them in the food. That’s why food researchers are looking into what foods pair well with insects.
Take crickets, for example. They have a strong Umami flavor which tends to enhance flavors like pecans, coffee, and chocolate. This makes them a good addition to things like cookies. When testing ideal cricket flour blends, the researchers found that people liked the cookies with five percent cricket flour best, even after being told about the crickets. So you might find yourself picking up crunchy cricket cookies from your local grocery store sooner than you think.