Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-12
=
LOCUSTsi
MAN
What the EnfoD
DepAr mem y
the Inst cirs

PROFESSOR OHarte5 v. RIley, for a
q long time State entomologist of Mis-
souri,, and now entomologist at the
4 United States agricultural department
y at Washington, undertook in 1875 a
seriesof experiments "to demonstrate
the availability Of locusts as food for
4 man, and their value as such when
ever, as not infrequently happens. they
deprive him of all other sources of
N nOuri,hment." Professor Riley took a
lot Of lOcusts t. an hotel to be co 3ks d.
but he endeayored in vain to obtain
assistance from the monarchs of the
4 gridiron. The cooks and servants
\ retired in disgust, and let the natura'-
. lists TO do their own cooking. The
Il savOry messes that the latter cOncocted
converted the kitchen cooks and
guests alike agreeing that the SOUPS.
i fricassees and fritters, composed ma
4 terial.y Of locusts. were excellent.
In regard to these experiments Pro-
fessor Riley savs:
." 1t had long been desire with me
to test the value of this species
q lspretus) Us food, and / did not lose
the opportunity TO crafty that desire
8 which the recent locust invasions into
some Of the Mississippi Valley States
afforded. | knew well enough that
the attempt would provoke to ridicule
and mirth, or even disgust. the vast
majority of our people. unaccustomel
to anything of the sor, and associating
with the word insect or bug
Everything hOrrid and repulsive. Yet
| was governed by weightier reasons
than mere curiosity; for ~many
family in Kansas and Nebraska was,
in 1874, brought to the brink of the
grave by sheer lacl./ of food, while the
st. Louis papers, reported cases of
actual death FROM starvation in some
sections of Missouri. where the insects
abounded and ate up every green
thing, in the spring of 1875.
Whenever the occasion presented,
8 ] partook of locu>ts prepared in differ
ent ways, and one day ate of no other
kind OF food, and must have consumed,
in one way OF another. the substance
Of several thousand hal grown locusts.
Comm encing the experiments with
some misgivings, and fully expecting
| was soon agreeably surprised to find
that the insects were quite palatable
IN whatever way prepared. The flavor
of the raw locust is most strong and
l!sagreeabe, but that of the cooked
insect is agreeable and sufficiently
mild to be ca lily neutrali7ed by any
thing with which they may be. mixed,
and to admit of easy disguise. according
to taste or fancy But the great point
would make in their favor is that
they need no elaborate preparation or
seasoning. AMI that they really require
no disguise and herein es their value
n exceptional emergencies, for, when
people are driven To the point of
starvation by these ravenous pests, it
follows that all other TOOL Is scarce or
mattainable. Il broth, made by boil
ing the untledged calopteni for two
hours in the proper quantity of water,
Rnd seasoned with nothing but pepper
Rnd salt, is quite palata lie and scarcely
10 be distinguished rom beef-broth.
Enough it has Il slight flavor peculiar
10 it and not easy to be DIES ribbed.
The addition OF little butter inn
proves it, and the flavor can, of course,
be modified with mint, sage, and other
Spices ad lbi.um. Fried or roasted in
nothing but their own oil, with the
addition o. little salt, they are by no
means unpleasant eating, and have
butte a nutty flavor. In fat, it is q
Favor. like most peculiar and not I'M
pleasant tlavors, that one can soon
learn to get fond of. Prepared in this
manner. ground and compressed. they
Mould doubtless keep for long time.
N ct their consumption in lar guam
titles in this form would not. / think,
prove rs whole one as when made
INTO soup or broth, for l found the
ehitinous covering and corneous parts,
Especially the spines on the tibie, dry
hnd chipry, and somewhat irritating
10 the throat. This objection would
bot apply with the same force TO the
mature individuals. especially of the
larger snecies, where the heads, legs
Rnd wings are carefully separated
before cooking aud, in fact. some of
he mature insects Tren AIRED in this
way. then boiled, an afterwardstewed
with few veg tables, and little
butter, pepper, sat and vim sgar, made
An exc allent fri assoc.
/" i sent bushel of scalded insects
10 Mr., John Btnnet, one of the Oldest
And heSt-known caterers of st. Louis.
Master of the mysteries of the cuisine.
le made soup which was really de-
lcious, and was so pronounced by