They say Mexico is home to the widest variety of edible insects in the world.
Downtown’s San Juan Market is a mecca for exotic ingredients (think: jars of worm salt, Oaxacan ant salsa and lion or tiger meat) and prepared food, some of which will raise even locals’ eyebrows. At the stall Mexico en el Paladar, you can try Madagascar cockroaches, scorpions and a degustation plate of creepy critters, or you can take a real plunge with a fried tarantula (a financial splurge at $27, to boot). A more-daring-than-I friend tried it, testifying that while the legs were crispy and palatable, the bulbous body was akin to a “gooey, exploding quail egg.”
Escamoles are ant egg sacs. These tender white capsules, which look like plump, shiny risotto, are mild and pleasant. At Restaurante El Cardenal, a local family favorite for weekend breakfast, you can try a tasty Spanish omelet with escamoles. Yes: It’s eggs times two.
