Israel on alert as locusts cross in from Egypt

[Bosonic]

47. Israeli locust plague is a blessing for adventurous palates

Millions of locusts have swarmed into Israel just two weeks before Passover – and on to plates of hungry diners

When Moshe Basson heard that millions of locusts were swarming across the border from Egypt just two weeks before Passover, his first thought was not of the ominous biblical precedent – nor of agricultural devastation wrought by the marauding insects – it was of a nice risotto with coriander seeds and a pinch of chilli.

Basson, the head chef at acclaimed kosher restaurant The Eucalyptus, has suggested a novel way of dealing with the pest: eating them. Locusts, are the only insects which are both kosher and halal, and Basson – a specialist in food from the Biblical-era – has served them on his menus for years. And what others have seen as a plague, he saw as a windfall.

"I've had calls from religious people who say they would pay anything to eat [locusts]. I've taken huge payments from people who want me to cook them at their homes. In the restaurant, we charge around 90 shekels (£15) a dish," Basson explained. "They taste something between sunflower seeds and baby shrimps – they actually don't taste like much. I like them, but they're desired not because they are delicious but because they are rare."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/07/israel-insects