What happens when you combine a group of children with a healthy interest in science, nature, and cooking with a group of adults who dare to step up to the plate for a team-building challenge? Well, you get the G&TA Fear Factor Team, consuming chocolate- covered cicadas courtesy of Luis Gutierrez and his children (along with Mom’s gracious support). And to think it all started with an article about a man in Chicago getting sick from eating too many cicadas! As a result of this lively departmental conversation and the fact that Andrew Wright said he would eat a cicada if circumstances permitted …well, the rest is history. A recipe book on cicadas sent home to Luis as a joke turned into something quite different when he brought in a tray of the chocolate-covered cicadas this week courtesy of Rachel, Benjamin, Alene, Mich, and Luis Jr., who wanted to show off their budding culinary skills, which included gathering the cicadas, boiling them, pulling of their little heads, legs and wings, and then roasting the tasty morsels before a dip in melted chocolate. After consuming some of these chocolate delights for dessert, the children naturally wanted to share the results with the so-called “instigator” (Diana Smith). And since Diana has a memory like an elephant, she immediately recalled Andrew Wright advising of his dietary interest in cicadas, and as there were plenty of little “candies,” it was obvious that sharing was in order. Andrew (upon observing the tray of enticing cicadas) immediately suggested a “team building” –voluntary, of course. The cicadas were consumed with relish - just like on TV show Fear Factor –without the grand prize, of course. Andrew did mention something about this becoming an annual event. Guess we’ll have to wait another 17 years for a repeat of the cicada dish.
Well that is part of the picture, but behind the scenes, there is more. Number one, little Anna (not mentioned in the article above) loved picking up the little cicadas and putting them in the bucket and I did not. However, I did help in all aspects of there making except the boiling. I hid in my room. We packaged them up very fancily in a little green and gold candy box. Benjamin drew a cicada, cut it out and on this, we wrote for whom they were intended. I wish I had been there when the tasty little morsels were handed to Diana by my dad. “Oh how sweet of the children,” and then “Why are you grinning?” and then “What are they?” Seven people consisted of the G&TA Fear Factor Team, and only one of them came back for seconds. He liked them! (Not including my dad, because he liked them too, actually everyone in my family did.)
