We have a fascinating talk with the Director of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy. He informs us as to what needs to happen for the edible insect industry to grow and flourish in the coming years. He is an engaging personality, and we have a lively and informative talk.

In the Cricketlicious Cafe, ChefPV makes Chirpchos. Like Nachos but with Chirps Chips!

And on "As the Crickets Chirp" Chip's mind is taken over by the Crypt-Keeper Wasp's larvae.

In the Season 2 opener of the Ento Nation podcast, the Cricket Man interviews Jack Armstrong, head of the oldest commercial cricket farming operation in North America. In the Cricketlicious Café, ChefPV is making Jalapeno Chapulines Cornbread Donuts, and you can also watch a new live version of today’s Cricketlicious Café by clicking here. “As the Crickets Chirp” begins its second season, and we find Chip in danger.

We also launch our Ento Nation/Entomo Farms contest giveaway, here are the details.

The Prize: A half pound of Entomo Farms Gluten Free Cricket Powder and an assortment of their Bug Bistro line of cricket and mealworm snacks, delivered right to your door!

To Enter: Go to the Ento Nation website and leave a comment on one of our posts. Every time you leave a comment on a post at the Ento Nation magazine, your name will be entered into the drawing. You can comment as many times as you like, however, only one comment per post per person qualifies. So if you had 10 comments on one post, it only counts as one entry for you. But if you had 10 comments in 10 different posts, you would be entered into the contest 10 times. Comments have to be at least a regular sentence length, several words…strung together to form a coherent communication, and the comment has to be relevant to the post. Even replying to another person’s comments will count, as long as it adheres to the aforementioned guidelines. The contest begins on February 2, 2018 and ends at Noon PST on Valentine’s day February 14, 2018. The drawing will be held in the afternoon, and the winner announced on the February 16th edition of the podcast.

In this brief edition of the Ento Nation podcast, the Cricket Man launches the Ento Nation Magazine, and also gives us a preview of what to expect in Season 2 of the podcast.

The Ento Nation Podcast goes by a 12 episode Season. Our little web series “As the Crickets Chirp” went 6 episodes in Season 1. We decided that ATCC would be back for another 6 episode season in Season 2 of the podcast. Meanwhile, what would fill the other 6 weeks? We did a few different things, but one of them was a 3-part series called “Into the Night” which takes place in the same Bugton Hollow Universe…and may even be a spin-off of “As the Crickets Chirp”…like ATCC, this is an allegorical, metaphorical parody.

The Ento Nation podcast brings you all 12 Cricketlicious Café episodes from Season 1. Our Resident Chef, ChefPV guides you through 9 delicious and nutritious Ento recipes. As guest chefs we have Lee Cadesky  and Aly Moore. And the Cricket Man takes over the kitchen on Christmas. Visit EntoNation.com for all 12 recipes in the synopsis of this episode.

Times: 5:27-Chirpin’ Tostadas-ChefPV; 7:47-Crickcakes-ChefPV; 10:44-Mealworm Energy Balls-ChefPV; 13:47-Chapulines Spoon Bread con Spiced Cricket Ice Cream-ChefPV; 18:44-Tomato Hopper Poppers-Aly Moore; 24:02-Pineapple Crick Sticks-ChefPV; 28:16-Chili con Cricket-Lee Cadesky; 30:18-Mealworm Latkes-ChefPV; 34:29-Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever-Cricket Man; 42:52-Mealworm Mac n Cheese Souffle-ChefPV; 47:20-Curried Zucchini Wrapped Grasshoppers-ChefPV; 50:44-Gingersect Cookies-ChefPV.

On this week’s Season 1 finale of the Ento Nation podcast we talk with Chef Joseph Yoon. Joseph is a top rated private chef and caterer based in New York City. He is the Executive Director of Brooklyn Bugs, and also the Chef/Owner of Dinner Echo. Joseph is a true culinary artist, who’s passion for cooking is rivaled only by his passion for life. We have an energizing and fascinating conversation about many things, including the challenges of being an “Ento Chef”.  

In the Cricketlicious Café, ChefPV makes us some Gingersect Cookies, and they are awesome! And we’ll also talk about what’s coming up, for the Ento Nation.

…

Gingersect Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup HONEYWORMS (thawed)

7 TBSP MAPLE SYRUP

1 cup ALL PURPOSE CRICKET FLOUR

1 tsp BAKING POWDER

1/8 tsp BAKING SODA

2 TBSP FIVE SPICE POWDER

2 TBSP GINGER (minced)

1/3 cup WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE

3 TBSP COCONUT OIL

1 EGG

1/8 tsp HIMALAYAN PINK SALT

1 cup POWDERED SUGAR

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small mixing bowl, mix HONEYWORMS with 2 TBSP MAPLE SYRUP and set aside.
3. Whisk together CRICKET FLOUR, BAKING POWDER, BAKING SODA, FIVE SPICE POWDER and GINGER in a large mixing bowl Set Aside.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine CREAM CHEESE, COCONUT OIL, remaining MAPLE SYRUP, EGG and SALT until creamy and smooth.
5. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients and mix until evenly incorporated.
6. Measure enough dough for desired cookie size and roll into a ball.
7. Put POWDERED SUGAR on a plate and roll dough balls to thoroughly cover, puncture middle with your thumb and fill with the honeyworms.
8. Grease a baking tray with coconut oil, arrange cookies on the tray then place tray into the oven for 14 - 20 minutes.
9. Remove tray with cookies and sift powdered sugar over cookies and let cool about 5 - 10 minutes then ENJOY!!!

In this episode we talk with Malcolm Diack, founder of Otago Locusts in New Zealand. Malcolm is the founder of Otago Locusts in Dunedin, New Zealand. In 2017, Otago Locusts won the Novel category of the New Zealand Food Awards, and also a commendation by the New Zealand Sustainable Business Network Awards. Malcolm started Otago Locusts back in 2009.

We also have a chat with Kevin Bachhuber. Kevin is an award-winning consultant in sustainable agriculture, small-business innovation, and finance. Founder of the first American insect farm to obtain food-grade certifications, his pioneering work as an engineer of green technology solutions has pushed the insect farming industry in a dramatic new direction. 

And in the Cricketlicious Cafe, ChefPV makes Curried Zucchini Wrapped Grasshoppers!

INGREDIENTS

20 GRASSHOPPERS (freeze-dried)

2 cups WHEATGRASS JUICE

2 ZUCCHINIS

1 TBSP CURRY POWDER

1 tsp OREGANO POWDER

½ tsp GARLIC POWDER

½ tsp GARAM MASALA

¼ tsp TURMERIC

SESAME OIL

HIMALAYAN PINK SALT

3 oz GOAT CHEESE

1 large RED BELL PEPPER (roasted)

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak GRASSHOPPERS in WHEATGRASS JUICE for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight for maximum infusion).

2. Place the top rack in oven 6 inches from the heat source and preheat to Broil.

3. Trim the ZUCCHINI ends and slice into ¼-inch pieces lengthwise using a mandoline.

4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together CURRY POWDER, OREGANO POWDER, GARLIC POWDER, GARAM MASALA and TURMERIC.

5. Lightly coat zucchini strips with SESAME OIL on both sides.

6. Massage the spice mixture on both sides of the zucchini.

7. Coat a baking sheet with sesame oil then lay out the zucchini strips in a single layer.

8. Sprinkle SALT over zucchini then place the baking tray in the oven and broil for 4 minutes.

9. Remove the zucchini from the oven, flip the slices over and return to the oven for 5 to 6 minutes more, making sure the zucchini is golden brown and slightly charred but not too crispy and burned.

10. Remove the zucchini from the oven and let cool.

11. Sprinkle GOAT CHEESE along the length of each zucchini strip, adding a slice of ROASTED PEPPER at each end.

12. Take a moment to wash your hands to avoid getting goat cheese all over your rolls as you roll them up.

13. Add a grasshopper to the top of the strips, along the width of the zucchini.

14. Roll the strips and serve on a plate, seam side down.

On this edition of the Ento Nation podcast, we talk with Julianne Kopf, COO and co-Founder of Bugeater Foods.  Bugeater Foods creates nutritious and delicious foods like “Jump” cricket based protein shake, and Julianne will let us in on some of the new goodies that Bugeater Foods will be turning out this coming year.

We also have a chat with Dr. Aaron T. Dossey, Founder of All Things Bugs LLC, GrioPro Cricket Powder (the original cricket powder), and editor of the book “Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients”; you won’t want to miss this informative conversation.

In the Cricket licious Café, ChefPV teaches us how to make Mealworm Mac n Cheese Souffles, and on The Night Talker, it’s “Night of the Frogs”…

…

Mealworm Mac n Cheese Souffle

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ TBSP BUTTER

1 TBSP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

¾ cup MILK

SALT (to taste)

PEPPER (to taste)

1 cup SMOKED GOUDA CHEESE (shredded)

1 EGG YOLK 2 EGG WHITES

1 cup Bugeater Foods MEALWORM MACARONI PASTA (cooked)

¼ cup MEALWORMS (thawed)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a saucepan melt the BUTTER, add the FLOUR and stir on medium heat for a minute.
3. Add the MILK gradually while stirring to avoid lumps.
4. Season to taste with SALT and PEPPER and stir the sauce until sauce thickens.
5. Remove saucepan from heat and mix in the CHEESE until melted.
6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the EGG YOLK and mix into cheese sauce.
7. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the EGG WHITES until stiff peaks are formed.
8. Gently fold the cheese sauce into the egg whites until well combined.
9. Butter the ramekins then fill a little more than a third of the way with MEALWORM MACARONI PASTA.
10. Fill the ramekins to almost full with cheese sauce then top with MEALWORMS.
11. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake souffles on the middle rack for 15 - 20 minutes until the surface becomes golden.
12. Serve immediately

Our Christmas Special focuses on two organizations that are actually doing good in the world, literally saving lives and improving communities by teaching them how to farm certain insects: Farms for Orphans run by Dr. Amy Franklin in Africa, and MealFlour run by Elizabeth Frank and Gabby Wimer in Central America. 

The Cricket Man is turned loose in the Cricketlicious Cafe and he makes what he claims to be the "Greatest recipe ever created for people to eat." You decide. 

The Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

• 1 cup unsalted butter melted and then cooled for at least 5 minutes* (226g)
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed (300g)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 2 eggs room temperature preferred
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (60ml)
• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour (415g)
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips. 1 cup of mini chocolate chips and 1 cup regular sized chips.

1. In large bowl, stir together melted butter and sugars.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring combined.
3. Stir in vanilla extract and maple syrup.
4. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, stirring until completely combined.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Cover bowl with clear wrap and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes.
8. While the dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.
9. Scoop about 2-3 Tbsp of cookie dough and roll into balls, making them slightly taller than they are wide. Place them at least 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
10. Press chocolate chips into cookie dough balls in various places.
11. Bake about 13 minutes (cookies will appear to be a bit underdone, but edges should be just beginning to turn golden brown).
12. Merry Christmas, baby!

On this edition of the Ento Nation podcast, we sit down for a fascinating conversation with Ento Industry mover and shaker Robert Nathan Allen, better known as RNA. RNA is the founder of Little Herds and co-founder of GrubTubs. Little Herds educates and empowers communities, both locally and globally, to support and promote the use of insects for food and feed as an environmentally sound and economically viable source of nutrition, and Grub Tubs is a table to farm food waste recycling service.

In our Cricketlicious Café segment, Chef PV creates some Mealworm Latkes for the Holidays. And “The Night Talker” takes a twisted turn…

Mealworm Latkes

Latke Sauce

1 TBSP Mayo

1 TBSP Horseradish

1 TBSP Yogurt

1 TBSP Maple Syrup

1/4 tsp Five Spice Powder

1/4 tsp Sriracha

Mealworm Latkes

2 cups Yukon Gold Potatoes (grated)

1 cup Sunchokes (grated)

1/4 cup Red Onion (grated)

2 Eggs (whisked)

1/2 TBSP Rosemary (minced)

2 TBSPs All Purpose Cricket Flour

1 cup Mealworms

1 tsp Himilayan Pink Salt

Sesame Oil

Chives (chopped)

1. Place a sesame-oiled baking sheet into oven and preheat oven to 450°F
2. Whisk Latke Sauce ingredients together in mixing bowl and set aside in fridge.
3. Line a large mixing bowl with a lint-free kitchen towel and add the potatoes, sunchokes and red onion to the bowl.
4. Wring excess liquid from the grated ingredients.
5. Release wrung ingredients into a dry, large mixing bowl.
6. Add egg, rosemary and cricket flour to grated ingredients and combine.
7. Stir in mealworms and himalayan pink salt
8. Remove baking sheet from oven, drop batter in the desired size onto baking pan and return to oven for 6 minutes.
9. Flip Latkes and cook for 6 more minutes on the other side
10. Serve on a plate with sauce and chives