How to Eat Fried Worms

Or, rather, how to eat spiky, palm-sized, brightly colored, steamed caterpillars topped with a light tomato garnish. That was probably the last thing I expected to find in the pot for dinner last night. I was told that this particular dish is a South African delicacy. So, of course, I absolutely HAD to eat it!
Eating worms comes with a certain set of challenges. The first challenge is finding out exactly how the worms found their way onto my plate. When I casually asked my host mom if she purchased the worms at the market today, she began to laugh hysterically. It turns out, she merely went outside and picked the worms straight off the trees in the backyard. This was probably not the answer I wanted to hear, but I was still resolved to taste this delicacy!

The second challenge is figuring out exactly what to expect. My host sister demonstrated eating one of the worms. She reassured me that it was chewy and quite tasty. In retrospect, I have to say, I completely disagree.

The third challenge is actually picking up the worm. They look extremely intimidating. If I wouldn't touch one when it's alive, why would I do the same when it's dead? In the picture above, Amaka and I are looking hesitantly at our options. Even after overcoming my fear, I was still sweating with nervousness as I carefully selected my feast. I made sure to choose the one with fewest legs that I could potentially swallow in one bite. Finally, I made my choice! The final challenge is to actually move the worm from hand to mouth. The family had to do a motivational countdown in order for me to gather the courage to eat the worm. And then, I did it! I popped the worm in my mouth and all was going well until...there was a giant crunch and worm juice filled my mouth. Ick! The crunchiness, I am told, is from the caterpillar's legs and head. The worm tasted salty. That's the best way I can describe it. I was unable to swallow it, making it even worse. But after a few gulps of mango juice, I finally finished it! I feel like I have accomplished an important milestone in my life, but I have decided that eating a worm once is MORE than enough. That is, until next time it's for dinner...