Sun Lee
Bug BentoLondon-based startup Ento wants to squish, er, quash Westerners' aversion to eating insects—an abundant, sustainable protein source with less environmental impact than animal husbandry. So how do you get finicky eaters to switch to creepy-crawlies? By taking presentational cues from sushi—such as bite-size pieces and bento boxes—that make delicacies more attractive. After cooking up a few dazzling dishes, cofounder Jonathan Fraser and his colleagues worked out the bugs with these snackable treats by holding public tastings last summer. It went well. "People thought the food would look weird and scary," Fraser says. "We changed their expectations." Ento's next step: Open an insect restaurant. Someday, the company hopes, its bug bentos will be available worldwide. Here are Ento's concepts, which we admit sound (mostly) pretty tasty. —David MacNeal
Caterpillar Roll
Fried waxworms, with a taste akin to pistachios, are flattened like an usuyaki tamago (thin omelet), which is wrapped around chopped carrots, radish, and cucumber for a light spring-roll bite.
Protein: 2.5 grams
Fat: 1.5 grams
Carbs: 3.5 grams
Calories: 36.8
Sorry, Jiminy, but your brethren make for a good source of iron, calcium, and vitamin C. Seasoned baked crickets are bundled with strips of parsnips and potato.
Protein: 1.9 grams
Fat: 0.5 gram
Carbs: 3 grams
Calories: 23.8
Bread Cube
It’s a mix of powdered buffalo worms (or lesser mealworms) flour, and yeast. The result is protein-rich bread with a hint of multilegged nuttiness. Warm herb butter is a good complement.
Protein: 3.7 grams
Fat: 1.5 grams
Carbs: 10.4 grams
Calories: 70.2
This recipe calls for fresh thyme, coriander seed, sea salt, ground pepper—and minced locust—salty, with a meaty texture.
Protein: 3 grams
Fat: 0.8 gram
Carbs: 4.3 grams
Calories: 37
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