In Shunde, Guangdong, one eatery is going viral for purposely including those very things on their treats that many of us strive to keep out of our food — crispy fried diving beetles, resembling giant cockroaches (colloquially and locally dubbed “water cockroaches”), are now being placed on egg tarts. This curious menu item appeared in October.
The nutritious beetle is considered a local delicacy and finds its use in traditional Chinese medicine. South China Morning Post tells us, “[…] it is believed to nourish the skin and kidneys, improve blood circulation, help resolve blood stasis, and strengthen muscles and bones.” The age-old idea of consuming bugs has long ceased to be all that novel even in the typically less adventurous West, with many Hollywood celebrities like Nicole Kidman flaunting their love of spooky-looking squirmers and crawlers.
However, the egg tart in question, which can be seen in a video by HKeye here, still strikes us as admirably innovative. As SCMP points out, “Shunde is a city known for its Cantonese cuisine and recognised as a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy.”
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It’s no wonder that customers travel from cities like Hong Kong and Beijing to procure the viral tart. An Italian influencer even stopped by. The Standard reported that the establishment’s owner, Pan, “said the idea originated from his lifelong familiarity with traditional Cantonese ingredients and a desire to reinvent local dim sum.”
For the tarts in question, the beetles must be deodorized. The wings are left intact. The flavor of the delightful insect toppings has been compared to that of a potato crisp. The egg tart base is said to taste more traditional, in line with expectations. The dessert comes at a great price: Three can be purchased for 28 yuan, which equates to slightly over $4. Despite some mean online comments, we hope to give the healthy treat a try one of these days, as we have faith in Asian culinary excellence.
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