My Lunch Speaks

hey. psst. hey.

yes you, whitey

come'er. closer.

closer

EAT ME

God help me, I did.

That’s 번데기 – beondegi –  silkworm pupa, pretty popular snack in Korea. They taste exactly like the word “pupa” sounds – repulsive. You see street vendors around here cooking these bad boys up (you will know them by the rank odor of death that accompanies them), but for obvious reasons, I passed on ever putting one in my mouth. Because, dudes, why? WHY?! Why in a land of plenty would you ever resort to eating bugs?

But then these appeared as a side dish at lunch with my coteachers, and I was riding on the high of a good day at English camp, and I decided to be a little adventurous. After all, I like pretty much all Korean food, even the stuff considered weird in the States (like this, this or all this delicious business).  But you, beondegi…you are the weirdest. You are something special. First, beondegi is usually boiled, so there is no crunch when you bite one, but there is an explosion as the chrysalis bursts and the silkworm innards assault your tongue. Second,beondegi tastes like it is actively punishing you for eating it – only a sander across the tongue will get this taste out of your mouth.(Note: it’s a rare lunch that comes with more than an accompanying tablespoon of water. You cannot drink this away.)

These are the appetizers served in hell. Repent, readers, or you too shall know the piquant flavor of the silkworm.

Silkworm: how you like me now?