Forget butter, how about crickets on your popcorn? - Action News
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Windsor

Forget butter, how about crickets on your popcorn?

A Windsor restaurant is experimenting with Truffled Cricket Popcorn.

Chef Alvarez: 'We try to get people to try stuff that's outside of their comfort zone'

Add some protein to your popcorn. Cricket protein.

7 years ago
Duration 0:52
It may not be coming to a theatre near you, but F&B Walkerville in Windsor, Ont. is trying out a new popcorn topping crickets.

It may not be coming to a theatre near you, but F&B Walkervillein Windsor, Ont. is trying out a new popcorn topping crickets.

Chef John Alvarez is experimenting with a new creation, Truffled Cricket Popcorn. It's popcorn topped with citrus powder, Japanese Seven Spice,fresh truffles from Italy and cricket protein powderfrom Entomo Farms in Toronto.

"I looked around my kitchen and I threw it together," Alvarez told CBC. "But knowing all the flavours would work really well."

Cricket protein powder by Entomo Foods. (Aadel Haleem/CBC)

Alvarez says his restaurant is the first inWindsor to hop onto the 'wow factor' of the delicacy.

"ForF&B, we try to get people to try stuff that'soutside of their comfort zone. So coming here, they're familiar flavours but just boostit up a little bit."

'Acrazyflavour punch'

Even though there's no 'fuzzy leg popping out' in cricket powder,Alvarezworriedcustomers would shy away from his concoction. He's been pleasantly surprised with the early reviews.

Rosemary Woods and Philippe Octavien try a bowl of Truffled Cricket Popcorn. (Aadel Haleem/CBC)

"It was my first time trying cricket," said Philippe Octavien, owner of Black Magic Culinary Creations. "Very interesting. I loved the umami flavour, nutty, the truffle, the salt, a little bit of heat to it, it was amazing."

Food blogger Rosemary Woods also tried cricket powder for the first time.

"It was very good. Itwas a crazy flavour punch to my mouth, but I mean that in a good way," she said.

Chef John Alvarez shows his latest creation, Truffled Cricket Popcorn. (Aadel Haleem/CBC)

Still, Alvarez doesn't expect cricket protein powder to become a staple on kitchen tables anytime soon.

"I think you would have to get around the stigma of just eating bugs, but having the crickets in powdered form is actually kind of nice because you don't think of it. To me, it's just another seasoning I can try to utilize," hesaid.

A bowl of Truffled Cricket Popcorn sells for $11. Alvarez expects to sell it until the end of May, or until he finishes the bag.