Chapulines

Chapulines are grasshoppers of the genus Sphenarium eaten in Mexico and Central America, their name taken from the Nahuatl word chapolin; they are collected seasonally from May into early autumn, then toasted on a comal and seasoned with garlic, lime juice, chilies or salt. Oaxaca is the main center of their consumption, where they are sold as a popular snack at sporting events, and Spanish conquest-era records from the early to mid sixteenth century already mention grasshoppers being eaten in the region. They are eaten alone as a botana, or snack, or used as a filling in dishes such as tlayudas, and have even appeared as a novelty ballpark snack at Seattle Mariners games since 2017.