John the Baptist Bread

Bug Girl is in a pickle. She can't find her copy of Entertaining with Insects, and needs to do just that over the weekend. Mark and Rodger gave me my very own copy for Christmas last year. As I am always eager to help a damselfly in distress, here is the recipe she wants. It's named for John the Baptist's reported diet of locusts and wild honey (though I'm at least partly persuaded by the camp that believes that he was eating carob, the pods of a type of locust tree).

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup honey
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tblsp vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup dry roasted crickets

Grease and flour a loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inches). Add all ingredients except crckets in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for about 1/2 minute or until smooth. Add crickets and stir until well mixed. , then pour into the pan. Bake at 350° 40-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the bread. Slice while hot. Serve with sweet butter a l'orange.

Sweet Butter a l'orange

1/2 lb. sweet butter, softened
2 Tblsp. grated orange rind (For an added touch, soak the rind in your favorite cordial)

Mix with fork, place in serving dish and refrigerate.

Dry Roasted Crickets

Spread fresh, frozen and cleaned crickets on paper towels on a cookie sheet. Bake at 200° for 1-2 hours until desired state of dryness is reached. Check state of dryness by attempting to crush the crickets with a spoon.