Gross out?

Scorpion scallopini, yum! Biologist and chef David George Gordon enjoys eating bugs so much, he recently wowed crowds at a Singapore food festival with a cooking demonstration.

To turn the stinging scorpion into a snack, Gordon first froze the critter. "Then it's no more dangerous than a shrimp," he says. Using a knife, he removed the stinger and venom gland from the tail's tip. After dipping it in milk and cornmeal, Gordon fried the scorpion in a buttered skillet.

Sound odd? "Actually, the U.S. is the oddball," says Gordon. About 80 percent of the world's population practices entomophagy (insect eating). Why? Many insects are a good source of nutrition. For example, crickets are rich in calcium, a bone-building mineral. Termites are packed with iron, a nutrient essential for energy.

Don't start munching on bugs from your kitchen floor, though. Gordon warns: Insects that live close to human populations will most likely contain toxic pesticides. Also, never eat raw bugs, which could contain parasites. To satisfy your craving, order food-grade bugs from a pat store.

So, how tasty was the scorpion? "Like lobster," says Gordon. "The best parts are the meaty tail and claws."--M.C.