Cockchafer plague
No joke: conservationists want the cockchafer soup to return
Cockchafer soup has a long tradition in Germany – you can find the recipe here.
Large parts of Germany are afflicted by cockchafer. Experts now want us to bring a delicacy from our grandparents back to the table and process the little beetles into a soup. Here you can see how they taste – and the recipe for the cockchafer delicacy.
What happened?
It’s summer and the cockchafer are back. Especially in Bavaria they are now a real nuisance that covers entire regions. No wonder a lot of people are thinking about the best way to get rid of them. The Naturschutzbund has an idea that seems a bit daunting at first glance.
Seriously? The suggestion from the article heading?
Exactly. Environmentalists advocate simply throwing the little beetles in the soup pot and thus eliminating the problem.
That’s disgusting.
Oh, it’s all a question of attitude. There are cultures that almost vomit at the thought of quark, cheese and yogurt. In addition, insects are a very protein-rich trend food.
Thanks, but I prefer to stick to German home cooking.
Perfect, then we agree – cockchafer soup has a long tradition in Germany.
I beg your pardon?
No seriously. It was a widespread food until the 1940s. Perhaps also because cockchafer are plentiful as a food resource in the high season and, unlike asparagus, they kindly often appear in the kitchen on their own.
Still … somehow that sounds daunting.
Yes that’s true. But is “soup made from beetles” really worse than classics of German cuisine such as “Grützwurst pieces in aspic jelly”? You can also sell the Beetles differently. How about a gastronomic Wilhelm Busch themed evening with a great surprise in the soup pot?
Um … can I just ignore the bugs and just eat something that won’t make me sick?
Yes, there is of course the option too. For the conservationists, the main aim of the proposal is to present the cockchafer as part of our environment, against which we do not necessarily have to use a poison club. Saucepan is much nicer (except for the bugs) and tastes better.
“Tastes better?”
Yes indeed. An RTL reporter took a closer look at the cockchafer soup. In the video you can find the recipe – and your taste judgment of the forgotten kitchen classic.