The Cicadas Have Landed...or... Climbed Into Homewood

Yep it's true the periodical cicadas are back in Homewood and boy are there alot of them.

Cheryl, Tom and Uncle Mike - be happy you moved out.

They are everywhere. In every tree, bush and flower garden. And what does that mean for us the entymophobic? It goes like this...eeek aaaa yiiipe - get it away! And that is just to get Gabrielle to the bus in the morning. Getting to my car is like an Olympic event. I took gold. I am repelled yet intrigued by these creatures. They gross me out completely yet I am drawn to them. They are completely harmless and I still freak out if one touches me. The streets of Homewood are lined with the dead ones not lucky enough to have made it to the trees. The skies are filled with seagulls who are like vultures on the Serengeti. The squirrels are fat and my neighbors dog can't get enough of them.

Look closer at the leaves - click on the image

Here's a recipe for those of you who don't have Jewel or Piggly Wiggly near by:

Cicada Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
1 onion, minced
2 tbsps fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup chopped cauliflower and/or broccoli
1 can water chestnuts
3/4cup bean sprouts
3/4cup snow peas
40 blanched teneral cicadas
Directions:
1. Capture cicadas at night as they emerge from the ground. Blanche for 1 minute in boiling water. They can now be stored in freezer or used immediately in recipes.
2. In a wok or other suitable pan, heat a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add ingredients in the order listed above when those in the most recent addition are partially cooked.
3. Serve over whole-grain rice and add soy sauce to taste

Yield: 4 main course servings

I'm sure this won't be as good as Auntie Barbara's pork loin...

Love - Tamra