What is behind the cicada-topped americano's coffee trend?

A cafe in Shunde, Guangzhou put three deep-fried cicada nymphs on top of an iced americano, and the drink drew heavy discussion online. The shop owner says the insects pair well with cold brew, while many commenters find the look hard to accept. Early summer is peak season for catching cicada nymphs.

Cicada nymphs, known as golden cicadas, are eaten in parts of China and their molted shells are a traditional medicinal ingredient. As a foreign protein, they carry allergy risk, and legs and other parts may hold bacteria or parasites. The reaction around this americano's coffee garnish shows how far novelty drinks can stretch.

Recently, a café in Shunde, Guangzhou, placed fried cicada nymphs on top of an iced Americano, launching a special drink that sparked heated discussion among netizens. Cicada nymphs, commonly known as golden cicadas, have a tradition of being eaten in some regions, and early summer is the peak season for catching them. The shop owner says they pair surprisingly well with cold brew, but many netizens say the visual impact is too strong and hard to accept. At the same time, cicada nymphs, as a foreign protein, pose an allergy risk, and parts such as their legs may also carry bacteria and parasites, so caution is needed when trying them. This article takes you through the story and precautions behind this explosive drink.

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Recently, a café in Shunde, Guangzhou, launched a cicada nymph coffee that had netizens calling it "explosive."

Judging from what netizens shared on social platforms, the appearance of this drink is no different from an ordinary iced Americano, except that a skewer of cicada nymphs is placed on top of the liquid as a garnish. The shop owner explained that these three deep-fried cicada nymphs can also be eaten as a snack, so customers can chew on cicada nymphs while drinking their coffee.

In fact, cicada nymphs are the golden cicadas everyone is familiar with, and they have considerable medicinal value. The shed shells left behind after a golden cicada molts are also a traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient. In addition, some regions in China have long had a tradition of eating cicada nymphs. Locals would catch live cicadas directly from tree trunks in the bushes, take them home, wash them clean, and deep-fry them to make a high-protein, low-fat wild delicacy.

It is now early summer, exactly the stage when cicadas emerge from the soil and climb onto grass or trees to molt. As a result, many residents in places such as Shandong go out at night with flashlights to catch cicadas. After spreading online, this formed a "cicada-catching craze," helping more people learn about this summer-limited cicada nymph.

However, for people from other places, although catching cicadas is interesting and they look quite appetizing after being deep-fried, most people still feel uncomfortable when actually faced with eating them. Some people said outright that they could not accept it after seeing those insects, saying "it's really gross," "good heavens," and "I thought it was a skewer of cockroaches."

The shop owner who launched the cicada nymph coffee said that when he first got cicada nymphs from a friend, his reaction was similar to netizens', and he also could not quite accept this unusual dish. But after summoning the courage to try it, he was instantly proven wrong. He found that deep-fried cicada nymphs paired with cold brew featuring barrel-aged flavor tasted like barbecue with beer, offering a distinctive pleasure.

Because cicada nymphs emphasize freshness and must be deep-fried to achieve a crisp texture, staff said this special drink currently requires ordering one day in advance. The clerk also mentioned that most customers unfamiliar with cicada nymphs are unwilling to try it on their own initiative, so sales of this drink are currently not high.

Netizens believe that, on one hand, the image of the shop owner putting deep-fried cicada nymphs on coffee is too visually striking and easily makes people mistake them for cockroaches, leading to very low acceptance of the drink. On the other hand, some also pointed out that eating cicada nymphs carries certain food safety risks.

According to China News Service, although cicada nymphs are rich in protein, this foreign protein may trigger allergic reactions after consumption, with symptoms such as skin itching, rashes, fever, and dizziness. In severe cases, it may even induce bronchial asthma, causing breathing difficulty and rapidly developing into anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Previously, multiple media outlets reported that a diner suffered a severe allergic reaction after eating six deep-fried cicada nymphs and was only saved after being rushed to the hospital.

In addition, parts of cicadas such as their legs, wings, and heads easily trap dirt and may carry bacteria, parasites, and toxic substances such as heavy metals. If the ingredients are not thoroughly cooked during preparation, eating them may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and even poisoning. Therefore, if netizens want to bravely try this coffee, they had better prepare themselves mentally first.

Image source: Internet

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