The cicadas are coming. And so are the recipes to eat them

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Chef Joseph Yoon began cooking cicadas after experimenting with insects for an art project. He shared his experience with Morning Edition. © Brooklyn Bugs hide caption

Chef Joseph Yoon began cooking cicadas after experimenting with insects for an art project. He shared his experience with Morning Edition.

The cicadas are coming! And so are some new flavor profiles.

Science Billions of cicadas will buzz this spring as two broods emerge at the same time

This spring, the bugs of two broods, the 13-year Brood XIX and the 17-year Brood XIII, will crawl from the ground simultaneously across the eastern and southern parts of the United States. It is the first time the two broods will emerge in unison since Thomas Jefferson was president.

But for chef Joseph Yoon, it won't be the first time cicadas are on the menu. "It originally started when I cooked some insects for an art project," says Yoon.

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A tempura-fried cicada creation is among Joseph Yoon's favorite recipes. © Brooklyn Bugs hide caption

A tempura-fried cicada creation is among Joseph Yoon's favorite recipes.

Yoon is an advocate for the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development. He is also a founder of Brooklyn Bugs, a group of edible insect ambassadors who are passionate about bug consumption, education, and climate consciousness.

With the arrival of trillions of cicadas this year, Yoon is preparing to cook up some tasty recipes, like tempura-fried cicadas and cicada kimchi. With the right ingredients and preparation, he says, the taste isn't too unfamiliar.

Chef Joseph Yoon says proper preparation and ingredients can help make the flavor of dishes like cicada kimchi more familiar. © Brooklyn Bugs hide caption

"If you think about it, they've been living underground, slowly feasting on plant and tree xylem for 13 or 17 years. And so they have this really beautiful vegetal quality and a nutty quality as well. And so when you deep fry them, they're just so delicious and so special," says Yoon.