A German Ice Cream Shop Is Drawing Attention Over Its Cricket Flavor

One of the many wonderful things about ice cream is that it can serve as a simple template, dressed up and flavored however you like. Whatever flavors you love can be turned into ice cream as easily as adding a topping to a bowl of vanilla. But one thing you likely never thought to put on your ice cream? Crickets. According to the Associated Press, that's exactly what one ice cream parlor in southern Germany has decided to do.

While many Americans may shiver at the mere sight of any insect, they're actually a common source of nutrition in the rest of the world. Crickets have been consumed by humans for thousands of years and are currently the most highly consumed insect in the world. They just might be the protein of the future; they're a common — not to mention sustainable — source of protein and other nutrients. Crickets are said to have a mild, nutty, smoky flavor to them once they've been roasted and are available for purchase online for anyone feeling adventurous.

Eating crickets makes sense logistically, but how do you turn them into an ice cream flavor?

The New York Post explains that Eiscafé Rino is the Rottenburg ice cream parlor that is responsible for creating cricket-flavored ice cream. Its owner, Thomas Micolin, has supposedly been working on the flavor for months. He was able to introduce it thanks to new EU regulations that allows the sale of foods containing insect-based ingredients, such as the cricket flour that serves as the base for this treat. Heavy cream, vanilla extract, and honey round out the flavor of the ice cream, and each scoop is topped with a whole cricket (just in case you forgot what you were eating).

Micolino claims that while he's gotten a lot of criticism for introducing the flavor, he has just as many fans that have taken to the unique ice cream. "Those who try it are very enthusiastic," Micolino told the Associated Press. "I have customers who come here every day and buy a scoop."

The shop owner has a reputation for creating unique ice creams. In the past, his parlor has sold liver sausage and gorgonzola cheese flavored ice creams.