Escamol

{{Short description|Edible larvae and pupae of ants}}

{{expand Spanish|topic=cult|Escamol|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Escamol

| image = Escamoles.jpg|

| caption =Escamoles cooked in butter

| alternate_name = Mexican caviar

| country = Mexico

| region =

| creator =

| course =

| served =

| main_ingredient = larvae and pupae of ants

| variations =

| calories =

| other =

}}

Escamoles ({{IPA|es|eskaˈmoles|lang|EscamolesPronunciation.ogg}}; {{langx|nah|azcamolli}},{{cite book |author1=Reyes Castillo |author2=Pedro Montes de Oca |author3=Enrique Montes de Oca |chapter=Fauna |editor=Enrique Florescano|title=El patrimonio nacional de Mexico|volume=I |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ItRB5JGpPdQC&pg=PA179|date=1997|publisher=Fondo De Cultura Economica USA|isbn=978-968-16-5452-8|pages=179–180|language=es}} from azcatl 'ant' and molli 'puree'{{cite book|author=Émile Bergier|title=Peuples entomophages et insectes comestibles: Étude sur les moeurs de l'homme et de l'insecte|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IP5MAAAAYAAJ|year=1953 |publisher=N. Boubée|page=152|language=fr}}), known colloquially as Mexican caviar or insect caviar, are the edible larvae and pupae of ants of the species Liometopum apiculatum and L. occidentale var. luctuosum.{{cite book |last=DeFoliart |first=Gene R. |chapter=Insects as food |editor1=Vincent H. Resh|editor1-link=Vincent H. Resh|editor2=Ring T. Cardé |title=Encyclopedia of Insects |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jk0Hym1yF0cC&pg=PA381|date=2009 |publisher=Academic Press|isbn=978-0-08-092090-0|pages=381}} They are most commonly consumed in Mexico City and surrounding areas.{{cite book |last=Gaso |first=M.I. |display-authors=et al |chapter=Biological monitoring of radioactivity and metal pollution in edible eggs of Liometopum apiculatum (ants) from a radioactive waste site in central Mexico |editor=Peter Warwick |title=Environmental Radiochemical Analysis II|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YWr0adZnSeYC&pg=PA335 |year=2003|publisher=Royal Society of Chemistry|isbn=978-0-85404-618-8|pages=334–335}} Escamoles have been consumed in Mexico since the age of the Aztecs.{{cite book|author=Anthony DePalma |title=Here: A Biography of the New American Continent |url=https://archive.org/details/herebiographyoft00depa |url-access=registration|year=2001 |publisher=PublicAffairs|isbn=978-1-891620-83-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/herebiographyoft00depa/page/268 268]}}{{cite book |last1=Ramos-Elorduy |first1=Julieta |first2=José Manuel Pino |last2=Moreno |chapter=El consumo de insectos entre los aztecas |editor=Janet Long|title=Conquista y comida: consecuencias del encuentro de dos mundos|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rn9LZ2XrIWgC&pg=PA89 |year=2003 |publisher=Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México|isbn=978-970-32-0852-4|pages=89–90, 94 |language=es}} The taste is described as buttery and nutty, with a texture akin to that of cottage cheese.{{cite news|last1=Cox |first1=Lauren |title=Top 5 Disgusting Delicacies |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/top-disgusting-delicious-nutritious-delicacies/story?id=10544481 |access-date=August 19, 2014|work=ABC News|date=May 4, 2010}}

File:Escamoles, chahuis, chinicuiles y chapulines. Mercado de Tula.jpg

Escamoles02.jpg|Escamoles al mojo de ajo