After some extended experimentation with her team of chefs, Deliento founder Lucy Martin thinks she has the answer. The beetles have a “savoury, slightly salty taste,” she tells BUGSfeed, that goes perfectly with Parmesan – and thus the Parmajune Thin was created.

Parmajune Thins. Photo: Deliento

Thins (a fancy biscuit) are pretty easy to make, and Lucy reckons the inclusion of the little beetles doesn’t make it any harder. With the starter packs she’s putting together, which will be available for purchase in the autumn, the ingredients come ready-prepared right to your door – and they’ve made a handy video too.

The June Beetles look, the chefs reckon, like ‘flecks of black pepper’ and give a great extra flavour to these cheesy snacks. Come September you can perhaps try it out yourself – or, if you’re more adventurous, it’s possible to buy buy June Beetles online.

Deliento’s Parmajune Thins recipe

Makes 12 biscuits.

• 50 g plain flour
• ¼ tsp english mustard powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• 1 egg
• 4 tsp june beetles
• 50g cubed cold butter
• 75g parmesan
• 50g mature cheddar

Pre-heat the oven to 200℃.

Grind up the June Beetles in a pestle and mortar. You can keep these fine or coarse, it’s your choice.

Add all the ingredients into a food processor, except the egg. Blend until coarse.

Break the egg into the mixture, and give it all a ‘good blast’ for a few minutes until you have a malleable dough.

Put the pastry dough onto a piece of clingfilm; wrap it up and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will firm it up.

Dust a surface with flour and roll out the pastry with a rolling pin.

Using a scone-cutter or cookie-cutter, cut out biscuits of about 3cm across, placing them onto a greased tray.

Cook for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Place onto a kitchen towel to drain any excess oil.