June 13 - 20, 1 9 9 6

Like fossils

Things that go crunch in your mouth

Catering to adventurous palates, Store 24 has recently imported some unusual dainties from Southern California. Cricket Lick-It is a crème de menthe-flavored lollipop, with -- you guessed it -- Mr. Cricket suspended inside. The tequila-flavored worm sucker is a sugar-free lolly with a hybrid beetle larva in the middle. For a variation on pork rinds, try a packet of Larvets, which offers dried larvae in three flavors: barbecue, cheddar cheese, and Mexican spice. Made in Pismo Beach by an outfit called Hotlix, the treats retail for 99 cents apiece.

-- Elizabeth Manus