"I've had the fist-sized eye of a garoupa, steamed and garnished. ![]() Indeed, Asian cultures probably win the prize for not just tolerating but embracing fish eyes, both raw, as in sushi, and cooked. As our well-traveled readers pointed out, small fish are eaten whole in many cultures, from British whitebait to the dried fish snacks ubiquitous at Asian groceries.Įlvers, tiny eels that resemble spaghetti, are popular not just in Europe but also in Asia. ![]() Fish eyes seem the most acceptable form of ocular cuisine, my fastidious soup-eating friend excluded. Maybe the eyes of other mammals are just a bit too close to home for most people. "Eyes may be special because it is so clear that they are an animal part, and they have some special significance for many people." Paul Rozin, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who studies human food choice and disgust. When it comes to Americans, "people in our culture are disgusted by eating any non-muscle part of edible animals, says "When I said, 'Where's the brain?' they looked at me with horror." "The consistency is quite offensive," he reports.īut even traditional Icelanders have their food taboos - the sheep head was served without the brain. Ears, eyes, nose - everything."Įverything, including the eyeball. "You get half a sheep's head on your plate," he told The Salt. Serpell learned that firsthand when he sat down to eat with a family in Iceland. So it's not entirely surprising that we find eyeballs disconcerting." "Eyes represent faces," he said, "and it's through the face that we learn to recognize and empathize with others. James Serpell, director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at the University of Pennsylvania, and asked why eyes creep people out. The fish heads make for a beautiful clear broth, and my husband, who grew up in Kamchatka, wanted to make sure those big old heads swam in his bowl.Īlas, when the bowls were laid out, the one with fish eyes staring balefully upward landed in front of the most fastidious eater in the room. Ukha, a famous Russian fish soup, for a group of friends. I first ran afoul of this when I cooked up But there's no question that in many cultures, eating eyes is a food taboo. ![]() Turns out, quite a lot of cuisine features eyeballs. Recent Salt post that featured a photo of the historic dish, which involves whole fish (eyes and all) poking out of a pie. "Not a lot of food nowadays has eyes what's up with that?" one reader asked in commenting on a My mom, of course, fully bought into this theory: "Eat the eye and you'll be smart!" Additionally, the head itself (another part you should eat) is chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and protein.It wasn't the fish heads poking out of the Stargazy Pie that stopped more than a few of our readers cold. The eyeball is said to stimulate brain cells and stave off memory loss, courtesy of a pair of unsaturated fatty acids called DHA and EPA. I figured people would squirm at the prospect of consuming something that reminded them of being human.īut my days of hiding the unconventional stuff I eat are over, and I urge you to give eyeballs a hearty go.īeyond the best reason to eat fish eyes-they're delicious-Chinese folks swear by their nutritional advantages as well. The eyes are part of the face, which cradles the brain, the ultimate provider of identity eyes are the windows into the soul. Outside the home, I was embarrassed to admit to my classmates or friends that I ate eyeballs-I thought they might see it as gross or barbaric. After scooping the eye from the socket of whichever unlucky mackerel or sea bass that landed on our table, I'd hold it in my mouth and savor the gooey outer layer before biting into the crispy, wafer-like center, letting the rich umami flavor of the ocean floor dance across my tongue.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |