Posted on 05/04/2008 6:30:30 AM PDT by JACKRUSSELL
(SHIMONOSEKI, Japan) — Poison has been as integral to fugu, the funny-looking, potentially deadly puffer fish prized by Japanese gourmands, as the savor of its pricey meat. So consider fugu, but poison-free.
Thanks to advances in fugu research and farming, Japanese fish farmers are now mass-producing fugu as harmless as goldfish. Most important, they have taken the poison out of fugu’s liver, considered both its most delicious and potentially most lethal part, one whose consumption has left countless Japanese dead over the centuries and whose sale remains illegal in the country.
But what could be seen as potential good news for gourmands has instead been grounds for controversy: powerful interests in the fugu industry, playing on lingering safety fears, are fighting to keep the ban on fugu livers even from poison-free fish.
“We won’t approve it,” Hisashi Matsumura, the president of the Shimonoseki Fugu Association and vice president of the National Fugu Association, said of the legalization of fugu liver. He added, “We’re not engaging in this irrelevant discussion.”
Acting as a giant clearinghouse, this port city in southwestern Japan buys fugu from all over Japan and China, guts it and expertly removes its poison before shipping it throughout Japan and as far as New York. Though Shimonoseki’s share has fallen in recent years, it still controls about half of Japan’s fugu market.
But the city’s business, predicated on the fact that fugu is poisonous, now faces a threat with poison-free, farmed fugu liver.
Already, a prefecture in Kyushu, south of here, defiantly serves it. A town in another prefecture applied to be designated a special farmed fugu liver-eating zone.
And a group of scientists served it in March at a Tokyo tasting event for some 40 chefs and restaurant-related businessmen. All ate. All survived......
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Eiji Hata with a fugu, which sells for about $300 at market. (Ko Sasaki for The New York Times)
Yoshihisa Ohta and a worker inspecting a tank in Yobuko, Japan, where Mr. Ohta has raised nonpoisonous fugu for eight years. (Ko Sasaki for The New York Times)
Play “Fuguhunter”: five hybrid livers and one traditional liver on a plate.
Chopsticks ready?
So really, unless we have a credible advocate of Fugu meat outside of the regular consumer base who will vouch for the taste, I'd be biased against the non-lethal farmed variety.
I know that sounds bad from a pro-life perspective, but I'd take the same stand for those in favor smoker's rights, sky diving and eating Chinese food in China.
They are there for the risk, personal challenge and the pleasure of it. Death is a possibility, but not the objective.
Makes no nevermind to me, I’ve never had it and never will, but knowing my Japanese friends as I do, I suspect they will turn their nose up at the poison-free fish.
This is a case of new technology running smack against Japanese tradition, which can be quite strong in that country. The only equivalent here in the USA would be to make a high-quality “beer” with alcohol under 0.5% content.
“So really, unless we have a credible advocate of Fugu meat outside of the regular consumer base who will vouch for the taste, I’d be biased against the non-lethal farmed variety.”
I’m still here. The flavor is unique. I wasn’t so thrilled with it. I prefer the live monkey brains and live lobster tail, but don’t tell PETA that.
My lips are sealed...seriously - YUCK! LOL!!!
Please, what would you compare the flavor to? I'm curious, just not that curious to try it!
Then you should try the bear gallbladder and paws. Actually, I liked the paws but not so much the gallbladder.
If there’s one thing Japanese love, it’s tradition and the non-lethal fugu might not be a big seller. But they’re also into fads. A few years ago, the fad of serving sushi on a naked woman was popular among Japanese men (well, OK, all men). I went to one such dinner here in Chicago and the cost of the dinner was about $125/person and we barely got anyrhing to eat and although the gal had pretty skin, she was hardly drop-dead gorgeous. I think the novelty died a quiet death or maybe the prudish feminazis got wind of it.
there are about 300 fish jokes in that story.......I prefer desert foods on my naked women
I’ve had it. The texture is a bit like herring - there is some chew to it, only somewhat more delicate - but the flavor is almost completely bland, which is why the Japanese prize it.
FUGU ME!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.