What is the TOD? FISH?
Well, I admit I was not much of a fish person most of my life. I grew up eating fried catfish, trout, crappie and bass, plus fried shrimp. This would be on average of once a week. I neither loved it or hated it. I did hate the bones which were almost always present in everything except shrimp.
When we would go to the beach in the summer, I would indulge in fried red snapper (LOVED it. And while I never ordered it, I'd always enjoy a taste of my mom's order of lobster.
My father loved a good oyster stew, and that would be supper on Friday nights sometimes. I'd settle for the liquid and oyster crackers (or I could go without).
In fact, most of my fish eating when I lived with my parents -- with the exception of an occasional shrimp cocktail -- was of the "fried" variety.
Once, however, when I was a senior in high school, my mom came home and announced we were having fish for supper. Her boss had been deep sea fishing and had brought her a considerable amount of blue dolphin (fish, not mammal). This was probably the most wonderful fish I've ever tasted. My mom baked it. We had enough for several meals. My father had enough the first time, but my mom would prepare some for me while giving my father something else.
All of this notwithstanding, I have not, in my adult life, made much effort (until the past couple of years) to include fish in my diet.
When I was in Italy where I learned to adore calamari (that's fried squid, which is quite tasty). I tried other dishes...clams on spaghetti and clams on other kinds of pasta...but ...no...it never really set well with me. I can eat virtually anything fried...oysters, clams, etc. But never anything slimy. Too much like eating snot.
During my carrier tours of duty, the Chief's Mess would often serve fresh lobster or crab...and I really enjoyed it.
In the past couple of years, though, I've gotten very much "into" grilled salmon, halibut, swordfish, trout, sole and tuna. Nothing tastes as sweetly delicious as grilled fresh fish with complementary herbs. I also love "blackened" anything (cajun-style).
I've tried sushi. I have. Twice. The folks around me were just beside themselves with gustatorial glee. And I was chewing and chewing and chewing and wondering if anything pleasurable or remotely tasty would come from any of it. Sadly, sushi leaves me cold. And, yes! I tried all the different sauces and dips with bites of food. I can burn the crap out of my tongue and mouth without having to deal with raw fish, too.
That's my "what is it, fish" story. And I'm stickin' to it.
