![]() In the past few years, more adventurous Americans seem to be discovering fish eyes (and we're not talking the slang forĬhat boards devoted to the protein-rich paleo diet, and you'll find debates on the nutritional benefits of caribou eyes.Īnd in Chicago, chef Cary Taylor took on the challenge of making a fish eye dish. Wang then realized that what had seemed to be the selfless act of motherhood had been instead an act of self-protection. So when relatives recently gathered at a Cantonese restaurant, Wang offered her mom the fish eyes as a special treat. When she was little, Wang's mom always saved the fish eyes just for her. Swallow too quickly and you'll miss the nuances." "A rush of fatty fish flavor is accompanied by a gelatinous, spongy texture. Shanghai-born food blogger Chichi Wang relishes fish eyes: "The trick to eating a fish eyeball is to keep it in your mouth for as long as possible," she "And in Asia fish tend to be cooked with the head on - it's a sign of good fortune when things have a head and a tail!" (Gelatinous.)," one of our intrepid readers commented. "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 It wasn't the fish heads poking out of the Stargazy Pie that stopped more than a few of our readers cold.
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