Hello. Welcome to The Weekend Gene Pool, where I ask you to bare your souls about your personal life and your secret opinions in return for a cheesy mention in this column.
Hmm, this was a difficult survey for me to answer because I ONLY like raw fish. I'll make an exception for good fish & chips, but that's pretty much it.
ETA: Oh, and Cajun blackened catfish. Hmm, maybe I'm not that fussy after all.
When I read the poll question I automatically clicked the first answer: "Absolutely." Then I saw the second answer, which is also true for me: "Not mackerel" (I've never run into any other "stinky" fish). Then I realized that I stopped eating sushi decades ago: Answer 3. The only one that's false for me is Answer 4.
This brought back memories of my one run-in with mackerel, at a restaurant in Edinburgh. I saw it on the menu and asked the waiter, "Is it a mild, white fish?" He said, "Oh, yes." Hah! When I sent it back -- something I never do -- the manager came by and I told him: "The waiter said it was mild!" He replied: "Oh, he's Italian." I didn't tell him that I am, too.
That's a phrase coined by former Post theater critic Peter Marks, which I immediately stole (with his permission) and used in one of my award-winning but unproduced plays.
Since brining is a food preservation process the brined product is not considered raw, although not, of course, fully cooked. The acid in brine does inhibit bacteria so technically the food is partially cooked. Same with smoking, with the technique or process (cold or hot) determining the extent of "cooking."
Happen to be a fan of restaurant reviews --- actually a fan of reviews in general --- and specifically of the prose. The number of ways you can say something is good or bad --- or hedge --- is always intriguing. The euphemisms and metaphors are frequently enjoyable (if occasionally labored), but it's the full on invective that is often truly entertaining. A fond example, which would do justice to our very own Man of the Word, is a review by the late sharp-tongued (and palate-d?) British critic A.A. Gill of a NY Chinese restaurant (now long gone) by legendary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten which had received rave reviews from most of his fellow critics. Having trashed the decor, the ambience and the staff, Gill then took on the shrimp-and-foie-gras dumplings with...um...relish. “What if we called them fishy liver-filled condoms?” he wrote. “They were properly vile, with a savor that lingered like a lovelorn drunk and tasted as if your mouth had been used as the swab bin in an animal hospital.” “The memory of the rest has been elided into one long, bland, watery compost that could barely incite flatulence.” Yum.
Worst person in a job would have been "John Ford" (and that was not his name) who came to work in a province with our team in Vietnam. He did everything wrong. I thought that I could find something good about just about anyone I worked with. But not him. We did send him back and he went to work for another person. Later on, I asked about him. He asked: "Do you know John?" and when I said "Yes" he said: "He is still the same."
Not only a food writer/restaurant reviewer not liking fish, but for a Miami paper?!! Or anywhere in Florida for that matter, where you can get fresh-caught fish at restaurants all over the state?
I can identify the man in the picture. As senators enter the Senate chamber, they leave their spines at the door and this guy deposits the backbones in a bin. Some senators forget to reclaim their spines for years at a time.
When I say I like fish I mean when Full Key in Wheaton does the fermented cod and eggplant pot as a special, I order it every time. People like what they like, but man, I am puzzled by the liking of fish only if it doesn't taste like fish!
I think fishing is messy and boring. I can and prefer not to clean/fillet fish. I do not like cooking fish. I do, however, enjoy eating well prepared fish appropriately served raw, cured, smoked, grilled etc.
For those bored with the same old finny favorites, suggest a fugu (Puffer Fish) or Lionfish sushi or ceviche. A sensory "twofer." Not only do you get a new taste sensation, you get a frisson of relief when (presumably) you do not keel over after partaking.
Cod is a chewy fish and never flabby if cooked properly. The flatfish such as flounder, plaice etc are soft amd flabby. I don’t like those. Fish and chips should always be cod or haddock, nothing else. And btw the chips should be large ones, never skinny like McDonald’s. (I’m originally British.)
Gene, I’m glad you had the guts to publish today’s column!
I’ll see myself out now.
Hmm, this was a difficult survey for me to answer because I ONLY like raw fish. I'll make an exception for good fish & chips, but that's pretty much it.
ETA: Oh, and Cajun blackened catfish. Hmm, maybe I'm not that fussy after all.
When I read the poll question I automatically clicked the first answer: "Absolutely." Then I saw the second answer, which is also true for me: "Not mackerel" (I've never run into any other "stinky" fish). Then I realized that I stopped eating sushi decades ago: Answer 3. The only one that's false for me is Answer 4.
This brought back memories of my one run-in with mackerel, at a restaurant in Edinburgh. I saw it on the menu and asked the waiter, "Is it a mild, white fish?" He said, "Oh, yes." Hah! When I sent it back -- something I never do -- the manager came by and I told him: "The waiter said it was mild!" He replied: "Oh, he's Italian." I didn't tell him that I am, too.
Is Nova Scotia Lox, sliced so finely and with such Ashkenormative care you can read the Sunday New York Times through it, raw fish?
You got me at “Ashkenormative”😂🥯
That's a phrase coined by former Post theater critic Peter Marks, which I immediately stole (with his permission) and used in one of my award-winning but unproduced plays.
Got it! I respect you’re giving credit where it’s due.
Gotta love “award-winning but unproduced plays”😉🤣🥸
Isn’t it smoked? I’m willing to be educated.
I looked it up, and it seems to be cured in Brine. So, sorta pickled. Does that count as raw?
Since brining is a food preservation process the brined product is not considered raw, although not, of course, fully cooked. The acid in brine does inhibit bacteria so technically the food is partially cooked. Same with smoking, with the technique or process (cold or hot) determining the extent of "cooking."
Happen to be a fan of restaurant reviews --- actually a fan of reviews in general --- and specifically of the prose. The number of ways you can say something is good or bad --- or hedge --- is always intriguing. The euphemisms and metaphors are frequently enjoyable (if occasionally labored), but it's the full on invective that is often truly entertaining. A fond example, which would do justice to our very own Man of the Word, is a review by the late sharp-tongued (and palate-d?) British critic A.A. Gill of a NY Chinese restaurant (now long gone) by legendary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten which had received rave reviews from most of his fellow critics. Having trashed the decor, the ambience and the staff, Gill then took on the shrimp-and-foie-gras dumplings with...um...relish. “What if we called them fishy liver-filled condoms?” he wrote. “They were properly vile, with a savor that lingered like a lovelorn drunk and tasted as if your mouth had been used as the swab bin in an animal hospital.” “The memory of the rest has been elided into one long, bland, watery compost that could barely incite flatulence.” Yum.
Never met a fish I didn't like!!! Except, raw fish...No how, no way....
Worst person in a job would have been "John Ford" (and that was not his name) who came to work in a province with our team in Vietnam. He did everything wrong. I thought that I could find something good about just about anyone I worked with. But not him. We did send him back and he went to work for another person. Later on, I asked about him. He asked: "Do you know John?" and when I said "Yes" he said: "He is still the same."
Was it General Westmoreland?
No. Good guess. It was the slowest place in Vietnam called Moc Hoa and not even the NVA wanted it. He rewrote reports for the rest of his tour.
Not only a food writer/restaurant reviewer not liking fish, but for a Miami paper?!! Or anywhere in Florida for that matter, where you can get fresh-caught fish at restaurants all over the state?
I think this is tripe!
ha!
Is tripe considered offal? I thought offal only described internal organs.
There were insufficient choices in the poll. You left out "I like seafood, sushi, sashimi, and fish and chips. Otherwise, no. Oh, and Lox."
I can identify the man in the picture. As senators enter the Senate chamber, they leave their spines at the door and this guy deposits the backbones in a bin. Some senators forget to reclaim their spines for years at a time.
When I say I like fish I mean when Full Key in Wheaton does the fermented cod and eggplant pot as a special, I order it every time. People like what they like, but man, I am puzzled by the liking of fish only if it doesn't taste like fish!
I think fishing is messy and boring. I can and prefer not to clean/fillet fish. I do not like cooking fish. I do, however, enjoy eating well prepared fish appropriately served raw, cured, smoked, grilled etc.
For those bored with the same old finny favorites, suggest a fugu (Puffer Fish) or Lionfish sushi or ceviche. A sensory "twofer." Not only do you get a new taste sensation, you get a frisson of relief when (presumably) you do not keel over after partaking.
I don't like most fish, partly because of flavor/smell/texture, and partly because I can't eat them guilt free because I worry about overfishing.
I love catfish, though. Not worried about those going extinct.
My fish preferences are sushi > fish & chips > bluefish > sardines > salmon. I do not like or eat cooked white fish like haddock, cod, or flounder.
But fish and chips is usually white fish such as cod.
This is true; however, it is fried and crunchy, not watery and flabby.
Cod is a chewy fish and never flabby if cooked properly. The flatfish such as flounder, plaice etc are soft amd flabby. I don’t like those. Fish and chips should always be cod or haddock, nothing else. And btw the chips should be large ones, never skinny like McDonald’s. (I’m originally British.)