Hello All!

I'm not one of them but those who relish the adventure of eating
Fugu fish will probably bemoan the article in today's NY Times.
This indicates that a Fugu gets its poison by eating bacteria
that contain tetrodotoxin. If Fugu are raised in the absence of
the bacteria they are not poisonous. I suppose the very small
amount of tetrodotoxin that gives a slight tingle to the fish
prepared by the certified Fugu chefs will be missed.

If you want to learn more, go to http://tinyurl.com/4lnp25

--


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton wrote:

> Hello All!
>
> I'm not one of them but those who relish the adventure of eating Fugu
> fish will probably bemoan the article in today's NY Times. This
> indicates that a Fugu gets its poison by eating bacteria that contain
> tetrodotoxin. If Fugu are raised in the absence of the bacteria they are
> not poisonous. I suppose the very small amount of tetrodotoxin that
> gives a slight tingle to the fish prepared by the certified Fugu chefs
> will be missed.

I had non-poisonous fugu before, and I found it rather uninteresting.
It was also a bit tough.. I'm not all for the white fish anyways, though I
like a nice tender piece of hirame from time to time.

--
Dan

Dan wrote on Sun, 04 May 2008 18:07:37 -0400:

>> Hello All!
>>
>> I'm not one of them but those who relish the adventure of
>> eating Fugu fish will probably bemoan the article in today's
>> NY Times. This indicates that a Fugu gets its poison by
>> eating bacteria that contain tetrodotoxin. If Fugu are raised
>> in the absence of the bacteria they are not poisonous. I
>> suppose the very small amount of tetrodotoxin that gives a
>> slight tingle to the fish prepared by the certified Fugu
>> chefs will be missed.

> I had non-poisonous fugu before, and I found it rather
> uninteresting. It was also a bit tough.. I'm not all for the
> white fish anyways, though I like a nice tender piece of
> hirame from time to time.

I guess it must be the tetrodotoxin that does it :-)



--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton wrote:

> Dan wrote on Sun, 04 May 2008 18:07:37 -0400:
>
>>> Hello All!
>>>
>>> I'm not one of them but those who relish the adventure of
>>> eating Fugu fish will probably bemoan the article in today's NY
>>> Times. This indicates that a Fugu gets its poison by
>>> eating bacteria that contain tetrodotoxin. If Fugu are raised
>>> in the absence of the bacteria they are not poisonous. I
>>> suppose the very small amount of tetrodotoxin that gives a
>>> slight tingle to the fish prepared by the certified Fugu
>>> chefs will be missed.
>
>
>> I had non-poisonous fugu before, and I found it rather
>> uninteresting. It was also a bit tough.. I'm not all for the white
>> fish anyways, though I like a nice tender piece of
>> hirame from time to time.
>
>
> I guess it must be the tetrodotoxin that does it :-)

Tenderizer.

--
Dan

I've had fugu a hundred times or more (not in Japan though) and it was
always described as non-poisonous farm-raised fugu. In point of fact,
there is no way that I could identify one species of blowfish from
another, but the fugu that I have eaten was consistent in taste and
appearance.

Fugu is typically served as multiple dishes, each a different
preparation. I have eaten the skin in ponzu sauce, the raw meat
sashimi style (very thin pieces to reduce or almost eliminate that
chewiness that was mentioned), the cheek deep-fried (kara-age style),
the liver in many forms (my favorite being simply in a maki with rice
and with ponzu sauce for dipping) and the shirako in many forms, most
often grilled. It is a tradition to use every part of this fish in
varied and appropriate preparations as part of a series of courses. I
love it, and the liver is out of this world, one of my very favorite
foods.

I have never experienced any tingling or other sensations that could
be related to toxin.

It's almost sad...I have never gotten to eat it and as a paramedic I
know how the toxin works but knowing that the risk isn't even there
anymore makes me wish I didn't know. Everyone needs "A RUSH" in life.
Some people want to defy death.."and it keeps me working " but even
I wanted to try FUGU and have been waiting for my chance to go to
Japan to REALLY try it. I like to try new foods and to enjoy the
experience but how do I feel now if Morimoto in Philly (great place to
eat BTW) cuts a fish that was free of toxins to start with. His skills
none the less great but he can't kill me if he F's up. I wish I never
saw this. Now we will see Blowfish swimming in a tank at Hmart.

On Sun, 04 May 2008 20:05:35 GMT, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

>Hello All!
>
>I'm not one of them but those who relish the adventure of eating
>Fugu fish will probably bemoan the article in today's NY Times.
>This indicates that a Fugu gets its poison by eating bacteria
>that contain tetrodotoxin. If Fugu are raised in the absence of
>the bacteria they are not poisonous. I suppose the very small
>amount of tetrodotoxin that gives a slight tingle to the fish
>prepared by the certified Fugu chefs will be missed.
>
>If you want to learn more, go to http://tinyurl.com/4lnp25

JoanOfArc wrote:
> It's almost sad...I have never gotten to eat it and as a paramedic I
> know how the toxin works but knowing that the risk isn't even there
> anymore makes me wish I didn't know. Everyone needs "A RUSH" in life.
> Some people want to defy death.."and it keeps me working " but even
> I wanted to try FUGU and have been waiting for my chance to go to
> Japan to REALLY try it. I like to try new foods and to enjoy the
> experience but how do I feel now if Morimoto in Philly (great place to
> eat BTW) cuts a fish that was free of toxins to start with. His skills
> none the less great but he can't kill me if he F's up. I wish I never
> saw this. Now we will see Blowfish swimming in a tank at Hmart.

Then go to Japan and try it.. I think there may be a few licensed fugu
chefs in the states, so you have a chance here. But again, it might be
farmed fugu. For a bigger rush of "defying death", have it prepared by
a fisherman in Japan.. cuz most fugu deaths are from self-prepared locals.
No don't try that..

--
Dan