Mullet What?

There are certain things in life which I really just can't stomach. I have a weak stomach as it is, I throw-up for nine months every time I am pregnant and at the sight of anything stingy or slimy at anytime induces an over production of saliva. Why is this? No clue, It can be assumed I will never appear on an episode of Fear Factor. I don't do oysters, which my family loves, because they are slimy and I don't do celery because it is stringy. Yes, it's true, I missed out of the ever popular "ants on a log" when I was a child. This little event Thursday night with my children took slimy beyond that of avoidance into the realm of run quickly the other direction.

One of my favorite places here in Jacksonville is a fish market called Safe Harbor. Thomas decided he wanted fish and shrimp for dinner (both of which I love) so we headed down to the market. Two boats were off loading mullet when we arrived. Usually we buy fish that has already been filleted. Great! Dinner will be fresh!

The boys scaled, gutted and filleted the fish...no problems there, I had gutted many a sun fish growing up in MN..or at least watch my Dad do it.

My ever curious son wanted to finally answer the long debated question in our family of whether fish have tongues.....

Never dare a Lee boy......or man....

Malcolm and Mr. Mullet had quite a nice little talk about life after death...

So here comes the unstomachable issue...as Thomas and I are deciding which shrimp to buy, headed or de-headed, peeled or unpeeled, Thomas notices these things and tells the clerk to add a few.

"WHAT IS THAT?" I ask.

The clerk and Thomas both say, "mullet roe."

Again I ask, "WHAT IS THAT?"

"Don't worry" the clerk says as she and Thomas exchange glances "They're good. Taste just like soft shell crab."

"Okay, but what exactly are they?" Then I got the answer.....

These are encapsulated fish eggs. Basically these are fish ovaries full of eggs. G-R-O-S-S...my slim-o-meter is going crazy. Just to add insult to injury Thomas and the boys cut the "fish sacs" out of the fresh mullet to add to the collection.

Thomas coated them and fried them and everyone except me tried them. Me and my protein shake happily shared a moment to ourselves in the sun room.