How I conquered fugu in two forms
Fugu, me, and two suspenseful life-on-the-line encounters in the same night.
Travel back to January 1 of 2010, the year of the tiger. It was a dark night. The stars were hiding behind unseen clouds. It was windy there at the top floor of the tallest building in Gunma. I was glancing down on the rooftops twenty stories below, immersed in a river of thought, someplace far from home yet somehow not so -
“sumimasen,” said an unfamiliar voice as a plate landed in front of me jolting me back to the dinner table and the guests around. We were dining in a restaurant at the top of Maebashi’s government building, it was Ayako’s immediate family, Uncle on her dad’s side, Aunt, and their 3 adult children.
“kore ha fugu desu,” her Uncle stated with a broad smile.
Fugu!… That dangerous fish was in front of me, raw, and looking for a fight. Was this the final round for me, or could I take down this deadly opponent. Yes, deadly… from Wikipedia:
Because pufferfish [”fugu” in Japanese] is lethally poisonous if prepared incorrectly, fugu has become one of the most celebrated and notorious dishes in Japanese cuisine. read more…
Fearless I consumed in ravenous fashion, thinking only of the next delicious bite. The foe was no match when paired with a little soy sauce and fresh veggies. Having conquered it as an appetizer, I was primed for the rest of the meal. But wait, there’s more…
When the main meal arrived so did the fugu in new form, reincarnated, in a last ditch effort by the foe to vanquish the victor. This time the fugu was part of the sake, a small fin or tail tucked inside each cup of hot sake to flavor (or poison?) the drink:
The drink was excellent, and we refilled 3 times. Many fugu were devoured and much sake was consumed - the evening was filled with laughter and conversation… a perfect way to bring in a new year.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Well glad you alive to tell the tale. It seems odd to tempt fate right at the beginning of the year, instead of at least seeing what 2010 has to offer before taking the chance. At least we know the answer to \"What\’s your poison?\"
January 6th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
haha, like that commercial for capital one… “what’s in your sake?”