Monday 12 November 2007

Z is a Noisy Noise

Sorry, darlings, three posts in day is absolutely too many, but bear in mind that one is simply a link and another is unreadably long, and take this as the daily doings of Z.

I learned something new this evening - and how does one learn, except by doing it? Paul the Fish calls on a Monday, and today he had oysters. It occurred to me that Ro likes oysters and the Sage likes unidentifiable roes, and neither likes what the other does, so dinner could be arranged in two easy stages. I like and eat everything, of course - albeit not much at a time, but nevertheless it has evidently caused my present problem.

Anyway, I bought half a dozen oysters for Ro, never having opened any before and not owning an oyster knife. How hard could it be?

Well, I broke the tip off my shortest thickest knife on the first oyster. After that, I realised that the hinge has to be broken before you prise, and after the second, it went quite well. I stole an oyster, and we companionably spat bits of shell out together (yes, I could have cleaned them more efficiently) as we chomped our salad...mine undressed.

We discussed the killing of the poor creatures beforehand, and Ro said that it's easier when someone else has done the deed. I think one should face up to that sort of thing, though molluscs are easier than mammals, and I hardened my heart.

In other news, turkeys fifteen miles away have bird flu. This time, they are free range so the cause may not be the lack of hygiene that there was at the Bernie Matthewman (almost) plant down the road from here, which was disgracefully not properly examined for fear of upsetting new EU members. I will get the biggest greenhouse ready for our chickens tomorrow. They were very happy in there last winter and they can settle in there, where they will be sheltered and, I hope, safe.

7 comments:

Dave said...

I was going to ask what was it that each of the men did that the other doesn't like, but that would be a deliberately pedantic misinterpretation of what you have written, and just an excuse to show that I have read this post by putting a comment here, so I'm not going to.

Z said...

It was, for once, a deliberate mistake left in the hope of tempting Dandelion to leave a comment last night. I haven't heard from her for ages.

The Boy said...

More bird flu? Hadn't heard that. Hope the chickens get on nicely in the coop.

Monozygote said...

Yeah. I have been dead. But I have come back. (Long story, won't bore you)

What I will say, is that I heard a whisper the other week that oysters are actually alive when you eat them. Is this true? Thankfully, I can say I've never partaken, and after hearing that titbit I'm not likely to either...

Monozygote said...

hey! ps what's wrong with neither likes what the other does?

Z said...

Does like, or does do? Dave, as always, is quite right to tease.

Welcome, darling Dandelion. What I nearly wrote next would have been blasphemous, so I won't.

They are certainly alive when you open them. I'm afraid I probably stabbed mine a bit, so I don't think they survived that process. They don't move at all, there's no sensation of aliveness when you eat them. They are too delicious not to try unless you are vegetarian, allergic to shellfish or Jewish. If you like lightly-cooked scallops, you would like oysters even more.

luckyzmom said...

Oysters have never been my cup of tea. So, I like to leave them for those of you who do. I like lobster well enough, but so often they are overcooked, so I leave them for those who think they are special also. But, crab is a different kettle of shell fish and I would not worry about leaving any for anyone else! There is a special word for that.