Fugu

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Japanese are the bomb

So the people who want to try it, want to die?

In some ways, the Japanese culture has a very blase attitude towards death. Gaining honour (or regaining it) by suicide, I heard, is a big thing. I dunno how much it is now, but I'd say it was still like that in th 1960's, as Ian Fleming notes it in You Only Live Twice. The plot of the novel, in fact, revolves around a foreign doctor who has set up a castle full of deadly and poisonous plants, animals and natural hazards to attract the suicidal, although he acts indignant about the people coming to die. I've deliberately left the true identity of the foreign doctor, who goes by the name of Shatterhand, as it is a fairly major plot twist, but readers of James Bond will know who Shatterhand is.

Fugu doesn't have much taste at all, but it does have an interesting texture. its mainly for texture that japanese people like it, but I think to fully appreciate it you need to know your sushi so that you can fully appreciate the nuances between the different fishes.

Can be bought in the Japanese supermarkets already prepared, not too expensive either! (under £10 for a small tray I think)

I've tried a couple of times before, prefer salmon

No thank you!

I would be more perturbed about paying $150 for little thin slices of fish than the fact it's poisonous. I can buy a whole month's worth of groceries for that amount.

I read an account by Captain Cook about him and his crew eating pufferfish during their travels. I believe all that ate the improperly prepared fugu survived, but the pain the poison caused was exruciating, located in the extremities, such as the hands feet and lips. Cook describes it as feeling like frostbitten hands when put before the fire.

IanFlemming was quite a character. During WW II the brits (MI 5 or six I forget which) sent him to the US as an advisor to the federal gov't in designing the OSS. Later he ran a Brit operation akin to our paperclip. also during the war he was Aleister crowley's handler with Brit intel as Crowley had volunteered to give metaphysical assistance to the Allies.
peopel have wondered why Flemming died so young, and have theorized that someone offed him due to his giving away rather too much in his books. the books are excellent.

I'd be ready to try but it is a bit expensive

The poison don't afraid me, the sea is so much polluated that even if you eat a "normal" fish
it is a risk for your health.

He look like Puffy, the competitor of Tux.