Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Fish Market

Out of respect for my language teacher I left my camera at home. I really need to start "living here" and stop being such a "tourist" when I'm out and about. But that makes for a pretty boring blog, huh?! That's no fun for you guys back home. So I'm sorry that there aren't any pictures that accompany this post. Those of you who know me well, know that I would be a vegetarian if my family would do it with me. I HATE to prepare meat! I'm the girl that would only buy boneless skinless chicken breasts at wal-mat. I'd open the bag and dump the chicken into what ever pan I was using to cook it in, careful not to touch it with my bare hands! Well....there are no beautifully frozen boneless chicken breasts here, so I've had to toughen up! Now my girls remove the meat from the bones for me....I've trained them well!---Anyway, here is my fish market story:

I met our friend at the only landmark I new of near the fish market. She walked about a mile to meet me there. As we walked together toward the market we could smell the stench a block away. As we approached the huge area where ladies were all peddling their fresh fishes, octopus, squid, stingray and everything else from the sea, the ladies were all shouting how much for their fish. Holding them high in the air so everyone could see theirs was better than their neighbors. After you made your choice, you could ask them to "clean" it for you. On the small butcher block right there, they slit each fish open, removed the insides with their bare hands and threw it on the ground, cut off the tail with one hard "whack" and carved off the head, being careful not to waste any of the meat. Then she handed me what was left of the fish in a plastic bag and we exchanged money with the same nasty hands she had inside my fish!! She even dropped some of the money down on top of the fish, picked it up and handed back it to me. At this point I didn't even want to hold the sack that contained the fish. I was completely grossed out!

Later in the day, our friend came for our 3 hr language lesson and immediately following the lesson, she showed me how to cook the fish. After I scraped the scales into the sink, we prepare it with garlic, olive oil, tomato pulp, lemon, potatoes and salt. Put this all in the oven and about an hour later we feasted! The girls mostly said..."Nasty Mom, it still has skin on it!" and reluctantly tried a bite. It was really very good. If I had ordered it at a restaurant I would have been thrilled with it, but it was hard for me to remove the images from my mind from earlier in the day.

That's my "Fish Market" story. Update: I found a stock photo that is similar to what I saw.


14 comments:

Amy ~ (Life's Small Treasures) said...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit on my site! I love new readers.

EWWWW about the fish I think I would have just walked away. I am not a fish person and I feel the same way about preparing meat, but I do it and I just try not to think about what I am doing ;)

Have a wonderful day
~Amy

Rita Loca said...

Thanks for coming by and please feel free to link to me.

Tori Leslie said...

Oh how funny. Fish markets are my least favorite places, the smell is awful!

When we were on the coast a few years ago we happened on a little avenue and then the screaming began. They out screamed each other trying to get us to buy their goods, without success! When we first came to Croatia the closest I ever got to fresh first was Long John Silvers fried fish fillets. Now I have to problem eating a whole fish and eating around the head. The things we do to fit in!

Very funny, thanks for the laugh!

Anonymous said...

YOU BETTER NOT LEAVE THE CAMERA AT HOME. YOU CAN LIVE THERE AND STILL TAKE PICTURES FOR YOUR FAMILY AT HOME WHO REALLY WANT TO SEE WHAT ITS LIKE FOR YOU OVER THERE.
LOVE YOU MOM
p.s. I dont think I would like the fish either!

Anonymous said...

Wow!
I am so impressed. I was impressed with the quick way you became a Portugal driver. I named you "Oh Fearless One" then, but now....
WOW! Anyone who knows you has to be impressed.
WOW!
Love,
Lora

Anonymous said...

I am impressed. You need to buy Michael a knife and have him cut the meat out of the skin, for the girl's sake (and for yours). All of the spices with the fish did sound good though, even to a pregnant woman. I'll be coming for dinner soon!!!
Love ya,
Danielle

Anonymous said...

Oh! Give us a break! Someone that gave birth to five lovely children had the opportunity to see 'gross' turn into 'beautiful'! But you could do like the old saying goes: tell the man he can do it next time (pertains to childbirth, and would also work in the fish scenario) Good luck with that one. :-)

The end result sounds delicious. This American will try that recipe soon!

I'm proud of your accomplishment, in cooking and Portuguese, and love you greatly,

AS

Unknown said...

In the markets here they sell this stinky dried fish, which I make a wide detour to avoid. I can't imagine a raw fish market, entrails and all! :op

Two words: P. U.

I think you handled this plunge into the culture quite well. :o)

Sandy said...

Now that is a fish story.

We saw Bro. Danny and Ms. Denise at Bro. J.T.'s. I missed you all the more.
Love you,
Sandy

Pam--in America said...

I can relate to your hatred of touching the raw meat... I'm the same way. And like you, when we moved here I no longer had the luxury of buying things all prepared the way I like them. Too bad my kids are too young to clean them for me ;)
I like fish, but like you, I don't think I'd feel the same way about it after a day like that.

Anonymous said...

Hey Miss Lora.... now you know she drove that way before she got to Protugal, so she fit in well with the driving issue...

Love ya Wanda (Nina's Mom)

Nina in Portugal said...

Amy, It's good to see new faces. I hope it'll become familiar!

Jungle Mom, I linked to you. Maybe you'll get more traffic. But it's not like you need anymore...WOW at the people that read your blog!

Tori, The things we do.....! :)

Mom, When you stop typing in all caps, we'll talk...

Ms. Lora, You know me, "Do what you have to do"!---"Oh Fearless One"

Danielle, You just tell me a date and I'll have supper ready!

Aunt Shawn,
I could give birth any day. No problem...It's the raising of those beautiful things that is the problem!

Tammy, They have that stinky dried fish here too! It's everywhere! It's dried salted Cod Fish. I've not tried to cook it, but I've eaten it out a time or two. It's really very good.

Pam, Thanks again for stopping by. Hopefully I'll see more of you and you'll see more of me. I too am enjoying by bloggy friends!

Pam--in America said...

Thanks for the return comment ;)
A lot of people who come by my blog for the first time make the assumption that we are missionaries. I just want to clarify that while we are missionaries in the sense that anyone who spreads the gospel is one... technically we are not. My husband works for the US government. If you'd still like to link to my blog, that would be nice, but don't feel obligated to.
I look forward to visiting you here again :)

Blessed Mommy said...

Thank you for your comments on my blog. What a beautiful blog you have. I have enjoyed visiting and will check back often. God Bless.