Blowfish Tails - THE NON-POISONOUS KIND!

Non -poisonous Long Island blowfish vagabond slowly and sweetly around Montauk when it the water is warm enough for their little tiny bodies to avoid a chill. They are the cutest little bubbles of love until BAM they puff up full of water in a savage display of colors and spikes! Predators unlucky enough to swallow them before they expand can choke on their quills. Blowfish tails are also known as the "chicken of the sea" because they are super easy to prepare and super mild tasting. I recommend frying the tails lightly and serving them as an adorable, seasonal appetizer!

100 % yield and reasonably priced

Aposematism is a secondary defense mechanism warning predators that their brightly colored, foul tasting or stinkypotential prey is poisonous or nasty to eat (think: skunks and poisonous dart frogs). Certain species of the Tertradontidae family, a.k.a. blowfishare indeed deadly and brightly colored examples of aposematism. The Japanese Fugublowfish which literally translates to "River Pig" is second in toxicity only to the Golden Poison Dart Frog. The cleaning and serving of the notorious "River Pig" is only attempted by Japanese sushi-masters who know how to remove with expert care the main poison glands of the animal including the liver and ovaries. Fuguis sold exclusively to master fugu chefs in the Tsukiji Fish Market and is the only food the Emperor of Japan is forbidden to consume. Safety first!

Tetrodotoxin is the deadly chemical found in fuguas well as various different worms, insects and even the infamous blue ringed octopus of Japanese tidal pools. If you happen to come into contact with said toxin you can expect to experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, paralysis, lack of speech and ultimately death by asphyxiation. Currently the only treatment available to victims of TTX (street abbreviation for tetrodotoxin) is life support until the fit has passed and later a strict diet of charcoal to absorb and pass the remaining particles. Scientists are working on an antidote to TTX as we speak so that we can all consume fuguwith the Emporer of Japan and live happily ever.