The Trouble With Winkles Is...

[Less]

I was lucky enough to be given some perriwinkles by Mick while we were out.

After three hours of anticipation, (I can't drink as fast as I used to).

I arrived home and got out my favourite pin, I have been passing the past hour removing them from their shells.

Of course the main problem is because they aren't eaten often, it's surprising how the technique of removing all of it from the shell gets lost in time.

Quarter of the way through I have finally managed to regain that skill.

Delicious, each one it's own little package of enjoyment, until, I've never come across this before, I struggled with one that is the opposite thread to all the others!

Have I just eaten a new species? Or did it just not read the instructions?

It tasted just as good, so please, don't dash on and accuse me of being prejudiced.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Less, I haven't ever tried them......but they look horrible.
I'm glad that you regained your skill in 'winkling' them out of their shells......you can have my share. I would rather eat nose hair(no.....I've never tried it, but I would given that I was forced to choose between that or winkles).

[Less]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Less, I haven't ever tried them......but they look horrible.
I'm glad that you regained your skill in 'winkling' them out of their shells......you can have my share. I would rather eat nose hair(no.....I've never tried it, but I would given that I was forced to choose between that or winkles).

I suppose it's a case of what you were brought up to eat.

Any of the mollusc's I can eat and enjoy, I've seen documentaries where people eat locusts for example, don't know if I could, but would like to go there just to find out.

[Eric]

Haven't had winkles for about 50 yrs. ... Come to think of it, I haven't worn winklepickers for 50 yrs. either. ... unless you count cowboy boots

[Margaret Pilkington]

The only time we got shellfish was when we went to St Anne's and dug up buckets and buckets full of cockles......I never ate them...when I saw them cooked I thought they looked horrible too...so while my dad and the lads had them with salt and vinegar and bread and butter....I just had the bread and butter. Ma never ate them either....she just had a fag and a cup of coffee for her tea.

[Alan Varrechia]

One of the first chef jobs i had was in a french resterant. I got to try some fantastic and exotic foods, but i drew the line at snails. I often got close but always chckened out.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Alan Varrechia

snails. I often got close

Not hard really Al, I mean it's not as if they can go racing off!

[susie123]

Less I'm with you on this, they are yummy, as are cockles, mussels, whelks etc. Ironic that we live by the sea and I don't know anywhere round here that sells shellfish. And the only thing I draw the line at are Morecambe Bay potted shrimps! They are like eating bogies!

When I was in America you could only find shell fish in things like oyster stew and hot buttered crab - abortions both, shellfish are to be eaten cold, with a pin. Or in the case of the French plateau de fruits de mer, something more substantial like pliers and a dentists probe. I'm drooling at the thought of it and also remembering some Saturday teas at home in the sixties with the family gathered round a small table to share a fresh crab and some cockles and winkles and Doctor Who on the box. Bliss!

[dotti34]

Oh, my! This thread has brought back so many happy childhood memories for me (and for him indoors). Winkles - AND potted shrimps (sorry, Susie). Eaten at Blackpool and Fleetwood, many, many years ago. All part of a day trip there.
I do enjoy all seafood EXCEPT for oysters (doesn't matter how they're served, don't like them). Used to enjoy crayfish until they got so bl**** expensive that it's a luxury the ordinary person can't afford.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Himself eats such delicacies..in fact he has just got some mussels out of the freezer......to eat as a snack later.
We once went to some yacht club in Queensland...he chose a bowl of king prawns.....when it came, it was almost the size of a washing up bowl...it had 3 lemons quartered and placed on top...he thought he had died and gone to heaven......oh and all these prawns still had their heads and their overcoats on.
I could not have eaten them if you had promised me a million pounds

[dotti34]

Just a thought. Shows how times have changed - how many kids these days would think that a serving of winkles was such an enjoyable part of a day's outing?

[dotti34]

We used to go crabbing with our kids - and when we caught more than we could eat would give the surplus away to friends. Now they are so expensive to buy, like so many other things - almost in the luxury class along with the crayfish.
Luckily we are able to buy good-sized prawns at a reasonable price, I have no trouble with removing their heads and overcoats (love that description, Margaret) whether raw or cooked (my 6-year-old granddaughter always insists that we leave the tails on hers!) - it's worth it to get to the meat inside.
I eat a lot of fish (hasn't done anything to help the old brain cells though - thinks that must be a myth!!!!) but we make sure any fish we buy is Australian or New Zealand. Nothing from the Mekong Delta, enough said!

[Less]

Originally Posted by dotti34

We used to go crabbing with our kids

Now there's a bait I've never used, did you use the whole kid or did you mince it to make it go further?

[dotti34]

Ha ha, Less. I should have been more careful how I wrote this - reference to the old brain cells will explain a lot. Btw, I do have a few offspring but none surplus to give away.

[dotti34]

...I also like the fact that you have a favourite pin, Less. Is this kept strictly for winkle-picking?