Before my arrival in
Japan, I read that one of the most popular specialties of the region where I am now living is fugu, the deadly poisonous
blowfish.
Great, I thought,
I'll be surrounded by suicidal maniacs. Upon arrival I confirmed that fugu was not only readily available but that almost everyone I was working with had tried it at least once. I'd heard rumors years ago that the delicacy was incredibly expensive and terribly dangerous and for this reason I decided it was
vital that I have some of it on my birthday.
Ah! Fugu oishii desu!
I asked the school secretary about a good place to get some of the deadly sashimi and he was very excited to hear that I was willing to try this Japanese delicacy. He helped me to make reservations at a restaurant, and then told me how much his wife and children love to eat fugu. My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Isn't that attempted homicide? No one else in the staff room seemed concerned and they were more amused at my reaction than the thought of a man feeding poison to his children.
And this is the thing: Fugu is not nearly as dangerous as it has been portrayed. Yes, the fish itself it so full of toxins, that if prepared improperly, it can kill you on the spot. However it is almost impossible to get a license to prepare and sell blowfish without thorough training. There is no rush in eating fugu nor is it ridiculously expensive. There are certainly restaurants where you can buy a fugu plate for upwards of 400US$, but you can also buy a 400US$ steak in the west. It's called fine dining.
The fugu at my birthday dinner was neither expensive nor deadly. It was one of the nicest sashimis I've tasted and I didn't find it to be chewy or rubbery. In fact, as the school secretary had said, it was delicious and I found myself finishing off portions from the other guests who remained freaked out. I was slightly startled when my lips went numb with the first taste, but I was told afterwards, that a good fugu chef prides himself on being able to leave enough of the poison to do just that.