The word urchin comes from the Old English word for hedgehog, urcheon. So, when you see a sea urchin, don't think of a marine version of a beggar child. Think of how appropriate the name actually is: sea hedgehog.
Also, please don't think of aphrodisiacs when you see a sea urchin. My cousin used to dive for them up in British Columbia, and he could earn $1,000 USD a day when they were in season. Who were his buyers? Almost exclusively Japanese men who hoped they could increase their potency with the ladies. To all my Japanese brothers: do you want to know what a true aphrodisiac is? It's taking out the garbage, doing the dishes, and getting up with the kids when they start crying in the middle of the night--and doing it all with a smiling face.Thanks for the photo, Hannah.
It doesn't look so bad...until you realize there's what looks like a small, detachable spider on top, prepared to launch itself. Now it looks like a booby-trapped bagel.
ReplyDeletemmmm donut :-P
ReplyDeleteIt looks fluffy. Sea urchins are cool.
ReplyDeleteApparently these things are a real delicacy of the 'acquired taste' variety, I've never tried one but have heard from people who have that it's an unforgettable taste one way or another!
ReplyDeleteAlso, small quibble - it's 'Maori', although your spelling was phonetically correct!
Thanks, Selina. I just fixed it.
ReplyDeleteThe book "Are You Really Going to Eat That" (a sort of culinary Ugly Overload) says that the flavour of sea urchin is not unlike iodine sorbet. I find I concur.
ReplyDelete