My Middle-Aged Gap Year
To wrap up Day Three is starter, main and dessert combined. Potentially less filling than the amuse bouche. But then I always preferred a canape.
Like all good stories (including not good stories - I'll let you decide) Day Three witnessed a pretty dramatic turn of events. From this day forth, Wednesday shall be known as MegafishvanWednesday or as I like to call it for short, Wednesday.
On many an occasion, I count at least 6 times, I have driven past a van selling fish on the high street of a nearby town. Only ever on a Wednesday. On those previous occasions, I've been dropping my wife at school (she's a teacher if that needed further explanation) and then headed into London for work. I'd never had the opportunity to peruse the mega fish van, let alone purchase something.
This time, there was no work to rush to. I pulled into a parking space further down the road and waited. What was I waiting for? In truth, for someone-else to go first. Fortunately it wasn't long before an elderly couple followed by an anoraked gentlemen (it was raining lightly) approached the van. I made my way over in a non-committal, interested bystander sort of way. At least those were the vibes I was trying to give off.
When I arrived at the van, the elderly couple had clearly walked straight into the dilemma I had feared. They couldn't decide. There was simply so many different types of fish ranging from your staples such as cod and salmon to more random fish such as eel. The problem was that most of it looked very much like it had swum out of the ocean onto the bed of ice rather than the look I prefer, when it arrives on your plate.
The mega fish van man addressed the anoraked man by name, a regular, "cod and salmon". His order rather than his name. Lacking ambition, I felt. Then salmon and scallops for the elderly couple. Suddenly it was my turn. Heart rate elevated, eyes darting from one side to the other. They settled briefly on the crab, claws bound, staring back at me with black, beaded, protuberant eyes. Could it still be alive? Mega fish van man waited.
There's only so much drama one can create in choosing a fish. Finally I plumped for monkfish. The main reasons being it had no bones, head or skin, and secondly because I had once cooked it before, approximately 20 years ago.
Still I quickly exposed my fish novicery. "How much would you like?" He asked. "Enough for 5 people," I replied. He looked a little surprised. "What dish are you preparing?" He asked. "Erm, I don't know." He looked confused. He kindly suggested I could use it in a curry or wrap it in bacon. I agreed to both. He pulled out two fillets and weighed them. "That'll be £45." I tried to hide my shock and appear as though that was clearly what I was expecting. I hope the boys like monkfish I thought as I retreated to my car.