Divided on Scallops

When I was little, I often thought things in France were uniquely French and had nothing to do with the things I knew in America.

For example, in the U.S., I knew I liked scallops:

In France, I had a different favorite:  the coquille Saint-Jacques.  When I grew older someone told me they were the same thing.  But how could they be when in France they were always tinged orange at one end and in America they were always all-white?

I admit to just living with the mystery (until today), enjoying both depending on which country I was in.  Today, though, I discovered that in America, we systematically separate out the roe to leave only the white muscle part whereas in France they systematically leave both the muscle and roe attached!


This is what a scallop looks like if you slice it open fresh out of the ocean:

Why didn't I even figure this out before?  My brain never seemed to try to integrate french-experience with american experience until after my 20's - before then, I was simply two slightly different people...

Ken, meet Ken and get it together, man!