Viscometers, Korea, and Sea Urchins

Here's an oldie but a goodie (even Irene admits it's a funny story "the first dozen times you hear it"!)

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In the mid 90's, I worked for a small mom & pop tech company called "Viscotek" in Houston.  As part of that job, they would fly me around the world to install their patented viscometer and train their technicians at the customer's factory.  It was pretty cool for a while to travel the world on someone else's dime but (like all things) it became tiresome after a while and I quit after two years or so.  Along the way though, I had plenty of adventures.

I was scheduled to do a job in Korea and a colleague of mine had a very specific warning for me: "Our distributer there, K-Y, is going to take you to this 'very special place' and order some super-nasty stuff to eat - you must eat it in order to save face, but I warn you it will be difficult - so gear up!"

I'm thinking, how bad can it be?  After all he's from Texas and I have a broad and sophisticated palate, right?  So, I ask him "what do you mean, 'nasty'?

"Nasty as in chop the tentacles off of a baby octopus and eat them while they are still moving around.  You can feel the suckers in your mouth as you chew, man!"

Oh.

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Sure enough, during my trip to Korea, one day K-Y says to me "Kenneth, tonight I take you to very special place!"

Oh no, here it comes.  But I'm ready - I'm mentally prepared, I love seafood - I got this.  Some drinks, get my game face on and bring out the tentacles!

However, shortly after getting seated, the maitre d' comes and whispers in K-Y's ear.  At first K-Y's face falls into disappointment.  My heart soars - no octopi tonight!  Then, the he keeps talking and K-Y's face lights up with joy.  My heart sinks - something nasty this way comes and I have no idea; I am unprepared.

With great fanfare, some freshly halved sea urchins are brought out on a platter, and, while they are still moving around a bit on my plate by moving their spines, I surprise everyone by diving right in and scooping up their delicious eggs with the tiny spoon provided.

Ha - little did they know this is an old favorite of ours in Corsica!  Check out these pictures from Corsica (Roger pretty much single-handedly caught these in the ocean and then cleaned them all for us):