How Fresh is Your Octopus?

Rationality is better in theory than in practice.

Take food, for instance. I occasionally find myself thinking along well-reasoned, rational lines, usually in the morning following a large dose of yakiniku (grilled meat - with a side dish of meat).

The argument goes something like this:


"Is it a good thing to always talk about food? It can hardly be healthy. It isn't even that interesting, actually - such a normal everyday activity, why not go on a diet, or do something useful, eh?."


However, it is not long before the textbook gets put back on the shelf, and normality ensues.

Why, you can't get away from eating food. So while you're at it, you may as well make it enjoyable.

So, having talked ourselves into it, let's head down to an Izakaya. In Japan, instead of going to the pub, people go to an Izakaya - slightly more civilized than a pub, it involves eating and drinking, and no standing. Like a gastropub, but without GBP7.00 beers and GBP25 for a plate of sausages. And without sausages. But with beers. Got it?

So, this being Japan, we basically have to start with some raw fish....

...just look at that freshness!

Let's follow up with some whale. Now, I was a little taken aback by my own lack of marine ecosystem awareness, having ordered the grilled meat of an endangered species, but as any Japanese person will tell you, whale can't possibly be endangered - how else can you buy a chunk of it in every other shop in Japan at affordable prices? But then - isn't it such a noble creature? Its a mammal, yet lives in the sea - and its really clever, isn't it? This is the kind of WWF-reasoning that has infiltrated Western people's thinking. Why don't we feel sorry for chickens or tuna? If the whale was such a genius, why couldn't he swim away from the noisy boat?

And, as I know you really want to try some, I have to tell you that it is, in fact, very meaty. Like fatty beef, and very good for you, according to Japanese scientists. They may or may not be affiliated with the whaling and wale-eating industry, but, the indisputable fact is that it is quite tasty.

This is very well complimented by a Japanese dish called Furaido Potaitou:

But this is the best bit - order some octopus, and the chef grabs an angry-looking one from a tank in the middle of the room, places it on a chopping board, and slice - there goes a leg. Octopus San doesn't bleed - he can grow more, apparently. He just looks even more cross when he's put back in the acqurium with the crab trying to bite him again.

Now - check out this freshness:

If you have fresher octopus than this, then I really do want to know about it.

I was so excited by this, that I had to stop recording - so here is the second part:



And all of this is very much like the market. Rationality is great in theory, but in practice you need to be ready to go with your gut.