BS: Whelks

Subject: BS: Whelks
From: Stu
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 05:57 AM

I have just eaten a whelk and it was luverly.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:05 AM

Whelks are snotters with crash helmets, you know all green/grey and slimy and also salty.

Tom

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: akenaton
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:05 AM

How do you know what "snotters" taste like?

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:51 AM

Ah... Any supernovas nearby??

LTS






















Try Hitchhikers Guide.....

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:56 AM

*G*

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: MartinRyan
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:00 AM

On holidays in Spain a few years ago, I spotted "caracoles de mar" on a menu. The name translates literally as "sea snails" - they look bit like a whelk with 1 cm. spikes all over them. Sort of a punk-whelk. Taste fine - was it a "romesco" sauce?

What was interesting was that in the English version of the menu, they were described as "shrimps"! Bet that caused a few surprised expressions when brought to table...

Regards

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Stu
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:09 AM

Vastly unerrated is the whelk.

They are subtle in flavour and elastic in texture.

Unlike one of Tom's snotters, I should imagine.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Rasener
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:48 AM

I am led to beleive that people who live near the Humber Bridge, are very partial to a giant whelk or 2.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: The PA
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:55 AM

I think I'm going to be sick.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:57 AM

When I was young our family often went to Wells-Next-The-Sea, in North Norfolk, for our annual holidays. I remember that at one end of the quay area were some whelk sheds. In these sheds said molluscs were boiled and then were, presumably, sold to be eaten (the prospect of actually consuming boiled, marine molluscs horrifies me - but there's no accounting for taste!).
What I most vividly recall about these sheds was the smell - 'stench' would be more accurate - a fishy, salty, oily sort of miasma that actually seemed to penetrate and cling to the mucus membranes at the back of your nose - disgusting!!


Apart from that Wells was/is very nice and I always enjoyed going ...

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: frogprince
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 10:08 AM

In Massachusetts, they put a BOUNTY on the damn things!

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Pistachio
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:08 PM

Hasn't Oakley seen this thread yet -
He's the Whelk man as far as I know!
H.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: skipy
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:30 PM

Never mind the whelks, what about the spatulas!
Skipy.
in a white wine sauce.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Rasener
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:44 PM

Is that true that Oakley has whelks in his long johns?

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Les from Hull
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:54 PM

No, he keeps 'em in a big cave. I've heard him singing 'We'll keep a whelk home in the hillside'.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Bert
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:06 PM

Cor! Luvly grub.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:26 PM

Now STOP that Les! Have you taken yer tablets?

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:45 PM

The whelks I ate (deep south, Pacific coast of Mexico, they called them abalone but they weren't) were GOOD. Kinda stir fried in garlic butter, then a salsa.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:46 PM

Would that delicacy be Lhawrence Whelks??

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Skivee
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 01:34 AM

Since he's dead, could they be St. Laurence Whelks?...assuming he was a religious man.
Are there any in the Mid-east..Laurence Whelks of Arabia?
I'm just askin'.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Gurney
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 01:52 AM

I used to prefer them to the other shellfish available, there's good chewing in a whelk.
They are predators, you know. They have a little drill for getting into other shellfish and sucking the contents out. Nice one.

If you smelled oxtongue boiling, you wouldn't eat that, either.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 04:39 AM

I just think that all seafood excluding fish is horrible.
they just don't look nice

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 06:34 AM

i have tasted squid, and it's just like eating rubber.

not nice at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Grab
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 09:50 AM

Is that Oakley - thermowhelkular protection...?

A French friend of my mum's is a cordon bleu chef, and she loves cooking seafood. Which is a shame, because I prefer my fish and crustaneans alive and swimming. I'm just about OK with cod and haddock, but anything else doesn't work. My folks took me over with them to France when I was 4 or so, and I apparently puked quite spectacularly when she fed me periwinkles. They took me over again aged 16, and again she tried the periwinkles. I can report that they have a texture somewhere between chewing gum and a pencil eraser, and the taste is a faint but distinct combination of fish and sewage works. Being older, I managed to avoid puking that time, but it was a close run thing - chewed one, managed to force myself to swallow (see Mum, being able to swallow chewing gum *does* have benefits!) and said "sorry, I don't like that".

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 12:16 PM

Rick Stein, the seafood chef, maintains that you can use whelks as the main ingredient in all recipes calling for abalone. A fraction of the price and better tasting. Personally, I love 'em, especially the ones from the fish shop in Whitby.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: MMario
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 12:57 PM

love whelks - we used to steam them; then marinate - and serve the foot sliced in an antipasta. These were the big ones - about 5 or six inches long.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 02:43 PM

Eeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!

Bring on that supernova!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 04:26 PM

7 out ten molluscs said they objected to being labelled a whelk.

A spokeswhelk said, The whole term whelk is demeaning and carries with it many negative connotations. We are trying to shake off the old vinegar and polystyrene cup image. And we object to being linked with obscure American band leaders.

We have approached David Cameron and Tony Blair, and pointed out there were very few molluscs in senior governmant positions - Sir Kenneth Baker was the last mollusc with a job in the cabinet. What a fine education secretary he was!

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Bert
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 06:40 PM

polystyrene cup!!! They had paper cups in my day. And as for vinegar it's th eonly way to eat them. Almost as good as Jellied Eels. Tubby Isaacs here I come.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 06:57 PM

"Rick Stein, the seafood chef, maintains that you can use whelks as the main ingredient in all recipes calling for abalone."

I really must get out all my abalone recipes and substitute whelks!!

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 07:18 PM

I'll get out all my whelk recipes and substitute real food!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 08:47 PM

Abalone - you mean you could inlay the fancy bits round a guitar hole with whelks...?

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 11:31 PM

I love'em. But in Norn Iron we called them 'willicks'.
Used to pick 'em out with a pin, and pop into the mouth.
With a jar of pickled cockles and mussels, and a bag of dulse (dried seaweed, pronounced 'dulliss')there was a meal fit for Neptune.

As regards squid or calamari - if it's overcooked it will feel like eating garden hose. The trick is not to overcook it.
I'm off for some sushi.

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 02:54 AM

Tam Hamilton---I would steer clear of the "wilks" on Ardrossan beach myself; too many cludgies discharging their "stuff" in the area. But hey fella---give me a big bag o' wilks from the beaches around Arran--or Mull--or Islay, and I will have one scrumptious feed!
Big Boab, whose band is dubbed "the Winklepickers"!

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST, ...
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 04:26 AM

Is that 'dulse', pronounced 'dulliss', related to the 'films', pronounced 'fillums'?

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 06:03 AM

OK Boab,

Mind you I did taste whelks before, and I did like them, mind you I was just a wean, and you now what weans would eat.

tom

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 07:50 AM

How do you know what "snotters" taste like?

My congratulations to the one who's never had a really bad cold or real hay fever.


Everyone with an aversion to "strange foods" should have at least one opportunity to be entertained in Japan by "corporate executives."

While the French (a generally disgusting lot, but that's just a traditional opinion I've not had countered by experience) do a thing with the snails that actually conceals the "snailness" by mincing, garnishing, grinding, mixing with exotic spices and other unknown "stuff," otherwise concealing what they are/were - except for the presence of the shell (sometimes), any "foreigner" (translation: "American") shown about by Japanese executives will invariably be "treated" to cuisine that includes numerous indescribably ugly creatures deliberately prepared so as to emphasize how repellant they are, including shellfish of various kinds that are simply "boiled in the shell" and laid (with elaborate traditional decoration, of course) on a plate.

Thanks largely to my early youth subsisting on the fish and game of Kansas (much of which resembles the date you did not bring home to mother) a trip to Nagoya a few years back did not result in my public regurgitation; a fact that I'm sure was a great disappointment to my hosts (especially to one Nagoya VP who tried very hard). Others of my party provided much more traditional entertainment, which I am convinced was the intent of the "traditional cuisine" to which we were "treated." My "trip diary" lists "rubber bands," "shoe soles," "snot globs," "rubber heel with Tabasco," and "unidentified eyeballs" among the "delicacies" we were served - the closest I could come to describing the cuisine.

That aside, if it was once alive and now might be dead, and has been prepared in a manner that elicits its food qualities without emphasis on "you gotta be an idiot to try this," it probably is an acceptable item on my menu.

I seldom see whelks on the menu here, but I don't eat out a lot.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 08:09 AM

Why, certainly, I'll have your whelk. How do we do it? Volume! (The Bursar)

I love all things shellfishy apart from oysters. Favourite I think are mussels in a garlic and/or white wine base. Next are mixed things that shall remain nameless, in vinegar, from the stall on the front at Whitby.

Luverly grub. Now, grubs, that's a different bucket of whelks...

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: cobra
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 08:50 AM

So Seamus, are you still watching the Lawrence Willick show re-runs?

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 09:38 AM

Seamus.. if you've done any work for Russia in the last 20 years, I'd stay away from sushi.

LTS


PS

How do we know it was radioactive sushi and not just a really bad Morecombe Bay prawn?

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 01:05 PM

Was reminded of this thread when I drove by the Whelk's Club building while running errands this morning....

(If they don't have Elk's Clubs in the UK that joke probably went right past most of the folks who've posted to this thread.)

And I'll eat pretty much anything that walks, runs, swims, flies, crawls, slithers, or sits like a lump. But I do draw the line at eyeballs of any kind.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: frogprince
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 02:21 PM

I draw the line at balls of any kind...

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 03:39 PM

Guest of 4:26 - dulliss and fillums are 2 different things.
You can't ate fillums, you head-the-ball.
Cobra, what about ye?
I love Lawrence Willick re-runs.
They went down brilliant the first time, and they're even better the second time around.
Kinda like non-Lawrence willicks.
I'm away for a boke now.

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 03:52 PM

So, Frogprince, I suppose you want bread without meatballs?

No chance, you don't even get it with just ONE meatball.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 06:55 PM

far as I am concerned you are Whelk-come to them.............

Put plenty of marmite and garlic on them just to make them really ghastly.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 08:21 PM

Mystery Meats in New York

I'm not sure why this article reminded me of this thread...

John

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 11:09 PM

LtS, I haven't done any work in Russia - damn it.

But my sushi ain't glowing in the dark, I'll probably give it a go.

Well, maybe not poison blowfish.

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST,Cats
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 04:22 AM

Many years ago in the Swan at Sidmouth we used to have 'interesting gourmet nights'!!! One highlight was whelks in chocolate sauce. We did manage to get the lads from the rugby club to eat them after we managewd to convince them they were a huge gourmet delicacy... They should have known better during Folk Week.

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: GUEST, ...
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 04:58 AM

I don't like eating eyes either - in fact I have been known to cut all the heads off a plate full of whitebait before eating them (and yes, I know they contain vitamin C).

Subject: RE: BS: Whelks
From: Mr Yellow
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 07:58 AM

vitamin see? vitamin sea?

C U thru the weeK?

OK someone had to say it.