lampreys?

[Oxymel of Squill]

anyone ever had one? (surely we should try everything once, however
revolting they sound) I know there's a running joke in 1066 And All That
about sundry kings keeling over from a surfeit of lampreys, and the poet
Alexander Pope was very partial to potted lampreys.
Anyone ever seen them on sale?

cheers

Jon

[Dave Fawthrop]

On Fri, 9 Jan 2004 11:48:25 -0000, "Oxymel of Squill"
<***@ntlworld.com> wrote:

| anyone ever had one? (surely we should try everything once, however
| revolting they sound) I know there's a running joke in 1066 And All That
| about sundry kings keeling over from a surfeit of lampreys, and the poet
| Alexander Pope was very partial to potted lampreys.
| Anyone ever seen them on sale?
http://www.fishing-in-wales.com/wildlife/fishes/lamprey.htm

In recent times lampreys have become scarce and are now protected by
wildlife legislation.

Lampreys have sucker mouths with rasp-like teeth and seven circular gill
openings on each side. They attach themselves to the flank of a passing
fish and feed upon the blood of their victim.
<<<

Dave F

[June Hughes]

Post by Oxymel of Squill
anyone ever had one? (surely we should try everything once, however
revolting they sound) I know there's a running joke in 1066 And All That
about sundry kings keeling over from a surfeit of lampreys, and the poet
Alexander Pope was very partial to potted lampreys.
Anyone ever seen them on sale?

That is a very good question to which I do not at present know the
answer. I shall have a look in my Oxford tome at lunch time. As I have
not yet had coffee, that may be ages. I may have coffee and look
now.................

[June Hughes]

Post by June Hughes

Post by Oxymel of Squill
anyone ever had one? (surely we should try everything once, however
revolting they sound) I know there's a running joke in 1066 And All That
about sundry kings keeling over from a surfeit of lampreys, and the poet
Alexander Pope was very partial to potted lampreys.
Anyone ever seen them on sale?

That is a very good question to which I do not at present know the
answer. I shall have a look in my Oxford tome at lunch time. As I have
not yet had coffee, that may be ages. I may have coffee and look
now.................

...

Right. Had coffee (used mini Bialetti and Lavazza, frothy milk and
sprinkled choc on top. Accompanied by on of our last pieces of Delia's
Christmas cake. Yummy).

Lampreys.......per the inimitable Alan Davidson - here are my notes
shamelessly filched from the Oxford book of food:

Petromyzon marinus. Ugly parasitic fish - sucks blood from larger fish.
Slimy, jawless, single nostril on top and 7 little gill openings on each
side.

Can grow to 48" but average is 24". Also river lampreys, which are
smaller. It is a sea fish but goes up river to spawn.

Still eaten in Galicia and N Portugal. Cooked in pies in their own
blood and served on a bed of rice. Eaten smoked in Finland.

In England, recipes for lampreys almost disappeared in 19thC. But Queens
Jubilee lamprey pie of 1977 from city of Gloucester.

1994 - book in French (Lise Chapuis et at) devoted entirely to lampreys
- their natural history, recipes etc.

No mention of King John. I read somewhere that the story was untrue but
who can tell after a thousand years?:)

Phew. I suspect 'The Wilder Shores of Gastronomy', also by Alan
Davidson, may contain some of his writings about lampreys but it seems
to have gone right under our bed, so I shall have to move it and have a
look.

HTH

PS 1066 and all That ............We talked about it on a ng a few years
ago and I then found and read my battered old copy. It seems to have
disappeared again but I remember thinking it not to be as funny as when
I read it the first time at the age of 12.

[Mary Fisher]

Post by June Hughes
PS 1066 and all That ............We talked about it on a ng a few years
ago and I then found and read my battered old copy. It seems to have
disappeared again but I remember thinking it not to be as funny as when
I read it the first time at the age of 12.

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be ...

Mary

Post by June Hughes
--
June Hughes

[June Hughes]

Post by Mary Fisher

Post by June Hughes
PS 1066 and all That ............We talked about it on a ng a few years
ago and I then found and read my battered old copy. It seems to have
disappeared again but I remember thinking it not to be as funny as when
I read it the first time at the age of 12.

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be ...

Blimey! If you weren't a mate I would throw something virtual:))