fish bones

Last week we had a very large fish for dinner, I won’t tell you what kind. But It was cut into fillets breaded with Vietnamese chili powder and bread crumbs and lightly pan fried. It was finished in the oven and then right before serving I poured a mixture of soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar and garlic into the raging hot pan. It bubbled up at once and coated the fish beautifully. It was yummy but I won’t tell you where we got it. It had a sweet taste and delicate texture and was the best tasting fish I’ve had since Seattle, but I won’t tell you how we got it.

Right after Linda cleaned the fish I went about the task of filleting, I threw the scraps, bones and giant head into the compost pile because lord knows that would be a beautiful addition to the compost. I thought about how much nutrients had gone into that pile and how when I finally used the compost how absolutely full of good microbes and nutrients it would add to the soil. But it was dark and it was late and we never went to the trouble of burying it in the compost and covering it, instead it lay on top and was told we would get to it first thing in the morning, I was starving and wanted to eat. What could happen to between now and 5 in the morning?

The next morning I went to cover it but the head was gone. So much for my adding nutrients to the compost. Cats? Probably, but how the heck could they have pulled that huge head out? I couldn’t find it. I didn’t look too well and just forgot about it.

A rogue fish head is something you can never forget about.

A few days later the dogs, all of them especially Maya our sweet English Sheppard really stank…..like fish. Bad fish. I searched and searched for the fish head and could not find it. I watched the dogs secretly from inside the house hidden behind a curtain; I knew they would give it up. I hid behind barn doors and spied on the chickens. I especially kept a nonchalant eye on the cats. You can’t fool them. I would find the fish head.

I found the fish head or rather it found me I tripped over it in the front yard. Rather than pick up with bare hands I went into the house to get a bag or something so I could return it to the compost pile and this time I would bury it and it would indeed add nutrients dam it! I got side tracked like I almost always do and between the time I changed the washed clothes to the dryer and started a new load It had disappeared again. DAMMIT! I couldn’t fine either of the Pyrenees they had to be the culprit. The other dogs were inside and the cats were sitting on the porch just looking at me. They had seen the whole kidnapping of the head go down. Whose side were they on?! Finally I just had to let it go.

Fast forward to yesterday…..

Unloading the back of my truck, was the unmistakable smell of rotted skanky disgusting fish head! It had to be under my truck. I looked and looked and I could not find that thing. But I could smell it like it was right under my feet. Now I’m on fire. I’m cussing and stomping around my truck. I do the hot cold thing with my nose. The farther I am the less I smell. COLD…… the closer the more smell HOT. 20 minutes later I still had not found it. Disgruntled I drove off to my riding lesson.

Today I will find the head!