Dec 14th, 2019 : Fat Innkeepers

[xoxoxoBruce]

At the start of December violent winter storms pounded the beaches of California, north of San Francisco.
The storms swept away sand and mud down to the burrow homes of the Fat Innkeeper Worms.
Wrenched heartlessly from snug little beds they were swept by the waves to be cast upon the beach as a smorgasbord.
A feast for ravenous fish, the piercing talons and ripping beaks of birds, plus the toothy jaws and claws of animals.

If you’re wandering through one of South Korea’s many seafood markets and you see a bucket of wriggling phalluses, you’ve found the gaebul. Also known as “the penis fish,” it’s actually a marine spoon worm.
While some diners might slurp down a slice of gaebul for its reputed aphrodisiac effects, most eat this mudflat-dwelling worm because they like the taste. Typically consumed raw, it’s chewy, salty, and surprisingly sweet. (Some say that restaurant-prepared gaebul rinses away the sweetness of fresh versions.) It’s often served with a savory sauce made from sesame oil and salt or a spicier dip consisting of vinegar and gochujang. Those who prefer their penis fish cooked might grill it on a skewer with salt, pepper, and sesame oil.

Even before it ends up on a plate, the gaebul spends its life feeding others. Earning its other nickname, “the fat innkeeper worm,” it creates tunnels that provide shelter for crabs and fish. If that weren’t enough, this “innkeeper” even leaves behind a free meal for its guests: plankton, trapped in a trail of slime.

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