Alex Stollznow - © Alex Stollznow

World’s ‘Ugliest Creature’ Actually The Best-Tasting?

I have my reasons for my views on the stunning Daily Mail story critiqued herein, and the culinary advice it gives. But I’ll hold them until later. Suffice it to say, an Australian ‘expert’ wants you to try the world’s most unappetizing fish.

Blobfish - © Australian MuseumMeet Ernie. Yes, I’ve gone all anthropomorphic on you and named him. But how
could you not attribute human characteristics and emotions to a
face like that? It’s as if he knows he’s about to be eaten…

What it is

This is the deep-water denizen known as the Blobfish. Seriously. At least, that’s what it’s called down under. It’s a relatively recent discovery for scholars of sea life, first seen in 2003. And it only occasionally comes up in commercial fishing nets. Even then, it’s not usually offered for sale to the public.

Who he is

That’s unfortunate, according to 33-year-old Sydney, Australia fishmonger and Recreational Fishing Officer Alex Stollznow (see photo, top of page), who boasts a history of sampling rare seafoods. He’s tried the ultra-deep-water Pilotfish and several varieties of eels.

What he did

Stollznow decided to try a Blobfish fillet, just because he’s into that kind of thing. It didn’t even occur to him that it might be poisonous. Nobody knew, for sure.

“As far as I know, I’m the only person in existence to try it,” Stollznow told Daily Mail Australia.

But try it he did. Cooking it by broiling it under a blowtorch. The fish, which is – to say the least – ‘gelatinous’ in it’s natural state, came up, “rich and sweet. It tasted like butter-poached lobster tail. The flesh was particularly nice,’ Stollznow opined.

The takeaway

“Almost everything that swims tastes good,” Stollznow asserts.

He adds, he’ll eat Blobfish again, when he gets the chance at one. Seems the species only shows up at Sydney fish markets a dozen or so times a year.

My take

Stollznow is, without a doubt, a bold, optimistic sort. Didn’t know if it might be poisonous? But we have to thank him for taking the risk. We now know Blobfish is delectable. If enough of them were caught regularly, Blobfish might even become a new fad… Alas, I fear that’s unlikely. “People don’t like eating rare foods,” Stollznow observes, stating the obvious.

But more compellingly – how could you bring yourself to eat a critter with a face like that?

~ Maggie J.