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Eat this Word: Sea Urchin

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jbfauthor

August 11, 2009

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Sea Urchin WHAT? A no brainer. If you’ve stepped on one of these spiny creatures while strolling along the beach you’re not likely to forget the pain. Similarly memorable is the sea-kissed, faintly iodine taste of the custardy roe—when fresh. Sea urchins are brainless echinoderms that live on the ocean floor. Their hard shells (called tests) are covered with pointed spines that they use for locomotion, food gathering, and protection. Evidently, their unfriendly exterior is effective; in 2003 BBC News reported that sea urchins can live for over 200 years. To the urchins’ human predators, the saffron-colored roe (the only edible part) is considered a delicacy. Most sea urchins harvested in the United States are exported to Japan, where the roe, called uni, is used extensively in sushi and other dishes. WHERE? Michael Solomonov's Beard House dinner WHEN? August 12, 2009 HOW? Fava Bean Kibbeh with Sea Urchin, Labaneh, and Israeli Caviar