Mr. Shrimpie No More

I planned on attempting Coconut Shrimps so I had to clean and devein a pound of shrimp. I've bought 'clean' shrimp before this but I figured I should try cleaning them myself. They're cheaper that way. I have absolutely no idea how to go about it so I clickety-click-click online and voila. Thank goodness for the information super highway. Anyhoo, so there I was with this one pound of shrimp. Taking them off the shells was not too bad, but when I slit it's back and saw the vein. OMG, the vein! I almost barfed! It took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to finish. I was counting all the way. Ten to go, eight to go, five to go. By the time I was done, I lost interest in cooking the meal then and there so I said I'd just do it the following day and stored them in the fridge. That's just me.

This is a first again. Bratinella Alert!!! I adore seafood but the prep time to cook and eat them is annoying. My manang would always himay seafood for me. I was never fond of deboning them myself as I had a bad experience of getting one stuck in my throat before. These days, I make sure there's absolutely nothing in there by 'mashing' the fish up. Manang would always have a good mound of fish or crab or shrimp or whatever waiting on my plate for me to eat. All deboned or taken out of shells. My parents do this for us too. I remember my mom sitting us down and showing us how to use a knife and fork to de-shell shrimps one time. Some days, I'd still steal their 'seafood mounds' because I'm still too lazy to do it myself. So they'd take the liberty of making a 'for you pile' and 'for me pile'. Uhuh. My parents know us too well.

So there you go... that was my first 'clean-the-seafood' experience. Uhm, I think I'll stick to buying pre-cleaned seafood from now on. I just can't deal. I'd definitely puke if I had to clean a fish myself.

Today I am thankful for:
- experiencing the City again last Tuesday
- getting the forms I need in time
- the 'Spring-y' weekend weather
- a crack of dawn phone call from my good friend JPD from the land down under
- groceries / markets that 'clean'