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"I'd love to meet her, EleanorWhat do you
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"I'd love to meet her, EleanorWhat do you think of this flounder?
I was planning on sheepshead, but they're not in yet, and I can't
wait
I don't know why the fishing boats can't be more punctual, and don't
talk to me about no wind for the sailsMy bonnet nearly blew right
off my head this morning
"I really prefer flounder myself, Minnie, it takes to a sauce so much
betterLet me present Rhett's wife, Scarlett Tell me, does this flounder look good to you?" It
looked disgusting to her, but Scarlett murmured, "I've always been
partial to flounder myself She hoped that all Miss Eleanor's friends
wouldn't ask her opinionShe didn't even know what flounder was, for
pity sakes, much less if it was any good or not
In the next hour, Scarlett was introduced to more than twenty ladies,
and a dozen varieties of fishShe was receiving a thorough education
in seafoodButler bought crabs, going to five different sellers
until she had accumulated eight"I suppose I seem awfully picky to
you," she said when she was satisfied, "but the soup's just not the
same if it's made with he-crabsThe roe gives it a special flavor,
you seeIt's a lot harder to find she-crab this time of year, but
it's worth the effort, I think
Scarlett didn't care a bit what gender the crabs wereShe was
appalled that they were still alive, scuttling around in the tubs,
reaching out their claws, making nervous rustling noises as they
climbed on top of one another trying to reach up the sides to get
out
And now she could hear them in Celie's basket, pushing at the paper
sack that held themThe shrimp were worse, even though they were
deadTheir ice were horrible black balls on stalks, and they had long
trailing whiskers and feelers and spiky stomachsShe couldn't believe
that she'd ever eaten anything that looked like that, much less
enjoyed
itThe oysters didn't bother her; they just looked like dirty
rocksButler picked up a curved knife from a table and
opened
one, Scarlett felt her stomach heaveIt looks like a hawk of spit
floating in old dishwater, she thoughtAfter the seafood the meats
had a reassuring familiarity even though the swarms of flies around
the
blood-soaked newspapers under them made her queas |