In Greece they deep-fry little fishes (2 inch) whole, and you eat them whole. Often with garlic dip or tzatziki. Very nice, crunchy, you just don't think about the heads and bones and such.

They do that in Italy too. My family makes smelts, only headless. They still have the bones, which are usually so thin and soft that eating them isn't a problem and their tails, which you don't eat.

Bob Bob's father is Greek and he lived in Greece for various periods of time.

Those smelts sound like my favorite thing ever.

Parea, on E 20th.

starts muffaletta-like kerfuffle, without the olives.

Don't you mean, "kerfluffle"? (can't believe I got there first)

Sorry, Fred. All iguanas are Franks, which really freaked out a friend of mine by that name. I couldn't make him understand that no, he did not make me think of iguanas, and no, iguanas didn't make me think of him. Iguanas are just Franks. As is he. But a different kind of Frank. It just is.

*bristles*

Plus, I loved Linda Hamilton's iguana Pugsly in THE TERMINATOR.

Did I ruffle your crest? I sincerely didn't mean to.

So, today I have managed to make it sound as if I were calling one person a turkey and another a lizard! Whee.

"Parea" is a nice word in Greek - it means "my gang of friends".

You people have now made me hungry for saganaki. The nearest place I know of that definitely serves it is a nine-and-a-half hour drive away.

You can have your flaming rubber cheese, but now I want some deep-fried zucchini slices. More like crack than french fries...

Mmmmmmm....flaming rubber cheese....

It was the New York Times that set me off on a Greek food fetish today, with the recipe for a coffee frappe in the Dining section.

I bet I can get smelt at the Greek seafood place around the corner from my apartment, which I've never been to.