Yummy Soup

Oy... Oy... Where are you going? Come back here!

I know this photo may gross some (meaning many) of you out. Come on... it's dead already. This is a very large head (7.8 pounds!) of a now deceased grouper fish, a fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes. Sea basses also belong to this family.

In Sicilian witchcraft it is customary to leave a fish head on the door step of one's enemy to ward off malicious intention. It is also performed by the eldest grandma when a mafia fishing family has been wronged by a business partner. In more substantial hostilities, one may see the appearance of a goat or horse head. That will definitely gross you out. And me too!

I admit I got this trophy home today, but not for any witchcraft activity or for any magic potion. Fish heads are great for soup. You add into your purified water (I am kidding, I just use tap water,) some magical veggies and herbs, a few slices of a sour star fruit and a handful of sour tamarinds and voila... the best soup money can buy. If a head of a Sicilian family would leave this kind of fish head on my door step, I would love it!