Frankeinstein's Frog

December 19, 2009 2:59 PM

"After 20 seconds or so the quivering turned into a restless jig. The legs twitched violently, pumping up and down as if they were getting ready for one last hop."
A look at the curious, somewhat unnerving, and morbidly humorous culinary phenomenon of dancing frog legs.
posted by CitrusFreak12 (25 comments total)

While searching for more information I found that The Joy of Cooking contained only this vague reference:

"Through an experiment with a twitching frog leg, Galvani discovered the electric current that bears his name. Should you prefer keeping your kitchen and your scientific activities separate and distinct, chill the frog legs before skinning."

I wonder how many people were surprised to find out just what this paragraph really meant.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 3:00 PM on December 19, 2009 [2 favorites]

That made my stomach quiver and my gag reflex twitch.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:34 PM on December 19, 2009

Eww.
posted by FunkyHelix at 3:35 PM on December 19, 2009

JESUS, another reason to associate Stuck in the Middle With You with graphic dismemberment.
posted by dirtdirt at 3:35 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yeah, wow, they really do the shimmy! The restless jig legs win for tightest group choreography, and that clip gets extra points for least brain-dead knucklehead live commentary from salt-shaker wielders.

I've had sashimi on a few occasions here in Japan which is so freshly cut and whisked to the sushi bar counter that the fish is still twitching. That's just about freshness, though: has nothing to do with salt.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:36 PM on December 19, 2009

This being MetaFilter, I'll probably take some grief for this but...

I have eaten and enjoyed aoyagi many times. It's unbelievably delicious, and squirming away. I have also tried drunken shrimp, which are pretty darn good, too.
posted by fixedgear at 3:39 PM on December 19, 2009

Michigan J. was inspired by Ol' Rip (self FPP link).
posted by dirtdirt at 3:43 PM on December 19, 2009

Michigan J. Frog makes a rousing, dancing appearance in the last link of this FPP, y'all.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:44 PM on December 19, 2009

Michigan J. wouldn't be top-hatting his way through any tune without his legs.

Did not enjoy that.
posted by bwg at 3:52 PM on December 19, 2009

This is obviously source material from a Skinny Puppy video.
posted by ...possums at 4:10 PM on December 19, 2009

Clams do this too when you cut them up.

I don't let it bother me. Yes, I'm eating an animal. So what.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:15 PM on December 19, 2009

The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies was playing on the radio while I watched those. Awesome.
posted by longsleeves at 5:07 PM on December 19, 2009

Wedding night photos will haunt you for years.

Damn internet!
posted by metagnathous at 5:29 PM on December 19, 2009

Worse
posted by HuronBob at 5:35 PM on December 19, 2009

Videos, rather.

But don't discount the photos.
posted by metagnathous at 5:35 PM on December 19, 2009

You mean, Michigan J. Frog.../derail

No derail here, it was my sixth link! My attempt at a unicorn chaser, I suppose, but I will never look at that frog the same way again.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 5:54 PM on December 19, 2009

Omnivores, WTF?
posted by NortonDC at 9:25 PM on December 19, 2009

Worse

Ugh. That is way worse. Warning may be disturbing.
posted by Big_B at 9:55 PM on December 19, 2009

I'm confused. What does this have to do with Zane Townsend?
posted by erniepan at 11:14 PM on December 19, 2009

Ugh. That is way worse. Warning may be disturbing.

Yeah... what Big_B said. Watching something suffocate, not my idea of a good time.
posted by Talanvor at 1:04 AM on December 20, 2009

I was at a restaurant in Taiwan, when we ordered the shrimp.

It was basically seared, maybe a bit of shell cut up -- still moving around, still at least vaguely alive. Whatever, ya know. Muscles take time to die.

Then the guy next to me bit into his from the back. The other three shrimp STARTED FLIPPING THE HELL OUT.

Yeah, there went my appetite.
posted by effugas at 1:53 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Excuse me, do you serve monkey brains?
posted by flabdablet at 4:57 AM on December 20, 2009

"Monkey's brains, tho popular in Cantonese cuisine, are not easily found on the streets of Washington D.C!"
posted by The Whelk at 8:11 AM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yeah... what Big_B said. Watching something suffocate, not my idea of a good time.

the fish, horse mackerel or 鯵, is not suffocating but is in fact dead. all the organs have been removed. often there will be some pieces of the cut sashimi that are also twitching. the twitching sashimi is the most delicious.
posted by mexican at 8:27 PM on December 20, 2009

This thread is reminding me to go out for sushi when my ship finally comes in.
posted by dunkadunc at 9:36 PM on December 20, 2009