You Floridaphiles are probably having a nice chuckle. Oh, how that fish has defined our culture here in north Florida! For those of you who are not enlightened on the subject of Mullet Culture, please allow me to tell my story...
When my ancestors came to Florida in 1768, they were treated as slaves for nine years on the plantation of the tyrannical Englishman Dr. Andrew Turnbull. They worked year-round in the hot, humid, mosquito-infested hell that Florida was years ago. The majority of the Minorcan colonists died of dieases and famine, and those that managed to survive barely did so. The mullet, a species of saltwater fish that "runs" in schools along the beach during the summertime, was a very important part of the Minorcan diet during those rough years.
When the mullet "ran" along the beach, it meant that food would be pleantiful, and that life would not be quite as miserable as usual. This led to the common Minorcan expression "Mullet on the beach!" which means "Good times ahead."
This is the beginning of a multiple-part series on the Mullet. I will add that this is likely the only blog in the blogosphere on which you will find a multi-part series on this fish...Only from a Minorcan! You will find out why later.
Have a good Sunday! Go Pittsburgh Steelers!
12 comments:
So when did mullet also come to describe a particular hairstyle? Just curious...
That will be coming in future parts of this segment :-D
You mean to say you are actually back with posts coming for a while? Wonderful!!!
paint - I hate not posting on here. A lot of times when I am not doing school work, I don't feel like writing anything! But yeah, there will be at least 2 or 3 more parts to this coming over the next week or two. My life's just not interesting enough for blogging right now 8-0
I'm glad you are back. I know you have had a great summer, but it is good to hear from you again.
Hi there I am so glad to see you back on. Speaking of mullett I used to love following behind the guys with the cast nets and running to pick up the fresh fish jumping all around on the sand.My folks didn't have refrigeration so they used to salt them down so we could have a supply of mullet year round. I am anxiously awaiting some more on your blog.
cathy - Thank you. It's definitely good to be back.
Grandma - Ha ha, picking up all those flipping and flopping fish is definitely a job for a young lady. I'll have more on our favorite fish soon!
Can't wait to read more about mullets. My knowledge of them thus far ends at their use as a most supreme snook bait.
swampangel - I'll be getting into that in Mullet Part Three. Part Two will be posted early tomorrow.
Great to see you posting again! Now I need to go find me some fresh smoked mullet. (Hmmm, is that an oxymoron?)
sophie - hmmm, "fresh smoked mullet" Yeah, I would say it's possible.
I liked reading the whole mullet series. I am probably the only blogger that uses the mullet in my blog title.
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