You say tomalley, I say paralytic shellfish poisoning

By adamg on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 11:42am

FDA Advises Against Consumption of American Lobster (Maine Lobster) Tomalley

Regulators find dangerous levels of toxins that cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning ...

Symptoms of PSP include tingling and/or numbness of the mouth, face or neck; muscle weakness; headache; and nausea. In extreme cases, when large amounts of the toxin are consumed, these symptoms can lead to respiratory failure and death. Symptoms usually occur within two hours of exposure to the toxin. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention.

Via Pax Arcana, who puts the warning in much simpler terms.

Topics:

Dining

Free tagging:

Lobster

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Comments

Dewey Square Farmers Market

By theszak on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 1:10pm.

Did the Dewey Square Farmers Market reopen yet?... what's happening with this farmers market, what's the latest?...

Checked
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dewey-square-public-market...
http://www.bostonpublicmarket.org/

And here's a neighborhood lobster sandwich joint
http://weeklydig.com/department-commerce/eats-drin...

What experiences have you folks had at
Alive and Kickin' Louie's Lobsters
269 Putnam Ave at River St
Cambridge MA 02139
617 876-0451

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/310210
http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2004/06/16/...
http://www.yelp.com/biz/louies-alive-and-kickin-lo...
http://www.openlist.com/cambridge-ma_alive-and-kic...

You can also check http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org for many of the market availabilities (it's back up and running after a previous problem with it redirecting to their host company). I gave them a call and they said that it had a funding snag earlier this year and the vendors all committed to other locations so there won't be one in Dewey Square until next year, but funding should be secured for 2009 and vendors will likely be back.

Dunno what that has to do with lobsters (never saw a seafood vendor there myself), but then again what's a good "the zak" post without some sort of random tangent.

As for tomalley, mustard, liver, or whatever else you want to call it, I never touch the stuff. Just knowing the biology behind what that organ does keeps me from enjoying it even without the random chance of paralysis, etc. And also be sure to cook your shellfish correctly! Saw a guy who didn't and he ended up passing away in ICU after they had resected the majority of his intestine trying to save him.

Mass Farmers Markets.org

By Ron Newman on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 2:09pm.

They've removed almost all the listings from their site. I don't understand why.

Good point

By Kaz on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 2:31pm.

Hadn't really noticed when I first went there but I see what you mean. I'm not sure why more aren't on the front page.

If you use the "Find Markets" link on the lefthand menu, then search by text or choose a starting letter to see a whole list for that letter (use the city's letter, for example, "Dewey Square" is under "Boston-Dewey Square"). All of the markets appear to be there in the finder.

Here today gone tomalley

By Anonymous on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 2:17pm.

I'm dyin for some shellfish.

And also be sure to cook your shellfish correctly! Saw a guy who didn't and he ended up passing away in ICU after they had resected the majority of his intestine trying to save him.

That's a rough way to go.

Time Was ...

By SwirlyGrrl on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 4:06pm.

You weren't supposed to eat it because of all of the heavy metals and PCBs.

Can't say that I'd have ever been motivated to eat it anyway ...

looks disgusting

By Anonymous on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 4:38pm.

It does look pretty disgusting. The texture is like a cross between whipped avocado and custard. The taste is more or less nondescript. I haven't had a lobster in ages.

Farmers Markets. Cambridge. Somerville. Allston. Boston.

By theszak on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 2:36pm.

Massachusetts Farmers Markets
http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/farmers_markets.htm

Thursdays

Cambridge/Kendall Square
11am - 2:30pm Thursdays June 5 to November 6
500 Kendall Street
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=500+kendall+st+02142
http://www.kendallsquare.org/farm.html

Brookline
1:30pm - dusk Thursdays June 19 to October 30
Coolidge Corner, Center Street West Parking Lot, off Beacon Street
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=centre+st+at+beacon+...
http://www.town.brookline.ma.us/FarmersMarket/

Fridays

Cambridge/Charles Square
Noon-6pm Fridays June 6 - November 21
Charles Hotel Courtyard at Harvard Square
1 Bennett St
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1+bennett+st+02138

Copley Square
11am-6pm Fridays May 20 - November 25
Copley Square, along St. James Ave.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=170+st+james+ave+02116

Boston Medical Center
10:30am-1:30pm Fridays August 1 to August 29
Inside the Menino Pavilion
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=840+harrison+ave+02118
http://bmc.org/patients/map.pdf

Saturdays

Cambridgeport
10am-2pm Saturdays June 7 to October 25 (No market Oct. 25)
Morse School Parking lot
Magazine Street and Memorial Drive
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=250+magazine+st+02139
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cambridgeport-farmers-mark...

Somerville/Union Square
9am-1pm Saturdays June 7 to October 25
Union Square on the Plaza
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=296+somerville+ave+0...
http://www.unionsquaremain.org/committees/farmersm...
http://www.yelp.com/biz/union-square-farmers-marke...

Sundays

Cambridge/Charles Square
10am-3pm Sundays May 18 - November 23
Charles Hotel Courtyard at Harvard Square
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1+bennett+st+02138
http://www.yelp.com/biz/charles-square-farmers-mar...

South End
10am-5pm Sundays May to October
In conjunction with the South End Open market next to
540 Harrison Ave not far from Union Park St
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=540+harrison+ave+02118
http://www.yelp.com/biz/south-end-open-market-boston

Mondays

Cambridge /Central Square
11:30am - 6pm Mondays Closes at 5pm in November
June 2 to November 24
Parking lot # 5 at Bishop Allen Drive by Columbia.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=bishop+allen+drive+a...
http://www.cambridgepublichealth.org/news/cambridg...

City Hall Plaza
11am-6pm Mondays and Wednesdays May 28 to November 26
Boston City Hall Plaza (Government Center)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=city+hall+plaza+bost...

Tuesdays

Cambridge/Harvard University
12:30pm - 6pm Tuesdays June 17 to October 28
Harvard University near Sanders Theater
Corner of Oxford and Kirkland Street
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=kirkland+st+at+oxfor...
http://www.dining.harvard.edu/flp/ag_market.html

Copley Square
11am-6pm Tuesdays and Fridays May 20 - November 25
Copley Square, along St. James Ave.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=170+st+james+ave+02116

Wednesdays

Somerville/Davis Square
Noon-6pm Wednesdays Closes at 5pm in November
May 28 to November 26
Davis Square, Day and Herbert Sts. Lot
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=day+st+at+herbert+st...
http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M3626

Allston
3-7pm Wednesdays June 18 to October 29
Parking Lot at the intersection of North Harvard Street and Western Ave., South of Harvard Stadium
http://www.dining.harvard.edu/flp/ag_market.html
http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_detai...
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=western+ave+and+nort...

Charlestown
2-7pm Wednesdays July 16 to end of October
Thompson Square on Main & Austin Steets
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=main+st+and+austin+s...
http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M2332

City Hall Plaza
11am-6pm Mondays and Wednesdays May 28 to November 26
Boston City Hall Plaza (Government Center)
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=city+hall+plaza+bost...
http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M2323

a lot of research

By Anonymous on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 4:40pm.

That's a lot of research. Why are you posting it, just asking?

Anonymous, meet the zak

By Kaz on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 4:55pm.

This is what he does. Links, often not completely relevant...or at the very least the thought process isn't evident in how they were chosen.

Every now and then he puts out an actual contemplation.

Don't mention the libraries.

The Real Sheet newsletters for 2008. Bos Pub Lib Professionals.

By theszak on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 5:06pm.

Next time at your favorite BPL branch lib ask to read The Real Sheet newsletters for 2008 of the BPLPSA Boston Public Library Professional Staff Association!

See also
Unpleasantness at the Boston Public Library
http://thephoenix.com//Boston/News/50782-Unpleasan...

The Anonymous