Market Rules and Rules of Life

Clearly, as Hebequeen I believe in a Queendom. And with a Queendom this means there must be some sort of rule. As there is no other Queendom such as the Hebequeendom I will share with you some of the fish rule as it illustrates well my point.

Fishmarket rules

When you "shop" at the market, you need to abide by market practice. This means not simply taking your flash recycling bag but applying some common market rules senses. Therein lies the key to the Hebequeen's rules. Its not so much as conforming to a strict regime, and its definitely not based on a structural class system of you are the working hebe and I am the Queenhebe. Let me illustrate this: The "fish lady" "Jean" sells fish two ways. One is filleted and the other is whole. There is a reason for this. Filleted fish is to be barbecued or pan fried. Whole fish is sold to be cooked whole. Hence it is "dumb" and not market protocol to ask for your whole fish to be filleted and look frustrated when Jean says she can't do this not least becasue there is a q of 10 people. Total respect to her. She smiled and quoted the health and saftey regs about not being able to fillet at the market. I seriously wanted to ask the lady in front of me if she was "retarded". Clearly she wasn't but if she actually was I would have much more patience. Anyway what the fish rule is all about is: respecting the fish, respecting the fish lady and respecting yourself as a customer in that you don't be an arrogant prat. These are good rules of coruse to apply in other contexts.

I'm putting learning how to catch a crayfish back on my New years list - well my new list for 2008. I'll add something each posting until the new year. Technically I'm not really list person, but i need to set a few goals for 2008.


Hebequeens 2008 New Years List
1. Learn to dive. This is becasue I LOVE crayfish. I LOVE sustainability. I LOVE the coast, and its crazy not to live so close to so many CRAYFISH and PAUA and not be able to catch the, myself. Number one will be related to some of my other numbers on my list but I'll keep to one a day.

to be continued each day until New Years Day

Oh, my car is making noises. I'm not sure I will feel confident driving it over the hill during the Christmas break. Buggar. Still I kind of feel like "staying home and being rotten". Just like Shona Koea's book. Except, actually, I feel quite at peace even .

And today's culinary tip:
A whole kawhai is meant to be be baked in cococunt cream, kaffir lime leaves from your garden, lemons from your garden and onions. Its technically (technically is my new favourite word) a cheap fish. But I reckon its the equivalent of what lamb knuckles were a few years ago. A cheap eat but a gourmet meal if you know how to treat it right.


Merry Hebemass
Merry Christmas from Ali and moi. nb Ali has already caught THREE birds tonight! Wow does he knows its Christmas or what?! we have a new rule where if he catches them I will watch him eat them if he stays outside. It makes me feel a little sick, but saves an increadible amount of mess in the house. It also means that sometimes the birds actaully get set free when they are outside. But not tonight becasue its Christmas.

Wont say happy new year quie yet because I will be posting over the "festive" season.