goo goo for gulas

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From the people who brought you queso manchego and jamon serrano comes baby eel that must be eaten with a wooden fork. Ay ya yay. It gets even better/stranger/more high-tech, yes, high tech eel eating. Angulas, or baby eels, eaten at about 2-3 years old when they're about the thickness of a familiar noodle and have a similar texture to a bowl of spaghetti, cost a fortune. They're a delicacy that costs more than a pretty penny per person (more than $65 a can) - so, the Basque turned to the Japanese to come up with a cheaper alternative and the gula was born. 

FIsh from Alaska are farmed and pressed into blocks and then spit out in the noodle-like shape. It's pretty much the same kind of practice as the crab with a "k" that you see on every sushi menu. 

This is how the Spaniards are making this garlicky, oily dish nowadays. I tried it for the first time yesterday and I'd order them again because I'm a big fan of strange seafood and funky fish dishes.