cockles
A bivalve that lives in the sand on the beach.
The cockle lives from filtering the water from
plankton. It gets the water in by a tube called
siphon and pumps the water out by another siphon.
On top of that siphon are small eyes watching for
birds and crabs: if they are are noticed, the
siphon is retracted.
The cockle has a really thick shell and is buried
about one decimeter under the sand. But is haunted
by many predators, like seagulls.
Cockle fishing
The easiest way to collect them is by raking them from
the sand. Wait for the low tide and watch out.
Another way is by fishing them at high tide,
this is done in combination by the fishing for
other bottom dwellers.
eating cockles
Cockles are not healthy food : They contain for a
large part of cholesterol coloring them orange.
Cockles collect a lot of heavy metals in them, like
cadmium found in the coast waters of the North-sea.
Never eat cockles raw this can induce hepatitis
by parasites. You will end like Molly Malone.
Cockles on the market.
recipes with cockles
.
Basically the preparation of cockles is exactly
that of mussels.
Molly Malone
In Dublin's fair city,
where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh".
She was a fishmonger,
But sure 'twas no wonder,
For so were her father and mother before,
And they each wheeled their barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh".
She died of a fever,
And no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
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