Small fish-what exactly is it?

How many times in my life I heard from closer and further friends: such fish, small, whole eaten… You know what it was? Do you know them? Know! „The answer is always the same.

How did it happen to me with these fishes was.

I think, that my great happiness was that Greece, when I went there for the first time, the data I was about to know with Greeks (just two or three consecutive trips), because from the very beginning, from my first steps placed on the Greek land, I entered that world It would be very different than if I went on a trip with a travel agent and residing at a hotel in a smaller or larger resort.
That’s right: my first trip was not a full tourist destination. I was living in a Greek house: I worked here for a few months, but here jadałam to attend food preparation. When my employers were going to a tavern for lunch or dinner, they sometimes took me. I would not decydowałam about what EAT: Rely I was on their order, which certainly was a great facilitation for me, but a clue when it comes to learning about Greek cuisine.
And during one of these evenings in the middle of the table in one of the taverns (basically: Psarotawern – the Fish Tavern) appeared a large plate full of small fish. They looked like fried, beside lay half a lemon – and already.

Of course, the first to fish is not I-I waited to see what others would do. My Pracodawczyni fork made holes in the lemon, then polałaed her fish juice. From that moment on, everyone grabbed the fish for the tails and they were eating in their entirety: some tails also ate, and some put them on the plates.
To try? Do not try? -I struggled a little, because I did not really know whether such a fish has a spine, or has bones… Although I liked the fish, I never ate a whole… Not in such a way! And so I looked at the plate, from which fish disappear at an alarmingly fast pace, I looked at Niepoodcinane heads and the visible eyes in them… The more I had doubts about the less fish on my plate was…
-I will try-I decided.
In those days (1989 year) I was not able to afford such dinners in Greek taverns. When Przeliczałam drachma on the buck everything was very expensive: such a small fish too.
I!
Somewhere ulotnił the spine, which undoubtedly in the RYBCE was: proved to be undetectable… Somewhere Ulotniła a fish head… I ate the fish entirely by putting the tails on the plate and I after another, and then after the next…
And so I reach for those little fishes to this day. One of my favorite dishes in Greek taverns: just fried small fish.

What are these little fishes?

In the Greek taverns (Psarotawernach) You can find three types of small fish: As for me, slightly different taste, more-magnitude. The smallest of them are Atherina (gr: αθερίνα; Atherina Fried: Αθερίνα τηγανιτή/Atherina Tiganiti). Sometimes (thankfully rare!) It happens that the Atherina in the tavern is as small as matches: I don’t like that. I think it’s a fish caught too early, I also think that the small fish should not go fishing, and certainly in Greece the relevant rules have been laid down for this circumstance. Well, that there are… Such a case occurred me in one of the taverns of Piraeus a few years ago and I was ready to call the police. The Greeks with whom I was declared that it was meaningless, because I would not change anything.
Larger than atheriny small fish are gavros – I like the most. Salted, Oprószone floured, frieded with a deep fat and grassy lemon juice – they taste delicious.

And walking in Greece after laymen (local Bazarku)

… I always look for fish stalls and among the many different species of fish dojrzę boxes with small fish. I to them: they are so fresh and in such a great choice. I think, however, what I’d done with them?