Alligator Is A Lent-Approved Fish

The Archbishop of New Orleans has ruled that it's OK for Catholics to eat alligator during Lent. Because it's a fish.  Via NPR:

Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays during the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter, but seafood is allowed. Three years ago, when Jim Piculas was trying to settle a debate among his friends about whether gator qualified as seafood, he wrote a letter to the archbishop of New Orleans to ask. His letter must have been pretty zealous, because not long after he wrote it, he got a response from Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond saying: "Yes, the alligator's considered in the fish family, and I agree with you — God has created a magnificent creature that is important to the state of Louisiana, and it is considered seafood."

Most people say that gator does indeed taste like chicken, but I've always thought it tastes like calamari. (Except when it's in cheesecake.) Alligator hunting was legalized in Florida in the late 80s after the formerly endangered species rebounded rather spectacularly and large numbers of dogs and cats began disappearing from waterfront backyards. The state does continue to strictly limit the number that can be harvested. (Tipped by JMG reader Ken)