Illustration for article covering toxic cuisine, particularly Fugu fish. The history of thrill seeking foodies consuming puffer fish is dangerous & deadly. It also shares a fascinating link to the Sumo industry, with many famous wrestlers having been spotted at haute restaurants pursuing the dish for the promise of its tingling high. A highly regulated and expensive ingredient, the liver, ovaries, and skin contain tetrodotoxin. Every year, numerous consumers are hospitalized after consuming thin slices of the poisonous puffer. Ingesting a lethal dosage can lead to suffocation, paralysis, and even death if cooked incorrectly. Currently there is no antidote. 

This monstrous Fugu in championship winning attire is staring you down ready to add you to its ghostly audience of conquered souls. Gouache on watercolor paper