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Fish Market Cook Finds Giant Pearl While Preparing Chowder

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

You never know where a pearl may turn up in life. A pearl the size of a gumball recently showed up at Gosman's Fish Market in Montauk, Long Island. Bryan Gosman, co-owner of the fish market, says his staff was making New England chowder, which includes clams, in their kitchen when a scrupulously honest employee discovered the pearl that's approximately 20 millimeters in diameter.

This looked like a plastic knob, Mr. Gosman told Christine Sampson of the East Hampton Star. It didn't look real. Oh, but it was a real pearl. What's it really worth? Bryan Gosman told the newspaper, I don't know. It's not about the money; it's just kind of cool.

Mr. Gosman says he intends to auction the chowder pearl during the holiday season to raise funds for the Montauk Food Pantry and to throw a small holiday party for his market staff.

So you might want to take a deep look into your granola bowl this morning. Are those really nuts and raisins, or something more valuable?

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.