The Food Thread

Evo

Wait, I thought fresh fish was supposed to be non-smelly, i.e. smell like the water it lived in. THAT'S WHAT ALTON BROWN SAID AND HE KNOWS!!!

Besides not smelling, my mother always told me that if I didn't know from whom I was buying the fish, to buy it with the head on so I could see if the eyes were clear. If the eyes were cloudy, the fish had been dead too long. Anyone selling the fish will be happy to then fillet it if you want.

Nowdays most ocean fish is frozen onboard ship and is fresher than ever. If the fish smells of ammonia, don't buy it!!!

turbo

Alton knows a lot about food, but if he said that fresh fish should not smell sweet, like a bouquet of fresh flowers, he is in over his head. I cannot describe the smell of freshly-shucked Atlantic scallops or newly-filleted sole to you, but if you had ever smelled them, you would know how to identify FRESH seafood. If you live more than 100-200 miles from the fish piers, you may never have experienced fresh seafood. Seafood that has no smell is probably safe to eat, but it certainly will not be a great treat.

Evo

I grew up in Houston, TX, we would actually buy all of our fish/shellfish on the fishing boats in Keemah when they docked. My mother was so adamant that we get the freshest seafood that we boarded the boats and bought them even before they made it to the stalls at the pier. Everyone knew my mom. They knew they couldn't mess with her either, all 5' of her.

turbo

Smell is paramount. If the fish/shellfish no longer has a distinctive sweet, rich, bouquet, it has been dead too long and/or improperly stored and is not fit to eat.

If the fish has a pungent odor (even a little) it is probably spoiling, and this can take as little as 2-3 days under the right conditions even if it was refrigerated. If you are buying fish off trawlers in warm waters without adequate refrigeration, chances are you bought fish that was caught several days ago and was not fresh. If it has no smell or a neutral smell, the fish is no good. Even more delicate (and toothsome) is fresh-caught brook trout pan-fried in butter with salt and pepper. Nothing compares. I have a couple of sweet nieces that love my cooking and they would kill for my brook trout. Fish needs to be fresh, and it demands a light touch.

Evo

These boats only went out in the bay and left and returned same day, they were not deep ocean.

The worst fish was freshly caught bluefish in Chesapeke Bay, they smelled and tasted like motor oil.

Astronuc

Well, it does smell like the water it lived in!

turbo

Chesapeake bay is not exactly a standard to which I would adhere. Even Gulf-caught oysters in New Orleans were just marginally better. This country has NO appreciation for fresh seafood, nor any standards to ensure that consumers get any honesty or accountability. If you were here in Maine, and could enjoy some butter-fried Atlantic scallops, some fresh baked cod, or a nice brook trout, you would know.

Math Is Hard

check out this multi-course meal!
http://www.howithappened.com/2007/05...-lenclume.html
one of the courses:

This is "Lollipop 'perigourdine' and pickled onion turkish". The lollipop was a hard caramel of foie gras and truffles, reminiscent of fleur de sel and foie gras creme brulee, which is almost a standard on the Ile de Re. The turkish delight was really excellent too, with the sharp vinegar of the pickled onion cutting through the cloying powdery nature of the turkish delight.

Moonbear

Can't speak for that caught in the Chesapeake, but I've had bluefish from off the Jersey coast, and absolutely LOVE it. But, most people I know don't like it because it tastes too strong for them (they're the sort of people who only want flounder and cod). It has a dark meat, so like dark meat vs light meat on chicken, it has a distinctly different taste from fish that have very light meats. And, it is an oily fish, but that just meant it could withstand my mom's cooking and still be moist. I miss having freshly caught fish. Even when we froze it, it still tasted better than store bought. I've found one Japanese restaurant in NYC that has excellent fresh fish (for sushi and sashimi) that has that wonderful fresh smell (when it's fresh, you can tell each different fish's scent and flavor from the others...when it isn't fresh, you can't tell one from the other because they either have no flavor or a "fishy" not-so-fresh flavor). When I was a kid, you could have blindfolded me and served me the fish we caught, and I could have told you what each kind was by the flavor. If you tried that with me in most restaurants or with most store-bought fish, I couldn't tell you at all, they all taste rather flavorless at best, or fishy and rotten at worst (if it smells or tastes "fishy" send it back to the kitchen, it's old and they shouldn't be serving it).

turbo

Mmmm, bluefish! They run up the rivers here feeding on pogies, shad, etc, and they can get pretty big. You have to use stainless steel leaders to catch them because their sharp teeth will cut nylon. They have a distinctive smell both fresh and cooked, and the flavor is strong enough to put off some people, as you mentioned. That is one variety of fish that can withstand a heavy hand with seasonings and still come out tasting great. Not so with cod, haddock and other white fish.

My favorites are brook trout, landlocked salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout - all with their own distinctive flavors. We also have white perch in some of the warmer ponds, with a delicate white flesh that makes great chowders or butter-fried filets.

Astronuc

5 Foodie Sites You'll Tell Your Friends About

http://food.yahoo.com/blog/dailyoliv...-friends-about

5 Grills for 5 Personality Types
http://food.yahoo.com/blog/dailyoliv...sonality-types

Evo

Trying to decide what to eat tonight. I have 5 lbs of yukon gold potatoes, I was think potato salad. I've been told that I make the world's best, I agree.

But I want to make something exciting tonight in addition to it, but not be too complicated.

Any suggestions?

Evo

Pickled onion and turkish delight?

That lollipop looks like it has dead flies in it. ZERO points for appeal.

Astronuc

Besides potato salad? What else do you have in the pantry or fridge? You could make scalloped potatoes with ham, but that takes a while. We also do sausage and potatoes, in which we more or less boil the potatoes and sliced sausage, with carrots and celery, and seasonings.

or

GERMAN POTATO SALAD WITH SAUSAGE
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1938,...245199,00.html

Or something like a potato omlet or pancake with vegetables and cheese.

Evo

I meant something without potatoes since I'm making the potato salad. It doesn't have to go well with potato salad either.

Astronuc

Coleslaw? Carrot or carrot, raisin and pineapple.

Do you have fish, poultry, pork, sausage, bacon, beef, lamb?

Shiskabobs? Vegetarian, or meat + veggies?

wolram

Shredded crispy beef?