Pesce
Fish. Yep fish. I seriously, seriously love fish. I mean like it’s my favorite thing, catching it, cleaning it, cooking it, eating it and definitely for sure, eating it.
I grew in a tiny coastal town called, clearwater beach, where all types of seafood are more then readily available, it is cheap!!
Growing up I always saw fish and seafood as a normal thing, it wasn’t something you thought about really, it almost took on this strange normalcy for us floridians, like potato chips, or cream cheese. However in the last few years there has been this seafood “trend”, it has begun to be “fashionable” to eat seafood. It has become almost a statement, a bizarre status quo.
When I was younger sushi was not really a “popular” or “hip” food, now it is like the modern day spago. All over this great nation there are little hip sushi joints charging twenty-five bucks for a flash-fried, spicy mayo covered roll that really doesn’t taste like the creature that they are naming it after. Why are we masking the taste of fish? Good fish tastes incredible and it is slowly going away. Away? Yes away. Fish is the world’s last source of wild food. We have literally domesticated everything else, we are currently trying hard to farm fish, but we have only gotten five species figured out. Fish are hard to farm due to their elaborate spawning patterns and ever so particular climate preferences.
Salmon, carp, baramundi (a flaky white fish), tilapia and catfish. These are the species that are somewhat successfully being farmed, but here is the catch: the hippest fish out there right now is tuna, and tuna is getting thin.
There is nothing like biting in to an unctuous, salty and wonderful piece of tuna nigiri. It is literally one of my favorite pleasures in this life. It is the “steakiest” fish I can think of, it red firm flesh can handle all types of culinary treatment, not to mention it literally is ten times better for you than beef.
This fish used to be consider by the japanese as “too bloody”. It’s red flesh was not considered, “delectable and delish”, when caught they used to be used for bait, or thrown out. Then the north Americans went to Japan and tasted this thing and realized how wonderful and flavorful it was. Needless to say we all got “hooked”.
A 1,000 pound blue fin tuna will sell at market in Tokyo for 100,000 to 300,000 dollars! Why you ask? Because we are running out. There is literally no way to farm this fish profitably and safely, but we are fishing for them at an undying rate.
Cod a fish that most of know simply as,”white fish” used to be as plentiful as grass, but we love fish and chips and are now running out.
Salmon used to run up north Americas rivers like land rovers on 1-5 in Los angeles, but now you have to travel to Alaska to even spot a few.
Am I saying to stop eating fish? Absolutely not. Am I saying to only eat farmed fish? That choice belongs to you. I am however saying God blessed us with an amazing world and a wonderful ocean that we can either abuse, or nuture.
I for one will continue eating and enjoying fish. I just will be a little more delicate with my choices.
For some amazing further reading see these books:
Four fish - by Paul greenbubrg Cod - by mark kurlansky
Aaron
