shellfish bonanza

daveO

Native
Jun 22, 2009
1,459
525
South Wales

They could have told the fella at the end not to just lob the lobsters into the water like that while on TV. :rolleyes:

Sad to see stuff like this but it all goes back into the ecosystem I guess so something else will always benefit. It might sound odd but I'm glad to see there was that much life left in the seas after all the doom and gloom reports we keep getting.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,297
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Plenty of life, but the species people like to eat are depleted.
Lobster numbers increase a lot because the fish (cod family) that like to eat them are rarer.
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
First Nations along the Pacific Northwest Coast practiced mariculture for many thousands of years.
14C/12C dating of the huge shell middens demonstrates that.
Prior to the cultural genocide from Smallpox, there must have been more than 100,000 Haida.
Day in and day out, that's a lot of food (and waste).

Haida Gwaii is an archipelago of islands so there's a great length of shoreline for these foods.
"Culturally modified shoreline" is really easy to see ( down to 70' or more in the ocean.)

They still grow their own clams, mussels and oysters in prepared shoreline beds.
Shuck those, thread them on cords to dry and smoke with alder.
If you have any liking for shellfish at all, the mussels are as good as any from anywhere.

Why they don't do this commercially as "shell-fish candy" escapes me.
Same as is done with salmon that's sugared and smoked.
Bet you can't stop at one piece.

Are these sorts of seafood treats prepared around the North Sea shoreline?
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
No. Traditionally seafood ( mussels and such) was not eaten much in Scandinavia. We preferred fish of all sorts.
Remember, most fish eaten in Medieval times during Lent was either Carp or Dried Cod (Torr fisk) from Northern Norway. Also Salted and dried Cod from the same area,.
In middens close to the sea we find shells of shellfish that lived on the shore.

In Britain they were eating lots of Oysters in the past.

Smoking or drying shellfish is unknown in Scandinavia.

In Scandinavia we salt/sugar cure raw fish ( Salmonids) by tradition.
Gravad fisk.
Popular all over the world, but they got the receipe and spices completely wrong.
Your Gravad Salmon is not proper, traditional Gravad Lax (Salmon).
Or we hot smoke the fish.
Or use Lactic Acid fermentation.
Robson V, you would love a meal of fermented small herring!!

Biochemistry on a plate!
 
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Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
Apparently, there are some shell middens on the coast near Prince Rupert which are of unknown depth.

First Nations in the Pacific Northwest always park their vehicles on the street or in the driveway.
The garage is the smoke house. Couple hundred salmon is quite a sight and smell.
Coho, Springs and Sockeye are the best. I should go fish the Bowron River this year, Springs to 40 lbs.

My house in McBride has some custom design features which were a part of life for the immigrant Italian family that had this built.
I have a walk in cold room with the adjustable vents, cast right into the concrete basement wall.
I think they did hams as the big 'S' - shaped butcher's hooks are still there.
Next to that is a bathroom, the tub sits up on 16" brick pillars for food prep.
The wine cellar is under the stairs.

The tub used to get used by me for washing dogs that rolled in bear scat. Enough said.
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
I eat a lot of tinned oysters and mussels, have not had a good dried one in decades.
Can you buy the fermented herring in tins? Brands?

We've had a long Red Tide (aka Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) episode on the coast,
from California north, no less, Don't know what's healthy or where.

There was ( or were) people here who made prosciutto. The waiting list was too long.
I can buy it in the city but local food seems more appetizing.

Meat hooks of some sort. Same as the ones on the rails in the cold room at the bison ranch.
Think I found a buyer for a side of bison, I'll buy the other side and we have MEAT!
This year, I intend to barter for fish, salmon in particular. Halibut, if I can. Will talk with FN friends.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,297
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Yes, you buy the fermented herring in tins.
Either boneless fillets - mushy and less taste - or head and entrailless which is the proper product.
But, no export as far as I know. I can not take any on a flight, as the can is heavily pressurized, and if it breaks in the hold Hell will break loose (with the aircraft company)

Several brands but the one called Roda Ulven ( Red Wolf) always comes on top in taste tests.
 

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