Tautog or blackfish are native to the Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia down to South Carolina. They can be tricky to catch with a hook and line, because they like to live in rocky areas or old ship wrecks.
Experts estimate food-related deaths and illness cost the economy about one and a half trillion dollars a year. That's like a second defense budget, and then some.
Texture-wise, the fish was phenomenal. There was no “fishiness” at all. It had a delicate sweetness, like what you get at a sushi restaurant. It left a little aftertaste of ocean brine, like you walked into a seafood shop.
There must be some good way to eat them, I started thinking, because historically people have always tended to use what’s available, and for centuries, wild black cherries have been both abundant and incredibly important here ecologically.
5 min
About The Local Food Report
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The Local Food Report takes us to the heart of the local food movement to talk with growers, harvesters, processors, cooks, policymakers and visionaries. The world of food is changing, fast. As people…
reimagine their relationships to food, creator Elspeth Hay and editor Viki Merrick aim to rebuild our cultural stores of culinary knowledge — and to reconnect us with the people, places, and ideas that feed us. Tips from listeners are always welcome.The Local Food Report airs Thursday at 8:35 AM and 5:45 PM and Saturday at 9:35 AM and is made possible by our Local Food Report sponsors.