Now that our herring have been processed, it’s time to hit the kitchen and turn these trashy little nomads into rock stars! Now, because of herring’s unfortunate reputation for greasy, mealy, unpleasantness, I’m going to cook them simply, keep the flavours fresh and surround them with friends that will complement them. Nothing like a posse to give you confidence. Now, let’s smash some stereotypes! Read More
William Wright Quote
“No doubt thou was at first designed
To suit the palates o’ mankind;
Yet as I ponder now I find,
Thy fame is gone:
Wee dainty dish thou art behind
With every one.”
– William Wright (known as Bill o’th’ Hoyles, from the poem Ode to a Herring)
Herring : Silver of the Sea
Since man first cast nets into the frigid oceans for food, his survival depended on knowing when fish would be most plentiful and accessible. The changing seasons brought great frothing multitudes of fish into the nearby shoals to feed, spawn and die. Coastal communities likewise lived and died by the season’s harvest, and each new arrival would be met with celebration. To these early fishermen (and their ancestors to come) the most prized of all the migratory fish were the herring. Read More
Locals Restaurant (Courtenay, BC)
My wife Crystal received a gift certificate from her work (employee of the century!) for Locals Restaurant in Courtenay, a place we had both wanted to try out for a long time. The problem is Locals happens to have the same days off as my restaurant does, and I’m somewhat fascist when it comes to missing work. Lucky for us both, Crystal is a master negotiator. Read More
Year Of The Snake
Gong Xi Fa Cai ! May the year of the snake be happy and prosperous for you and your family!
Time to get everyone around the table to laugh, drink and feast their faces off… And later on, bottle rockets! Take that evil spirits!
Remember to show some love (and a generous kickback) to the Kitchen God, Yu Huang.