Smelts are a lovely small whitefish, usually six-to-nine inches in length, with a sweet, clean flavour. The smelt is mostly fried up, but some will pickle them as well.
The smelts come up river by the thousands to spawn in the early spring and folks will just stand in the river and fish them out with dip nets — like shooting fish in a barrel.
There is, however, a winter smelt fishery — if you happen to find the right person willing to brave the cold. Looks like I’ve found the right people.
New London Bay, P.E.I., home of the Green Gable oyster from George Dowdle, is also home for a nice catch of smelts. Dressed and shipped from the L&C fisheries, the smelts landed at Starfish on Monday last, with a colour and shine I haven’t seen yet on a spring smelt.
We fried them up in a lightly-seasoned flour and cornmeal jacket, thin enough to see through. It helped provide a crisp crunch. The meat was the sweetest and tastiest around. No sauce required, no lemon, just sweet, firm smelts. Held by the tail you can eat through the bones, and lick your fingers — it’s only proper.
The other method we tried on the smelt was a light brine and smoke, which will make a great cold appetizer.
As with all things good and wholesome, the smelt won’t be around all the time. I will have them land on Mondays and Thursdays — weather and Mother Nature permitting.
On another note, I am growing a MOustache for MOvember as part of a fundraiser and awareness for Prostate Cancer (so is the team at Post City Magazines). It’s not as physically grueling as say a marathon, but just as effective.
Two things:
1) Come on down to Starfish or The Ceili Cottage and have a laugh at what I call a Moustache — for the cost of $1 per comment — to the cause of course. Just try to make me cry!
2) I’ll be having a MOvember party at The Ceili Cottage on MOnday, MOvember 30th – all procedes to the cause, and EVERYONE is to be wearing a MO. Ladies included — there will be a craft table at the front door to create your own MO.
Shuckingly yours, Paddy
Patrick McMurray is the owner of Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill and The Ceili Cottage. He is also a World Champion Oyster Shucker. Catch his blog weekly at PostCity.com.