On 5 Jan 2007 08:13:30 -0800, "
wrote:


Lady Pilot wrote:
wrote:

Beauregard wrote:
Black eyed peas with a ham hock or hog jowls

As far as North Florida Culinary Culture, I am really slipping this
year as I have not yet had any smoked mullet although we did have
cheese grits on Christmas.

What is mullet? I've had cheese grits in my travels.

New Year's Eve I cooked a double batch of fresh black-eyed peas.
Bacon, onion, garlic...not to mention my other special ingredients.

Cooked up some fresh green beans also. With bacon strips, of course!
Did I mention the cornbread or the ....fading

LP

Most people consider Mullet to be "trash fish" but it was long a staple
food for poor people along the N FL coast. Generally, it is eaten
fried along with Hushpuppies and cheesegrits and Cole Slaw washed down
with iced tea. Mullet is generally caught in nets and not on hooks.
Mullet roe is considered a delicacy by some but I wont touch it.
My policy on seafood restaurants is that if they consider themselves
too classy to serve fried mullet, I wont eat there because the seafood
is probably imported.
My brother in law started to fry mullet for Thanksgiving a few yrs ago
and we all think its better than having turkey. He always has plenty
cuz he knows how to throw a cast net.


Until I moved away, every Sunday morning my father in law would wade
throw his cast net, clean the fish and fry up mullet and serve it
with fried green tomatoes and cheese grits to all family members and
friends who decided to show up. We're talking wading in January. When
water temps at their coldest, he might slip on a farmer john wetsuit
bottom.

Deceased now, he was the best cast netter I have ever seen. Could
get a perfect spread with a big net wading up to his armpits. And that
ain't easy.

Frank