Sorry to hear that you have so much suffering to endure.

dcarch :-)

Like dcarch, I'm sorry to hear that you are having such difficulty. I'd be happy to help you, if only I were closer.

I love fish, have never had fresh cod, only frozen, so I'm envious.

Annie

I am surprised that the boat captain didn't quietly carve out the cod cheeks and set them aside for his own table. That is the prize part of a cod and all the captains I have known, when gutting the fish, never informed their customers of this delicacy.

Glad you had a good time. We are offshore mariners and once/twice a year head to George's Bank for a few days of fishing with our Nordic Tug. Keeps the freezer full during the winter. DH went near shore fishing in Block Island Sound last week and brought back a 36" stripper. It's delicious and we put quite a bit in the freezer. Cod is my favorite fish though. My gold standard is Jasper White's Fish Chowder made with thick cod. It's one of our favorite meals. The cheeks are the prize - look forward to reading how you prepare them.

{{gwi:1545044}}

/tricia

Lord how I love Newfoundland and her people......cod not so much!

Are you kiddin' us, sleevendog? That picture, that photo! Is it real? Gorgeous! The colors, the composition, the drama. Big Talent. Thanks for posting it.

Oh, sorry, not meant to be braggy, just real life here.
Cheeks and tongues are had in the local gas station/nails-harware/a banana/booze store.
(no need to buy them as i have access to plenty)

The recreational fishery is two weeks in august, one week in sept. 5 fish per person, 15 per boat. So locals can have some fish (cod) for winter storage. They toss the head and body...
only want the fillets.
i am well versed in cheeks and tongues so i have many and make stock from the rest.
(modified sharpened spoon. The cheeks are not unlike the two little oval chicken tenders)

tricia- nice comfortable boat you have. We were bobbing like a cork! (DH turned green, never gets sick....but did.) Skipper said, "Oh yes, he is over talkin' to rachel". Lots of cussin'.
Wind was blowing. "father, cut the **#." "No me son, the wind shall not wait for we!"
Pulled in 3 thousand lbs.

I was thrilled to have two eagles follow us.
This one has a stomach i believe.

On our first visit to NFLD we were hosted by some wonderful folk who wanted us to have a true NFLD experience. Out we went on a very small boat. At least given the seas I thought it was small!

Such beauty I had never seen...and nothing has compared to it since.

We were lucky enough to see a few whales , got up close and personal with an iceberg and the birds!!!! Have they got birds.

Nothing would have it but we had to be "Screeched in" ...that's an interesting experience!

Lovely people, lovely Province, amazing scenery ...but I'm still not sold on cod cheeks!

If anyone wants a truly remarkable and different experience you gotta try the "Rock"

Nice to hear so many have experienced the beauty chase!
A few years ago we had a freezer full of iceberg 'bergy bits' and used it to bring back our fish in coolers. (much denser that regular ice and stays solid/frozen longer)
Also collected for cocktails. It pops and fizzes in drinks.
We had it in our freezer in NY, then took it to SouthCarolina that x-mas and gifted it to my BIL.
(he teaches geography at Clemson) 12,000 year old ice.
-our family only re-gifts or hand-made or thoughtful things...no purchases.

(cod cheeks are just tender fillet) The tongues are much like oysters. But i love scrapple, lol.

Sounds better than a cruise!

Grouper cheeks create lines here at the fish monger. How many times have I gotten to the counter only to be told they are sold out.

Awesome eagle picture!

Sorry you had a bit of a rough ride. Seasickness is a unpleasant experience and one not soon forgotten. (grin)

A few years back, my DS was doing some business entertaining for a group of doctors and their families on a whale watch out of Newburyport, MA. To keep the kids occupied so DS could give his little sales pitch to the doctors - he hired a dude in a Scooby Doo suit to make animal shaped balloons and play games with the kids. The water turned snotty and poor Scooby Doo spent his whale watch hanging over the gunnel to the disappointment of the little ones. :)

That's a short recreational fishing season you have in NFLD. Is that the only time recreational fishing is allowed?

Yes, the Nordic Tug tracks straight and true but it does slide in a tight turn a bit. Very seaworthy vessel. Nice creature comforts. We don't go fast since it's a trawler but we've got a 1,000-1,300 km range. :) Helps the wallet.

Waiting to hear about your Shipwreck Pie!

/tricia

The recent recreational fishery dates are generous and most here are very happy with it. It's a bit longer than i first posted. three weeks starting in july but covers 4 weekends, and sept is one week but covers two weekends. Considering a few years ago when a moratorium was in effect and no cod fishing was allowed even for locals...
Also nice to see dates set for the next two years so families and visitors can plan ahead.

Cod are rather large and often easy to get your daily quota in an hour or two. We fished off our kayaks this season as our boat needed a new counter, (now completed for next year).
Family visiting a few years ago we pulled in over 200 and did salt and dry the traditional way for a few dozen.

Here is a link that might be useful: fishery dates

Thanks for the link sleevendog. I'd misunderstood. I thought you had said the limit was 5 fish per person - period. Now I see that it's 5 fish per person per day. Makes much more sense and in line with other fishing areas where I know the limits.

/t

This post was edited by triciae on Sat, Aug 31, 13 at 12:32

(log-in trouble and loosing posts but no biggie. Not willing to talk with Bangladesh for hours to solve it...) : )

Adding recipes to Pepperplate this foggy morn. Shipwreck pie next. (a family favorite this summer)

I serve appetizers in scallop shells. As a plate or baked for cheeks. They hold up a few dozen times before smokey and brittle and retired. A loose foil 'donut' holds them level on a sheet pan for roasting.
Tongues before prep...

Cod, $11.75 a lb here.

Tongues $1,000 a lb. Because you have to hire someone for a day to fly to where you are and back with a refrigerator. LOL!

dcarch

oh well, never mind. A snooty bunch of cooks ye are. I just find other cultures interesting.

It's the weekend, sleevendog. Perhaps everyone is off doing weekend-y things instead of sitting around on the PC.
I also enjoy hearing about other cultures (and am intrigued by the idea of "shipwreck pie", hint, hint :-) ).

Sleevendog, I've been traveling and greatly enjoying vicariously your annual vacation in NFLD. I love your summer house, wood stove, and the meals you prepare. I'm still waiting to read about Shipwreck Pie! I also enjoy your style of writing. You've brought a refreshing new face to the forum.

I hope it wasn't me who put you off? Sure didn't mean to - just was curious about catch limits since we enjoy boating/fishing and I seem to be alone here on the forum with doing any deep sea fishing. If it was dcarch - don't be put off. I'm sure he doesn't mean anything negative - dcarch has been complaining that there is poor variety in US cooking. Well, I've never seen him plate cod tongue before! So, you've given him a new ingredient to explore. He's cheap so he'll be on a quest to locate it for $.49/lb. (friendly lol)

Let's see that recipe for Shipwreck Pie. With a name like that my family is bound to love it!

/tricia

Me snooty? never!

Me jealous? Very much so. :-)

I actually went to the fish store here and asked them to save me a couple of salmon heads. I want big ones just so I can have some fish tongue.

Yes, that is one great stove.

dcarch

Oh no. Do not misunderstand. I'm not looking for an audience. : )
In NYC last fall i asked for the whole fish body for stock at WholeFoods and they had none...
in the trash they said. Why?! Save and charge me what you must if so. I was making bouillabaisse and needed a stock, not a bottled purchase. A shame we do not use what is available. (and why i love my summers in Newfoundland)

I adore your fishing tricia. i went to university in Providence and know Block Island well and have a NewEngland history. All my childhood summers were camping coastal north in Maine with family. My grandfather was a fisherman. My grandmother an eastern shore native american. (i don't play that card being so far removed)
It is our history, not just borders. It is our food history. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to explore our past. And to preserve tradition....

We are planning a trip to Newfoundland next summer, after seeing your post I can hardly wait! I may have to time it for cod fishing season as see if we can find a captain willing to take us.

I too have been enjoying your posts and you've been making me eager for our trip!

Congrats on your trip plans. Not often skippers for hire. Just ask around on a dock. Usually just two in a boat and many will just take you out along with them. (they don't mind a third or fourth to catch their quota of 15). I salted/pickled my last three cod and that is 6 meals per fish, so 18 meals. (they were large ones)
Most will just give you a fillet as i would if you approached while we are cleaning on the dock.
Renting a house is always a good idea as they are all on the water. And have kitchens. Mom and pop guest houses will cook it for you but kinda bland, fried or baked. (and why i travel with a full pantry).
TripAdvisor is a good go-to for travel advice. I contribute there often.
It is a big island so keep it simple. Never drive at night, moose are dangerous and are giants.
July has the added icebergs. You can follow them on Icebergfinders.com (i get e-mails starting in June.)

Thanks for the advice! We will probably camp at provincial and national parks and travel around a bit. Being from Maine, I am all too familiar with moose. I hope we'll be able to spend 2 + weeks there -- we'll take the ferry from Nova Scotia. I will check out icebergfinders for sure!

The ferries leave from NorthSydney on CapeBreton. One to Port-aux-Basque and the other to the east side of the island to Argentia. 6hrs or 16hrs. (we take the Argentia and get a cabin)
My sister said recently, her first visit, "The entire island is a state park!".
Another local favorite quote, "It is so peaceful, me love, you can hear a bird fart".

A group of a dozen women traveling by kayak got caught in some bad weather and just camped on our neighbors lawn by the beach. No one minds. Took them a fresh baked focchia and had them over for cocktails. Bonfire on the beach and cooked a fish-n-brewis...

I'm ready to leave today.