Saturday, April 2, 2016

Fishy surprise...

I am participating in an A to Z blog challenge, and have a theme. But we have Sunday's "off," so I am going to tell you about something on a different topic that I must share.

A week or so ago a grooming customer sat in my studio and chatted with me while I gave his dog a spring time makeover. He is in his 80's, and more active than most 30 year old's I know.  "It's trout fishing season," he told me.  "I catch hundreds every year."  I thought about those words and said, "I don't believe I've ever had fresh trout."  He looked at me with deep sorrow in his eyes.

This afternoon at 5 there was a loud knock on the door.  There was my customer, carrying an antique fishing creel.  "It belonged to my father," he said. There were 6 fresh trout inside, iridescent, spotted and just caught.

"I brought you some trout," he said, eyes twinkling.  He kicked his tall boots off, and headed for my kitchen. "You got a board and a knife?" he asked.  I did.

With practiced hands he sliced off the heads, then slit along the ventral line, and flicked the insides out with a single, deft move.

"Dip these in some flour and corn meal," he told me.  "My wife fries them up in butter.  She uses a cast iron skillet."  I nodded. I could do that.

My  husband joined in. He is an old hand at cooking fish,but this was our first time with fresh trout.
Trout caught moments before, within a mile of our house.


It was a feast!  An incredible, delicate, delicious feast. Flavored by the kindness of the gift.

 I may need to take up trout fishing.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi visiting from the A-to-Z challenge. That sounds like an amazing breakfast. What a super nice guy he is as well to show up with fresh caught trout!

@NewEnglandMomma from
New England Momma

Dihiwi said...

My grandparents and my dad loved to fish. Trout was their favorite, in Colorado, where we lived. I have to admit I can't ever clean a fish, or even kill one. I'd always throw mine back. But, I have eaten lots of fish (both pan fried from the river although the bones always gave me pause) and in restaurants, where it's great that it doesn't have the skin or head or ... you get the picture. Great photos and blog, though. It brought back lots of memories.