Succulent Seafood Chapter 2

Today I completed an easy three-mile run, and then we drove to Swansboro for the second in the "Succulent Seafood" series (see February 6 post), this one held at the White Oak Bistro.  The restaurant is on the shore of the White Oak River, and we were introduced to young Chef Chris, who prepared Clams Casino and Fish Tacos featuring blackened Red Drum.

Today's program was just as interesting as the last one at Amos Mosquitos.  Our informative events director from the N. C. Aquarium, an avid sports fisherman, talked to us about harvesting clams.  It is critical, he said, to harvest only in areas deemed save by the Division of Marine Fisheries due to pollution issues; the Division checks restaurants like this one on a regular basis to ensure that the clams are tagged as having been harvested from safe waters.  Our director enjoys digging for clams at dead low tide with his family, looking for the telltale holes made by their inhalant and exhalant siphons.  Images of clam digging which I found on-line indeed made this look like a peaceful activity.

Then he talked about catching Red Drum (the State Saltwater Fish, also called channel bass spotted bass, and red fish) which can grow as long as five or six feet and weigh as much as 90 pounds; the spawning males produce a drum-like noise, which he said workers at the aquarium can sometimes hear through the glass tanks.  Red Drum are a success story; they were declining in populations, but good management by Marine Fisheries have resulted in rebounding numbers.

They are also a success story for diners!  Chef Chris showed us how to identify fresh fish at the market, how to filet them, and how to blacken them in a cast iron frying pan.  Now we know.

We stopped for appetizers at the Island Grill on the way home, just down the road from us: Maryland crab cakes for Martha, scallops for me.  It is our last week here and we have prepared most of our evening meals in the condo, but this week we will splurge a little!