Continuation of skipjack tuna, katsuo. By the way, during the Edo period (1600-1868) Edokko (citizens of Edo, the present Tokyo) went crazy for the first taste of katsuo, skipjack tuna. Hatsugatsuo (the first season skipjack tuna) was very expensive. So, the famous saying was born; “Nyobo wo Shichi ni Iretemo Hatsugatsuo” (I have to taste the first season skipjack tuna, even if I had to pawn my wife.) Well, if my men during the Edo period really pawned their...
Read MoreSeason of Fish for Katsuobushi; Katsuo!
You know fish flakes which we use in the Japanese kitchen to prepare slight smoky, umami rich dashi (Japanese fish stock). This fish flakes is made from a fish, called skipjack tuna. In Japan we catch young, less oily skipjack tuna during spring time and process it to make katsuobushi, a hard woodlike block of dried fish (photo). To become this product fish is filleted, boned, steamed, smoked, dried in the sun and mold is applied. Molding does many things – remove...
Read MoreThis gorgeous Katsuo (skipjack tuna)!
This gorgeous katsuo (skipjack tuna) comes from Blue Moon Seafood who operate their own fishing boat set up a retail stand every Wednesday here at the farmers market held in Union Square. Locals know that they carry the best fish in the town. The fisherman, Alex Villani, moors his fish boat at Mattituck Inlet in Long Island. He goes out to the sea around 3:30am and moves to a point about 4 miles from the shore where he throws his nets to snare the local seasonal fish. Porgy...
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