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Cod Fish - With Apologies To Mrs. Paul

By
Real Estate Agent with RLAH@properties AB95346

As a little kid growing up in a devout Catholic household, we ate fish on Friday. 

Now, I grew up in Kansas, so our choices were pretty limited and a challenge to my mother's considerable culinary skills.  She worked wonders with tun noodle casserole.   Then there were the new innovations in frozen food - fish sticks and cod cakes.  Ah!  Cod cakes!  I really hated them - broke off little pieces and mashed them uo the undersurface of the dining room table.

As an adult, I never tried cod.  Then, last night at The Chatham Squire in downtown Chatham, I was coaxed into trying real, fresh, slept in the Atlantic last night cod fish.  And

Oh!

My!

God!

It was fresh and baked with a light lemony winey sauce.  It was so good!

Now I'm thinking of all the other foods that I didn't favor as a child and don't eat now - lima beans, brussels sprouts - and maybe it wasn't the veggies but the companies that put them into little frozen boxes.   

Maybe a trip to the farmers market is in order!  And cod, at least fresh cod, is being elevated from avoid to eat whenever you get the chance!  Especially at The Chatham Squire.  I gotta buy a t-shirt!

Comments (18)

Marc Grossman
Marc It Sold! - Longwood, FL
GRI, Greater Orlando Real Estate Broker

Patricia,  Isn't it so wonderful when you find something like that out.  Unfortunately, then you realize how much you may have missed.  Love brussel sprouts as well, especially when after boiling, you saute them in garlic and butter.  They're really just like small little cabbages and so dang tasty.

Aug 02, 2008 12:59 AM
Jim Curry
Long & Foster - Frederick, MD

You should try Orange Roughy (broiled with butter and lemon) - it's the best fish in the world.

Aug 02, 2008 01:02 AM
Tucson Real Estate Experts Anne McKechnie
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Tucson, AZ
Previews Property Specialist

I love cod...we used to have it deep fried in batter from the Fish and Chip shops in the UK growing up...nothing like it!!!

Aug 02, 2008 01:26 AM
Desiree Daniels
RE/MAX Tri County - Robbinsville, NJ

Mrs. Paul's fish sticks rocked as a kid................   ahhhh the memories

Aug 02, 2008 01:31 AM
Jeanean Gendron
The Address Realty - Redding, CA
Specializing in Selling Unique Properties

Patricia, my Dad use to take us down to the Gulf Coast for holiday and he introduced me to "Red Snapper". OMG....it's like my total favorite and the only reason to ever visit Texas.....humidity....but it gave me a love for good fish. We ate at the "Beam Reach" in Kaui and I had the "Mahi Mahi" of my entire life. Welcome abord to the fish appreciating world!

Aug 02, 2008 01:48 AM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI

Now you've made me hungry :-)   There is nothing like fresh fish, lightly cooked (either broiled or sauteed or whatever!)  

Aug 02, 2008 02:04 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Pat, I think we should re-visit childhood tastes we didn't like. Your example proves that we may have changed. It's good to keep exploring in life.

Aug 02, 2008 02:09 AM
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Pat,

Living on the west coast we get great fish and shell fish. My favorite fish is still salmon. Also love mussels and oysters, and clams and crabl.

Aug 02, 2008 02:50 AM
Cynthia Tilghman, Realtor® Onslow County NC Home Specialist
Kingsbridge Realty, Inc - Hubert, NC

Hi Pat,
I believe our tastes change as we "mature"....I know I like things now that I would not eat as a child.

Aug 02, 2008 02:59 AM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

Fish is best fresh out of the water, not frozen in a box! 

Aug 02, 2008 03:09 AM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

NOTHING beats fresh fish! I have to agree with that!!!! I grew up Catholic with a father that hated fish........now THAT was fun!!!!!!!!!!

Aug 02, 2008 05:09 AM
Leesa Finley
RED Properties - Wake Forest, NC
RED Properties - Raleigh NC Real Estate

HAHAHAHA Mashed little pieces under the table!  That cracked me up!  I have been pretty open to all foods all my life - I guess i am lucky.  My son, however - not so lucky!  I make him eat everything - get's pretty dramatic at times!

Aug 02, 2008 05:54 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Patricia, you need to get back and do research.  I remember the little school I attended who served fish every Friday.  Looking back now I wonder why they did that.  Being a protestant southern area with nary a Catholic church anywhere around, why was that done?  You made me go back and wonder.

Aug 02, 2008 01:44 PM
Fran Gaspari
Patriot Land Transfer, Inc. - Limerick, PA
"The Title Man" - Title Insurance - PA & NJ

Patricia,

What's even scarier is to compare what we call 'tuna fish' from a can to blackened redfin or yellowfin tuna steak!!! ??? Thanks,   Fran

Aug 02, 2008 01:45 PM
Debbie DiFonzo
Debbie DiFonzo - United Country VIP Realty, SW Missouri - Lebanon, MO
Lebanon MO and Buffalo Missouri Real Estate

Oh, the memories floating through the mind of this Catholic girl who grew up in Northern Illinois!

To this day, my parents do not eat meat on Fridays. Any Friday, not just during lent. I'm not that loyal!

Aug 02, 2008 04:30 PM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

Pat - Cod is not bad cooked certain ways and fresh (not frozen). But I do not have fond memories of it growing up either, especially in an Italian family where Christmas Eve consisted of the traditional 7 fishes. Cod fish is Baccalà. It is considered the poor man's fish. So, it became the holiday tradition - not because it was cheap and that was what we could afford but for my imigrant grandparents who weathered the depression Cod symbolized where they came from!

Aug 03, 2008 03:57 PM
Darrel Davis
Winter Garden, Florida - Winter Garden, FL
Southern Heritage Realty

Try some cod fillets rolled in mayonaise, then coated with crushed up sour cream and onion potato chips then baked. I know it's not a fine dining experiance, but it sure works out well in a toaster oven for a quick snack! With that being said, I'm off to go eat some fish sticks and see if my taste buds can find even a hint of something good, besides the bread.

Aug 03, 2008 04:05 PM
Liz Moras Migic
Chilliwack, BC
Chilliwack, British Columbia - Realtor

Thats so true how our tastes change over a lifetime................things we loved.............we forgotten...........and replaced...........things that were untouchables are now favorites............It really can be a culinary adventure to re-experiment........to take on new taste sensatons........you could travel around the world............just be that alone!

Aug 06, 2008 06:58 PM