Monthly Archives: February 2026

Something Fishy

Round Barn Press blog

As an Aquarius on the zodiac chart, I am drawn to the water. That is no surprise, and I have written about it before in many posts in this blog over the years. Since nothing too exciting is happening that I can report on (we’ve been semi-hibernating this winter), but wanting to keep my hand in writing, I have decided to use the theme of fish for this post.

As a child, I went fishing with my dad and great uncle Jim, usually on Lake Champlain. True confession: I never really liked fishing. Especially the part which involves impaling a squirming worm on a sharp hook, and then (if you actually catch a fish) taking that same nasty hook out of the poor creature’s mouth. I guess it’s no surprise then that I don’t really enjoyed eating most fin fish. I only really wanted to be out on the lake in a boat.

I don’t remember my first encounter with shellfish, I just remember always loving to eat them. Shrimp, crabs, lobsters, scallops, squid, octopus, (and the technically bivalves) oysters, clams and mussels, cooked in a myriad of delicious ways and preferably served near the water. Though I will take them anywhere that is not too far inland. Shrimp in Iowa? That seems wrong. (Sorry, midwesterners, you know I love you.)

That is why I was in seventh heaven when my partner in crime, Arlene, and I worked toward the Mid-Atlantic Maritime program of the 2004 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. As soon as this idea struck me, maybe two-three years before we actually achieved it, I “had” to start doing research — which included eating lots of the native seafood of the region, on the seafront, around sounds and bays, and along riverfronts. From Long Island to North Carolina, the possibilities are almost endless.

Outside of the region, I have sampled the bounty of the New England coast, and further south in South Carolina, Florida and the Gulf. And of course up and down the coast of California, and last year, an amazing trip to Vancouver Island, BC. Even further afield, I’ve had highly memorable experiences eating local seafood in Mexico, France and Tunisia.

Ummmm, my mouth is watering just thinking this bounty and reviewing my photos of these culinary (and often boat-riding) adventures. They conjure up summery vacations and warmer, sunnier days to come. Enjoy this photo tour around some seafood eating locations, and let’s hope for warmer days full of luscious seafood and other foodways adventures!

Deep within the ancient medina of Sfax, Tunisia (which is right down the street from the Mediterranean), our colleague and tour guide Ahmed led us to a seafood extravaganza in November 2023. The whole trip involved daily feasts, but this was one of my favorites.
By the shores of Lake Chapala, near Guadalajara, Mexico, I ate the shrimp dish pictured in the landing image, above, in February 2019. This day involved not one but two boat rides on the lake! So, needless to say it was my dream day. (It was also our last big family trip for several years, right before COVID set in.)
My big exception to trying always to eat local seafood near its procurement point, was the former ritual of (Maine) Lobster Night at Reilly’s Pub on Hilton Head Island, SC. Alas, neither Reilly’s, nor my brother in law Bob (at right) are still with us. But there are still many more opportunities to enjoy fresh local seafood in HHI whenever we visit my sister.
Happiness is eating mussels at one of the many restaurants serving local seafood quayside in Sete, France. Daughter M.E. and I had that opportunity during a trip back in 2017.

To round things out, my attempt at a crab collage, in my more pictorial phase of collaging.