TASTE IN FISH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 21, 27 January 1943, Page 2

TASTE IN FISH

PUBLIC DECIDES RESEARCH REVELATION One of the greatest dictators of all time is the public palate. To meet its demands fortunes have been spent—and lost, no doubt—and it has been the principal impelling force behind many industries. There is no more perfidious or fastidious element in human nature than the palate. And. speaking of fish, this has been demonstrated repeatedly in New Zealand, where different localities have such different tastes. As one of the many avenues of wartime endeavour, food research has played a prominent part. The finest scientific brains have been employed investigating problems associated with the feeding of armies and of nations and New Zealand has not been neglected or backward. Recently an extensive reconnaissance was carried out by visiting experts over a wide field, during which thev made discoveries that the people of the country had been unconscious of. They found virtues in some fish far above the local conception, and though they merely confirmed the ‘views of many local authorities, these views ran counter to public taste.

The trevalli is regarded in Auckland as a good fish for bait, and often that is what it is used for. Further south many of the specie are caught on the line as a sparetime hobby by youths and other not so young and thoroughlv enjoyed, fried. But these are small specimens. It name as a surprise when a coterie n • visiting experts rave the trevalli pri'’-' place as a smoked fish over snan* • tarakihi, mullet, blue cod, hapuk- ”nnard and others. Not Kno? the Public.

Inquiries to-.' evealed that the fish is not m: .1 in commercial quantities simp' cause it is not known to the p ' ■ taste. The trevalli grows to a ‘■Jr size, is soft and tasty, and could b? caught in large numbers. Mariner.; who recently made the acquaintance o c the smoked trevalli are high in their praises of it as a delicious dainty when fried with a “touch of butter.” Compared with the snapper, it is finer in texture, the “meaty” portions are softer and the fish is more juicy or oily. One opinion is that it is not unlike the Old Country haddock. No information could be ascertained as to whether smoked trevalli would be put on the local market in the near future, it being explained that the industry had to cater for the public demand. which was mainly for snapper. As far back as 1886 the edible Qualities of trevalli were recognised, and in Sherrin’s book on the fishes of New' Zealand It is stated that it was a highly esteem fish, the flesh so delicate, though less so in the larger sires, tne best size for the table being about a foot in length. The fish frequent shallow water and feed amongst rocks and can at times be caught by hand. “They are abundant at Kaipara,” says one authority, though they are not adapted! for canning. They are occasionally found tin to 101 b. in weight .but the average is from 3 to 361 b. In Auckland trevalli is sometimes called the yellow, tail, and above Kawau and the Barriers they are particularly plentiful.”

According to the latest returns of the industry in official publications the total quantity of fish landed at Auckland (1940-41) was 125,220 cwt., of which 91,342 cwt. consisted of snapper, with tarakihi (13.185 cwt second in quantity. Of the total landings of sea fish in the Dominion for that year snapper represented 35.5 per cent., tarakihi (most abundant in Wellington) 13 ner cent., blue cod 7 ner cent., and flat fish, principally flounders, about J 3.5 ner cent.