A Twist In The Tail, re anchovies

[yakima]

By Christopher Beckman, 2024. Notwithstanding that SheilaAnn 's Cubs beat the Mariners today, I share info re a book that she will enjoy. The subtitle is "How The Humble Anchovy Flavored Western Cuisine".

I have only read first 2 chapters, re Roman/medieval times, and the French experience with anchovies. The 2nd chapter, re France, is worth the price of the book. Middle Ages, Careme, Escoffier, Bocuse, Boulud. Careme, with his sponsor Talleyrand, hosted diplomatic dinners for Napoleon as he rampaged across Europe. One year, they put together a year's worth of dinners which did not duplicate any dish.

This book is similar to Mark Kurlansky's books on cod, salt and milk, tracing the product thru time and countries.

[Mosca]

I can’t stand them. But I love Worcestershire, and fish sauce isn’t too bad, either. Go figure.

[LA Pork Butt]

A foodie like thou doesn’t like anchovies? I like them on pizza, but I wouldn’t say they are essential to food enjoyment. I think I would like texastweeter ‘s pizza.

[Mosca]

I don’t eat seafood. When I try to eat it, my brain screams, “NOT FOOD!”

I can eat crab, like in stuffed mushrooms. I can tolerate shrimp. I can eat canned tuna, but I don’t choose it.

I keep trying. The last time I tried to eat fish was a couple months ago. And when I try to eat it, I try to eat several bites. Because, maybe if I get past the initial dislike I’ll find pleasure? But it doesn’t happen.

This is a real source of sadness. It’s more than half the world’s delicious things.

[texastweeter]

Love em.on thin crust jalapeno and peparoni pizza. Also have them in my red sauce.

[Jerod Broussard]

Let fish rot, pack in salt, soak in urine, BAM!! Anchovies.

[Purc]

Love anchovies. I added some tonight on a pizza. I keep a jar in the fridge for salads. And now I am very thirsty after eating them.

[Uncle Bob]

Anchovies are a secret flavor bomb enjoyed by nearly everyone..............though some of them just don't need to be told where/when they're used.

[Spinaker]

I LOVE anchovies. When I take my niece of for dinner, she orders a Cesar Salad and she always asks for anchovies on the side, just for me.

Sardines and Anchovies are amazing. Flavor bombs and wonderfully salty.

[gcdmd]

You would love pasta puttanesca, if you don't already.

[drobinson]

Life is short, live every day, and don't forget the anchovies!!

[yakima]

France, about 1420. The Duke of Troy loved putting on big banquets. Modern culinary historian Ken Albala describes one. "One banquet calls for 100 head of cattle, 130 sheep, 120 pigs and 200 piglets, 200 lamb, 100 calves, 2,000 hens, and 12,000 eggs.". (Page 62.) No mention of how many people were expected.

And I think that folks here often cook a lot of food.

[STEbbq]

I have to assume this is a week-long festival.

[yakima]

Probably, for a city the size of Chicago!

[SheilaAnn]

Nice!!! Love anchovies!

[SheilaAnn]

Not at the library app (Libby), but on Kindle.

[acorgihouse]

I love anchovies. Fresh anchovies and sardines, though, are fantastic. I tried them seared on a cast iron pan, in Spain ages ago, and couldn't get them off my brain. I looked for ages until I found a mail order source, shipped frozen. Can't recall the name, and I'm working today so can't peep in the freezer right now. Worth the trouble.

[Smoke em if you got em]

Let us know, I would love to have that source, or send me a private message.
Check out the recent episode of Pasta Grammar (on YouTube) about fresh anchovies. I want to try them fried like they do.
For those who don’t like them because of the salt, try salt packed anchovies, and soak them in some milk for 10-15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. They are very different from the salty oil packed ones.

[yakima]

Working my way thru book. There is a reference to a modern book, Come, Eat, Repeat by Nigella Lawson. Has a focus, to some extent , on anchovies. Courtesy of my daughter's Amazon account, have a copy for $15.

Highly recommend this to someone like SheilaAnn. The intro re perspective on recipes is illuminating. Then, the first chapter deals with anchovies. Numerous recipes buried in the text, not even listed in table of contents. Crostini, butter, anchovy. For me, outstanding with half anchovy filet.

[dpearce]

Always have a small bottle of anchovies in the fridge. Sometimes I mix them with salad to kick up the flavor, and I have been known to "secretly" put them in my mom's pizza sauce recipe. Well, once... The fam noticed pretty quickly. I liked it, and that's they day I had to make another pizza...