Thanks to all for your birthday messages. Let me tell you how I spent it. (This is maybe a cross-thread to "Where do you hang your hat.)
For the second year in a row, my 3 sons chartered a fishing boat out of Chesapeake Beach in southern Maryland (Calvert County) for a morning of rock fishing. (Rockfish are known elsewhere as striped bass.) They get some of their friends, most of whom I know since my wife and I were always fortunate enough to know our boys' friends, to come along to spread out the cost, since they won't let me pay, this being my birthday treat. Calvert County MD is about an hour and a half from Baltimore and the boat leaves the dock when it's fully light, just at or before sunrise. This means getting up at about 3:00 a.m. I went to my oldest son's house, about 5 minutes away, (he's 39), picked up him and the lunch sandwiches. Drove to a park-and-ride about 25 miles south, where we met up with youngest son (31) and one of his friends. They had the coffee, doughnuts and bagels. Two more carloads joined us there, with beer and sodas, and from there we proceeded to the marina. After some confusion as to what marina the boat was at this year, middle son (35) showed up along with the rest of the party, 9 in all. Boarded the boat just before sunrise. Beautiful morning -- bright sunshine with some clouds, warm (already about 60 degrees), no wind to speak of, water very calm.
As the boat pulled out into the Chesapeake Bay, I saw, about 15 feet away, a great blue heron walking along the shore examining the shallow water (they are waders); gulls and ospreys were swooping over the water near the shore. After a short run at high speed, we then set to running slowly around in a circle in mid-Bay, closer to the western shore than the eastern. The colors of the bay were, as always, amazing -- the water dark blue or green-blue depending on the light; the sky bright clear cerulean with a fair amount of low-lying cloud. The sun rising like a great glowing orange ball reflected in the water, sky-blue-pink sky reflected in the clouds, the green hills on the near side, punctuated by the tan patches which are the cliffs, constantly eroding into the bay. (This area is known as Calvert Cliffs, whereof perhaps another posting.) On the opposite side, farther away, small islands off the eastern shore with the strange trees you see on these islands -- tall with no branches until high up, then a funny looking round top like a lollipop. To the north, haze; to the south, nothing but water, showing light blue in the distance. Since our circuituous route took us into the shipping channel, where the big cargo ships come up from the Virginia capes into the port of Baltimore, from time to time a freighter would come slowly up and present itself to view.
We had about 15 lines out, all set with artificial lures, most of which incorporated a "shad", which is a soft white plastic lure with artificial plastic feathers, and with a variety of colored markings. Some have green feathers ("green" in this milieu actually being chartreuse, which is quite visible in the dark blue water of the bay.) Two lines had, ahead of the main lure, an "umbrella", which is a circular rig of 6 or so small white or green shads with a large one trailing, which, in the water, looks like a medium size shad chasing a small school of smaller fish. The green umbrella line worked very well -- three fish caught on it. Since there were over a dozen lines out at any given time and 9 fishermen, we drew cards to ascertain in what order lines would be attended. (I was 4th). When a fish struck a line, whosever turn it was grabbed that rod and commenced hauling in and that fish was his.
The first fish caught, about 20 minutes after we arrived at the cruising station, was the largest of the day -- 39 inches and 22 lbs. Everyone caught one fish (which is the limit at this time of year, and only those exceeding 28 inches are legal -- under that size they have to be thrown back.) Besides the big one caught first, the rest were 34 or 35 inches and weighed about 17 lbs. We caught the last about 11:15, whereupon we headed back to the marina (the boat had another booking for the afternoon) and were done by noon. We then took the fish to a cleaning station, manned by local teenagers who will clean or fillet your fish for $3.00 each. Except for my oldest son and me, the other boys all had theirs filleted, which produced about 6 or 7 lbs. of fish steaks from a 17 lb. fish (frightful waste !). I had mine scaled and gutted and the head cut off, as my wife and I like it baked. (I would not ordinarily care for a fish mutilated by beheading, as it's not a nice presentation, but in the case of these big fish, you have to dispense with the head in order to get it in the oven). We had it for dinner. Cut it in half, since there was too much (at least 15 lbs.) for us to eat. Cooked the smaller piece and put away in the freezer the larger piece which is the size of a pork rib roast. (I'll let you have the family recipe for baked rockfish at the end of this for those who don't mind a food posting.)
A great day in good company. I consider myself unbelievably fortunate and blessed to have the relationship that I do with my boys -- it certainly wasn't that way when they were growing up. In spite of the many mistakes I made (which, of course I did not see as mistakes at the time -- only hindsight reveals mistakes) and the typical relationship we had with them when they were teenagers, by a great miracle a day came when these surly and rebellious wretches overnight turned into human beings with whom you could actually have a civilized conversation and treat them, and be treated by them, as friends. Deo gratia.
Well, enough of that. If you can get a rockfish (striped bass) one way or another, here's how we prepare
BAKED ROCKFISH
Rockfish 15 lbs. & up, scaled and gutted only, skin on, head and tail on if you like and if it will fit in your oven.
(Rest of the ingredients depends on size of fish)
Bacon strips, enough to cover the fish
1 or 2 large cans of whole tomatoes, no flavorings
1 medium to large spanish onion
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
butter, cooking oil or spray
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
Thorougly rinse fish under cold running water, being sure there are no guts or scales. Grease, oil or spray a baking pan large enough to hold fish without anything sticking up or out. Lay fish in pan on its (their) side (in 1 layer, if more than one). Open the can(s) of tomatoes and dump everything, including juice, in a bowl. Take up the tomatoes and crush them between your fingers into the pan around the fish so there are no large pieces. Pour all the juice in the pan. Peel and chop the onion (does not have to be very fine), mix into the tomatoes. Add the parsley and mix in. Salt and pepper to taste. Cut the bacon into short lengths and drape across the body of the fish. Bake, uncovered, at least 90 minutes, more depending on size/amount of fish. After 90 minutes, if bacon is not thoroughly cooked, increase temp to 400. Fish is done when it flakes easily and the bacon is well-done; but note that rockfish does not flake like cod or other northern fish; it has a softer texture, although it does flake in a solid, meaty fashion. Put the fish on a platter, spoon the sauce around it, leave or discard the bacon as you like, garnish as you like. (Lemon can be used for garnish, but does not improve the flavor of the fish or sauce.) Each diner should be furnished with a small plate for the bones and skin. (Only diehard fish fans eat the skin, which is strong flavored. The bones are generally large and easy to find, but be careful.)
