Well you would never know by the 26° Fahrenheit reading on the thermometer this morning, but it is starting to shape up to be spring in Chicago. In many places this becomes evident when the dogwoods start to bloom, or the robins return and build their nests. Here in Chicago, the sure sign that spring is on its way is the first appearance of smelt fishing in the harbors. Last night marked the start of smelt season in Illinois.
Smelt fisherman come out at night—that is when the smelt “run”. They shine flashlights into the water to attract the fish, scoop them up in gill nets and then fry them up right on the spot. Smelt are tiny little fish that you eat whole (minus the head), so this is not as crazy as it sounds. Here is a good blog entry with some details.
People still go out for the tradition, but apparently the smelt do not run like they used to. Word is they used to measure the catch by how many buckets were filled. Now they count how many of the tiny fish were caught. The fish may be gone, but the uniquely Chicago tradition lives on.
Smelt was on the menu last night at our favorite restaurant, Anteprima. Simply cleaned, breaded in corn meal and served with lemon.
Yesterday I enjoyed the first taste of a Chicago spring.
No comments:
Post a Comment