Corn And Eel Succotash!

Nice video! I really like how they opened with the comments about the weirs. We have those up and down the river and they are in different styles depending on what you are catching and the type of area in the river. You were a rich Indian if you owned a weir or two! (I see they put in hominy - so few people use hominy properly.)
 
When I was growing up, my dad was a real meat and potatoes guy, who didn't seem to have a very adventurous palate. But the last decade or so he's told me a lot more about his life growing up on a northern Minnesota farm, and he has eaten all kinds of things! Mom always said he doesn't like fish, but actually he likes some kinds of fish he grew up with, dislikes others, and doesn't like any fish older than "I went fishing this afternoon and mom cooked it." I should ask if he ever had eels. They're not real clear on how long ago eels essentially disappeared from US fresh waters.

Had not realized before that Townsends was in Indiana! They're in Pierceton, SE of Warsaw. Pretty cool.
 
I've caught plenty of slimy eels fishing the rivers and creeks in my part of North Carolina
and I can't imagine eating them although the smaller ones make excellent Flathead catfish
bait. Overseas in the old country eels are a popular item on many seafood menus.
 
Overseas in the old country eels are a popular item on many seafood menus.

In the BBC "Italy Unpacked" series, Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli makes his traveling buddy British art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon some sort of eel dish -- my most vivid memory of the whole series is Locatelli tying the eel to a faucet to peel it. Not sure I would eat it, either, but in a culture where meat protein is rare I can see why people do.

Haven't seen eel in any of the American cookbooks I've poked around in from the 1830s or so to 1861, although I think they were still eating it in England then. Not sure it sounds any worse than turtle soup, and that was certainly a thing (although mock turtle soup was more common, I'm thinking -- turtles seemingly got hard to find a lot of places!).
 
In the BBC "Italy Unpacked" series, Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli makes his traveling buddy British art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon some sort of eel dish -- my most vivid memory of the whole series is Locatelli tying the eel to a faucet to peel it. Not sure I would eat it, either, but in a culture where meat protein is rare I can see why people do.

Haven't seen eel in any of the American cookbooks I've poked around in from the 1830s or so to 1861, although I think they were still eating it in England then. Not sure it sounds any worse than turtle soup, and that was certainly a thing (although mock turtle soup was more common, I'm thinking -- turtles seemingly got hard to find a lot of places!).

I've never tried Turtle Soup but my father has. He has told me stories about his grandmother making
it with what the main ingredient being what we call around here a Chicken Turtle. (it is a large black
shelled turtle with yellow markings and a yellow bottom on the shell) I guess the Chicken Turtle got
its name because it tastes like chicken. I've accidently caught Chicken Turtles when I was fishing
before but I set them free. (Chicken Soup doesn't sound too appealing to me)
 
I imagine your grandmother made it because it was readily available and caught for free by family members.

Talked to a guy gigging for turtle in downtown South Bend a few years back, and, yep. Grew up eating it and they could catch it for free (actually you need a license, but it's pretty cheap). Not sure I'd eat anything out of the St. Joseph River, although it probably isn't any worse than the waters most fresh-caught fish come from.

Still, I have no doubt whatsoever that Mrs. Beeton is right when she says;

The soup, however, is apt to disagree with weak stomachs.​

:sick:
 
Talked to a guy gigging for turtle in downtown South Bend a few years back, and, yep. Grew up eating it and they could catch it for free (actually you need a license, but it's pretty cheap). Not sure I'd eat anything out of the St. Joseph River, although it probably isn't any worse than the waters most fresh-caught fish come from.

Can't say I'm surprised you'd need a license as you often even need one to fish in certain localities as well. Though I'm sure the license pays for itself after a couple of catches.

Still, I have no doubt whatsoever that Mrs. Beeton is right when she says;

:sick:

I wholeheartedly agree on that one! I think the wealthy who enjoyed it in the era were no doubt downing expensive wine with every course so had no clue what they were eating when the soup course rolled around!
 
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