The Year of Eating Dangerously: Elvers

The opening chapter to this book actually made me a little sad. My feelings had nothing to do with the writing because I do enjoy the slightly wordy, pretentious and yet self deprecating style that the author has. What made me sad was the whole "elver" culture so to speak. Basically the elvers are baby eels that make a dramatic swim to a resting area before returning to the Bermuda triangle area to mate and die a few years later, or so it is thought. It is utterly fascinating to read about how much we don't know about the eel and also that it is so resistant to domestic farming. Every eel that is farmed or eaten had to be caught live. There is no sustainable method for farming eels. So as international demand for eel grows the actual supply of eel diminishes. As the supply diminishes the price increases and this is the root of what had me a little blue.

What once went from a bucolic (albeit poor) seasonal staple turned into a regional delicacy. This regional delicacy and seasonal staple for the poor transformed into a worldwide delicacy in part by the Japanese and Chinese over fishing their supply. On the one hand it is good that some of the poorer people are able to get a bit of extra cash to help them along by fishing for the elvers. It is a shame too because what had once been a local, seasonal delicacy has been all but obliterated by economics. This destruction of a local way of life makes me want to explore central Ohio and find out just what we do best, what sets us apart.

What local delicacy do you have in your region?