正月用の

ハゼの焼き干しができました

Scallops, abalone, goby

I managed to get out fishing yesterday, apart from the cold weather, wind and rain I managed to snag a few gobies. It was nice to fish Tokyo Bay again, after about seven weeks without fishing here in Japan. I also broke out a few of the hotate scallops and abalone, to make some sushi. I swear I could smell the Sanriku sea as I shucked the scallops, the distinctive aroma of Okirai Bay from all those months ago (I went fishing there in March this year) is still in my memory.

Fresh from Sanriku

Hotate scallops and wild abalone, alive-ho.

 

Check again soon to see how these end up in my kitchen…

Many thanks to Captain Yoshida of the Seiei-maru, Sakihama Harbour, Iwate, for the excellent quality and service, as usual.

Fishing Sri Lanka (Indian Ocean: Negombo coast)

Before flying back to Tokyo I stayed one night at the fishing village Negombo (map) which is on the west coast of Sri Lanka, about 15 miles north of Colombo.  It is a wonderful place and I would have loved to stay there longer.  Since I was leaving on an overnight flight I had a morning spare, so I walked into the nearest tourist agents office and booked a fishing boat to take me out for a few hours.  It cost Rs.7500, and included everything (boat and crew for five hours on the water, licenses/paperwork, all tackle and bait and pickup/drop-off at hotel).  All I needed to do was bring drinking water, and be waiting for them at 5.30am outside my hotel the following morning.

Back from Sri Lanka

more later…