“When the fish are in the area you can smell the pungent sweetness of their oil on the water surface.”

Every once in a while I catch myself daydreaming about fishing, and it goes something like this: I’m on a big sports fishing boat, seated in one of those “fighting” chairs that swivel, belt-buckled in tight while reeling in the big tuna. So when the chance to go fishing came up recently, I jumped on the occasion, thinking that some experience would be helpful if Tuna and I were to fight it out someday.

It’s a beautiful clear day, the sky a vibrant afternoon blue. Excited and relaxed, I feel the calm of the water, the Autumn chill, the exhilarating boat ride, and visualize catching my first fish while contemplating the perfect recipe for it the whole time. My senses fully engaged, I am on a boat in Connecticut fishing on the Long Island Sound with my friend Frank, an avid fisherman by hobby, who tells me “when the fish are in the area you can smell the pungent sweetness of their oil on the water surface” as we go from spot to spot casting our lines to catch bass or bluefish.

“There are some fish out there now. Mostly deep and holding near the bottom, in the reefs of mid sound, grouping and preparing for the massive feeding to carry them for their migration south and east,” he continues, explaining that this is something he learned long ago from an old fisherman. (more…)

Cologne has a lot to offer: Kölsch, the local ale, and “bubbly” pig knuckle…

In the late nineties, I traveled to Cologne, Germany. A beautiful city located on the Rhine, it is known for its art scene and museums, and has a rich Roman history. I was there to lecture at the Fachhochschule Köln (University of Applied Sciences) about bamboo as a food to students who were using it as a building material. (more…)