The shad are running in the Hudson Valley

[Jennifer Brizzi]

I practically gave my two tiny tots whiplash today, hitting the brakes when I saw the sign for shad roe and fresh and smoked shad in Rhinebeck.

Due to the demise of shad smoker Bob Tator, there was none at that spot last a year, but son-in-law Tom Weckesser has taken over and is selling the goodies at three bucks a pop for each big fat fresh shad, three bucks ditto for half a sweet smoked side, and a variety of roe sizes that vary from five to seven bucks a pair. They are open Saturday, Sunday, Monday and other times by appointment. They're on Middle Road in Rhinebeck, which you can access from 9G between its intersection with Rt. 9 and the Kingston bridge approach, or from the little road (can't remember name) in Red Hook across from Hannaford's. Call (845) 758-2216.

I asked for two of the fresh shad that were pulled out of the water this morning. I assumed that because they were so cheap they would be small. But they weigh three pounds each (a buck a pound for fresh fish!!!), too much for the two adult eaters in the family, plus two smoked sides and a pair o' roe. I dug into the smoked stuff as soon as I got home--not quite as intensely sweet as the way Tator did it but delicately rich and wonderful. It's worth a trip from anywhere.

I have to figure out what to do with the fresh shad and roe. The roe that I've gotten in the past I have woefully overcooked. I have no bacon on hand, which seems to be <i>de rigeur</i> for cooking it. Fresh shad I haven't tried cooking yet and I have to figure out how to get around the bone issue. Any suggestions will be welcome.

I don't know which local restaurants are serving it, but I would bet on Mina in Red Hook, who makes a big effort to serve delectable renditions of local, in-season treats.

Anyway, I'm doing this week's "Ravenous" about shad & co., and it may be on Woodstock Times' website by late Thursday.

[iriee]

if you have never boined shad then i'd say let the fish monger take care of it. it an art to see someone bone those babies! thats why there soooo cheap if there not boned.

the smoked roe sounds great and i'd like to make some myself. can you tell me more about them. were they hot smoked? or were they cold smoked and a little undercooked and creamy in the center?

which ever way they do sound good!

[Luckylies]

uh...what's a shad? and it's roe - what's the story with that. I'm so clueless on this. it sounds good though.

[winesonoma]

uh...what's a shad? and it's roe - what's the story with that. I'm so clueless on this. it sounds good though. 

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Fish and fish eggs.

[Jennifer Brizzi]

To iriee:

There was no fish monger involved. These came straight from the fisherman.

There was no smoked roe involved either. What was smoked was sides of shad, just as bony as the fresh but unbelievably tasty.

I ended up freezing one of the fish and the other one I stuffed with sices of lemon, orange and onion, sprigs of parsley and some kind of strange thyme from the garden and then I baked it at 400º F for about an hour. Bones and all, it was great: soft, sweet fishflesh.