A Tale of Two Fish Markets

[Andrew Fenton]

(N.B.: shamelessly cross-posted from my blog.)

I've been thinking a lot about fish lately, prompted by a project I'm beginning on fish in Roman culture and literature. It's not a bad thing to work on here, since it gives me the excuse to do some research on fish in modern Italy. By "research", of course, I mean mostly "eating"-- but I've been looking into fish in other ways as well.

You wouldn't think it from visiting coastal Italy (or, for that matter, an inland city like Rome), but the Mediterranean is actually relatively fish-poor, at least compared to the ocean. Modern fishing techniques mean that it's not too hard to get a variety of fish to market. But some parts of the peninsula have historically had better access to fish than others, and that access is reflected on a consumer level by the presence of large fish markets. I'm going to look at two of these, from opposite ends of Italy.

The first of these is pretty famous, the Rialto fish market in Venice. Venice's lagoon, with its shallow, brackish water, is a great environment for attracting the wide variety of fish that are the hallmark of Venetian cuisine. The importance of fish for Venice is highlighted by the elegant architecture of the market.

The structure, built in 1907, is a wide portico with room for two rows of stalls, facing onto the Grand Canal. It's easily the loveliest fish market I've ever seen (okay, not that much competition there...) The column capitals along the outside are all in the shape of different fish, boats, etc.:

I didn't see any turtles for sale at the market! But these guys are pretty cute. The architect (whom my guidebook lists as the painter Cesare Laurenti) was clearly having some fun, while maintaining a traditional Venetian appearance.

As the city of Venice has shrunk (there are about 60,000 people in central Venice, down from 200,000 a century ago), the importance of the market has decreased. Restaurants buy a lot of fish, of course, but they mostly get it from the wholesale market, and while tourists might buy an apple or cherries, a whole mackerel or bag o' shrimp doesn't tend to fit well into a suitcase! As a result, when I was there (late May), the market was only about half-occupied by stalls, and many of the people walking around were (like me) tourists with cameras, rather than shoppers.

Too bad, because the seafood there is absolutely gorgeous. I'm pretty bad with seafood names (in English or Italian)- so please feel free to help me out in comments... Here's one I do know, some nice looking red mullets:

They're particular favorites of mine, both because the Romans loved 'em (as pets and as food), and because, hey: "red mullet". hee!

There's a lot of care put into displaying fish (it helps that I arrived at around 8 AM, when things were just starting to gear up):

Here are some canocce: alien-looking crustaceans that are very characteristic of Venice. I don't know if they live elsewhere:

I love those "eyes". This is a close-up, obviously, but lots of the vendors stack them up like so much fishy cordwood. We had canocce for dinner that night (at Alle Testiere); they're sweet and tender, sort of between really fresh Gulf shrimp and crab.

Here's a bucket o' eels:

Still alive: that one in the center was flapping its gills and glaring balefully at me. I have to admit something here and say that eels squick me out a little, and this guy didn't really change things for me...

The fruit and vegetable market is right next to the fish market. There's a nice selection, but it didn't strike me as especially distinctive:

Hey you! Get back to the piazza San Marco! (And memo to shoppers: be sure to wash that eggplant well!

The other fish market I've visited that really impressed me was way at the other end of Italy, in Syracuse. Sicilian seafood is of course famous, and rightly so. Like Venice, Sicilians have been able to exploit their environment to get access to lots of different kinds of seafood. In this case, the straits of Messina provide naturally good fishing grounds. The small space creates a difference in temperature between the western and eastern Mediterranean, something that attracts fish. And the narrow straits funnel fish, making them easier to catch.

The market in Syracuse is on the island of Ortygia, steps away from the temple of Apollo and next to the small harbor. It stretches for about two or three blocks on a small street. Not as picturesque as the Venice market, but with at least as good a selection of fish, and with a more vibrant atmosphere.

Here are some anchovies. Or maybe sardines. I'm not really sure, actually:

To misquote Maurice Chevalier, "thank heaven for leetle feesh!" I've really come to love the miniature members of the scaly tribe: alici sott'olio? Oh yeah. It's a real shame that Americans are so fixated on steak fish (salmon, tuna, etc.); I'm sure whether I'll be able to get them back in the US. Anyway, it's an excuse to eat as many as possible now...

I don't know what this thing is. But it kind of scares me. Probably it's delicious, but I wouldn't have the faintest idea what to do with it. Other than back away slowly...

Again, not really sure what these are. I just think they're really beautiful. As with these:

Let's just call those last photos "two studies in stripes."

Finally, the biggest fish in the market that day, a nice-looking tuna:

Everybody is impressed (and rightly so), even that kid in the corner. Yum!

I love Syracuse; it's a beautiful, friendly city with wonderful food and a fascinating history. One of my fantasies-- once I win the lottery, you know-- is to move there and just cook fish every single day. Someday, maybe...

[rlibkind]

←

Mackeral. Be-ooo-tiful fish. With such a flashy striped coloration, it's no wonder the word mackeral is derived for the French word for pimp, according to Alan Davidson.

Great photos, Andrew. And let me know if you need a research assistant.

PS: Both John Yi's and Golden Seafood featured sardines this spring at the Reading Terminal Market; but gone now. Whole Paycheck still has 'em at the outrageous price of about $9 pp, vs. $3 at the RTM when they were there. Of course, the sardines here are herring, a different fish than you'll find in the Med, but just as tasty in its own way, and cookable the same way, too.

[Andrew Fenton]

Mackeral. Be-ooo-tiful fish. With such a flashy striped coloration, it's no wonder the word mackeral is derived for the French word for pimp, according to Alan Davidson.

Not to mention "holy mackerel!" Nobody ever said "holy mullet!" (Except maybe for Robin. When he and Batman were attacked by Redneckman.)

PS: Both John Yi's and Golden Seafood featured sardines this spring at the Reading Terminal Market; but gone now. Whole Paycheck still has 'em at the outrageous price of about $9 pp, vs. $3 at the RTM when they were there. Of course, the sardines here are herring, a different fish than you'll find in the Med, but just as tasty in its own way, and cookable the same way, too.

I'll keep my eyes open for them when I get back. It seems odd to marinate herring in olive oil: but then, there's pickled herring, right?

[Daniel]

Here are some canocce: alien-looking crustaceans that are very characteristic of Venice.  I don't know if they live elsewhere:

←

Did you get to eat these guys.. How were the prepared, how do them come served.. Shell or no shell. How did they taste.. They look really sweet... Do they have that fat resevoir in the head that shrimp do? How much were they? They all have this pathetic "please dont eat me face"

Edited June 5, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

Did you get to eat these guys.. How were the prepared, how do them come served.. Shell or no shell. How did they taste.. They look really sweet... Do they have that fat resevoir in the head that shrimp do? How much were they? They all have this pathetic "please dont eat me face"

I did try them that night. They were served as part of an antipasto plate, cooked very simply and served sort of on the half-shell, with the inside carapace removed. As I mentioned above, they were sweet (though not especially distinctive), sort of like shrimp crossed with crab. At the restaurant, the price was expensive- but everything in Venice is expensive. I don't remember how much the raw canocce are; if I have a photo with the price market, I'll let you know.

I do love their little "eyes"; those are actually their tails. And the blue stripe limning their tails is just terrific. Don't remember about the heads: I think they were served headless.

The weird thing about seafood antipasto in Venice (this is based on the vast experience of two meals, mind you) is that it's served warm. It's usually been my experience in Italy that seafood starters are served at room temperature or slightly chilled; but there you go.

[Kent Wang]

Great photos!

Was it nearly all wild caught saltwater fish? Any freshwater? Or farmed?

Was that tuna caught locally? I didn't think they got that big in the Mediterranean.

[Andrew Fenton]

I think that most of the fish was local, and wild, but I'm not 100% sure. Italian fish markets (like Italian vegetable markets) are supposed to mark where there products come from. I'm not sure whether they have to say whether fish is farmed or not; and I don't remember noticing any signs.

I do remember noticing that some of what was for sale in Venice had come from elsewhere. Shrimp, in particular, seemed to a large measure to come from Sicily or other southerly places.

[Adam Balic]

Lovely photgraphs and comments Andrew.

This fellow is a Saber fish (Trichiurus lepturus ) *click*. They are fairly common (even in US waters). Very popular in Sicily when I was there (at the Syracuse market actually) and also popular in Hong Kong.

Basically they are cut into sections and fried. Flesh is mild and similar to a very fresh mackeral/sardine.

I think that the banded fish above the mackeral are pilot fish and the small fish are definately anchovies.

Edited June 23, 2006 by Adam Balic (log)

[Adam Balic]

Was that tuna caught locally? I didn't think they got that big in the Mediterranean.

←

The worlds largest species of Tuna (Northern Bluefin) is found in the Mediterranean and is highly prized.

Infomation

[docsconz]

Beautiful report, Andrew! There is nothing like the fish markets of Europe in the US. Not only is there an incredible variety, beuatifully presented, they are all immaculately fresh - at least at the larger markets such as Rialto, Ortygia, the Vucciria in Palermo, Boqueria in Barcelona and the market in San Sebastien. The last is the most pristine, but I agree the Rialto is the most beautiful of all the markets I have been to in Europe or elsewhere.

[Adam Balic]

Did you get to eat these guys.. How were the prepared, how do them come served.. Shell or no shell. How did they taste.. They look really sweet... Do they have that fat resevoir in the head that shrimp do? How much were they? They all have this pathetic "please dont eat me face"

I did try them that night. They were served as part of an antipasto plate, cooked very simply and served sort of on the half-shell, with the inside carapace removed. As I mentioned above, they were sweet (though not especially distinctive), sort of like shrimp crossed with crab. At the restaurant, the price was expensive- but everything in Venice is expensive. I don't remember how much the raw canocce are; if I have a photo with the price market, I'll let you know.

I do love their little "eyes"; those are actually their tails. And the blue stripe limning their tails is just terrific. Don't remember about the heads: I think they were served headless.

The weird thing about seafood antipasto in Venice (this is based on the vast experience of two meals, mind you) is that it's served warm. It's usually been my experience in Italy that seafood starters are served at room temperature or slightly chilled; but there you go.

←

These guys are mantis shrimp. If you look carefully you can see there real eyes and the praying mantis like front claws.

[Andrew Fenton]

This fellow is a Saber fish (Trichiurus lepturus ) *click*. They are fairly common (even in US waters). Very popular in Sicily when I was there (at the Syracuse market actually) and also popular in Hong Kong.

Basically they are cut into sections and fried. Flesh is mild and similar to a very fresh mackeral/sardine.

Saber fish, eh? A badass name for a badass fish. Thanks!

[Pizza Napoletana]

Here are some canocce: alien-looking crustaceans that are very characteristic of Venice.  I don't know if they live elsewhere:

←

Did you get to eat these guys.. How were the prepared, how do them come served.. Shell or no shell. How did they taste.. They look really sweet... Do they have that fat resevoir in the head that shrimp do? How much were they? They all have this pathetic "please dont eat me face"

←

We have them in Naples as well. Fantastic to make a pasta sauce. They have a funny name in neapolitan dialect that I cannot remeber right now... (i'll think about it).

There is not much meat in them, and once you it the pasta, usually uou can snap the head and suck out the juicy soft meat.

Ciao

[slbunge]

Here are some anchovies.  Or maybe sardines.  I'm not really sure, actually:

To misquote Maurice Chevalier, "thank heaven for leetle feesh!"  I've really come to love the miniature members of the scaly tribe: alici sott'olio?  Oh yeah.  It's a real shame that Americans are so fixated on steak fish (salmon, tuna, etc.); I'm sure whether I'll be able to get them back in the US.  Anyway, it's an excuse to eat as many as possible now...

←

Those look like anchovies to me.

Actually, when (if) you do return to the states, be sure to ask you favorite fish-monger if you don't see fresh sardines. In general, they are readily available to east-coast wholesalers but not many markets display them because it takes valuable space away from the steak fishes you mention. When I was living in Boston, Whole Foods had them in the display a couple of times a week because there was still a fairly sizeable Portuguese population that knew how good they are.

As for anchovies, the only place I have seen them sold at a fish market is in San Diego so you may be out of luck but I would still ask.

Get back to the eating.

[Andrew Fenton]

Actually, when (if) you do return to the states, be sure to ask you favorite fish-monger if you don't see fresh sardines.  In general, they are readily available to east-coast wholesalers but not many markets display them because it takes valuable space away from the steak fishes you mention.  When I was living in Boston, Whole Foods had them in the display a couple of times a week because there was still a fairly sizeable Portuguese population that knew how good they are.

Yeah, I'll try asking around once I'm back. Because ohhh, they are so good.

Get back to the eating.

Yes, sir!

[Pizza Napoletana]

(N.B.: shamelessly cross-posted from my blog.)

Here are some anchovies.  Or maybe sardines.  I'm not really sure, actually:

I don't know what this thing is.  But it kind of scares me.  Probably it's delicious, but I wouldn't have the faintest idea what to do with it.  Other than back away slowly...

←

The top ones are Alici (fresh anchoives) that once cured in salt get the name of "Acciughe".

The second one is a Pesce Bandiera which I think is known as "garfish" in English and its fillets are fantastic.

Ciao

[My Confusing Horoscope]

Perhaps the photo is deceptive but the Pesce Bandiera looks like a ribbon! Garfish have more girth. The face looks familiar, and the teeth!

In Cajun country we used to catch garfish in canals and make what we call a roast (pot roasted on the stove) stuffed with lots of garlic. Or the meat would be rolled into boulettes (meatballs) and fried. Wonderful stuff! You don't see that very much these days, unfortunately, and I suppose restaurants can't serve them for some reason (never seen it in a restaurant).

I would be curious to know how this fish is cooked elsewhere.

Edited June 23, 2006 by My Confusing Horoscope (log)

[Adam Balic]

Perhaps the photo is deceptive but the Pesce Bandiera looks like a ribbon! Garfish have more girth. The face looks familiar, and the teeth!

In Cajun country we used to catch garfish in canals and make what we call a roast (pot roasted on the stove) stuffed with lots of garlic. Or the meat would be rolled into boulettes (meatballs) and fried. Wonderful stuff! You don't see that very much these days, unfortunately, and I suppose restaurants can't serve them for some reason (never seen it in a restaurant).

I would be curious to know how this fish is cooked elsewhere.

←

Sea garfish in English these chaps below. American freshwater gars are another fish again (a very primative fish), the three are not closely related. However, Andrew's fish does occur in American waters (although not commercially fished it appears).

[pitta]

Finally, the biggest fish in the market that day, a nice-looking tuna:

Everybody is impressed (and rightly so), even that kid in the corner.  Yum!

Hello, i'm a new member of this forum.

I'm from Calabria in the south of Italy and i'm very passioned for pizza and bread making with sourdough and... fish hunting and cooking.

I joined the forum because the big fish in photo isn't a tuna but a wonderful Ricciola, "Seriola Dumerilii", a "Carangide", named in Italy "la regina del Mediterraneo", the queen of Mediterranean Sea and of South Atlantic for his delicious white fillets. I participated whith friends to capture it, cooked and eated with them near the Jonian sea and i love also the Red Tuna ( present in Italy but required very much for japanese market ).

Regards

Francesco

[rlibkind]

Yeah, I'll try asking around once I'm back.  Because ohhh, they are so good.

←

When you're back in Philadelphia, Andrew, check out Golden at the RTM. They've been carrying sardines regularly, though they are the herring variety, not pilchard.

[Pizza Napoletana]

Finally, the biggest fish in the market that day, a nice-looking tuna:

Everybody is impressed (and rightly so), even that kid in the corner.  Yum!

Hello, i'm a new member of this forum.

I'm from Calabria in the south of Italy and i'm very passioned for pizza and bread making with sourdough and... fish hunting and cooking.

I joined the forum because the big fish in photo isn't a tuna but a wonderful Ricciola, "Seriola Dumerilii", a "Carangide", named in Italy "la regina del Mediterraneo", the queen of Mediterranean Sea and of South Atlantic for his delicious white fillets. I participated whith friends to capture it, cooked and eated with them near the Jonian sea and i love also the Red Tuna ( present in Italy but required very much for japanese market ).

Regards

Francesco

←

Pitta,

Are you following me around? I love fish too and I use to go fishing in Calabria (we had a house near Calopezzati, Sibari-Rossano Calabro...) with my grandfather when I was very young. I then developed sea-sickness and could not do it anymore. Once My grandad caught a "Dentice" (Dentex- Bream) almost 1m long...

Anyway, the English name for Ricciola is Great amberjack, Mediterranean amberjack or Yellowtail.

Next time I pop into Billingsgate market, I will look for one.

Ciao

Edited June 26, 2006 by Pizza Napoletana (log)

[docsconz]

Finally, the biggest fish in the market that day, a nice-looking tuna:

Everybody is impressed (and rightly so), even that kid in the corner.  Yum!

Hello, i'm a new member of this forum.

I'm from Calabria in the south of Italy and i'm very passioned for pizza and bread making with sourdough and... fish hunting and cooking.

I joined the forum because the big fish in photo isn't a tuna but a wonderful Ricciola, "Seriola Dumerilii", a "Carangide", named in Italy "la regina del Mediterraneo", the queen of Mediterranean Sea and of South Atlantic for his delicious white fillets. I participated whith friends to capture it, cooked and eated with them near the Jonian sea and i love also the Red Tuna ( present in Italy but required very much for japanese market ).

Regards

Francesco

←

Pitta,

Thanks for the information and welcome to eGullet! What other fish do you catch?

[pitta]

Finally, the biggest fish in the market that day, a nice-looking tuna:

Everybody is impressed (and rightly so), even that kid in the corner.  Yum!

Hello, i'm a new member of this forum.

I'm from Calabria in the south of Italy and i'm very passioned for pizza and bread making with sourdough and... fish hunting and cooking.

I joined the forum because the big fish in photo isn't a tuna but a wonderful Ricciola, "Seriola Dumerilii", a "Carangide", named in Italy "la regina del Mediterraneo", the queen of Mediterranean Sea and of South Atlantic for his delicious white fillets. I participated whith friends to capture it, cooked and eated with them near the Jonian sea and i love also the Red Tuna ( present in Italy but required very much for japanese market ).

Regards

Francesco

←

Pitta,

Thanks for the information and welcome to eGullet! What other fish do you catch?

←

Hello,

I’m a read only member of several international forums, and yes yes, i follow with particular interest the posts of Pizza Napoletana for his great competence and his generosities in communicating important information on the italian cooking tradition. Generally, I read only the posts for my too much bad English in order to actively participate and to write ( ten minutes for two rows of text, this post an half hour ). But the passion for communication is more of the shame...

I hunted many years ago with my little boat customized for the “big game” :-), and with friends with the passion of fishing, “ricciole” ( greater amberjack ), “caponi” o “lampughe” ( small pompano dolphin ) , “tonnetti” ( bonito ), “cernie” ( grouper ), “spatole” or “pesci bandiera” or “pesci sciabola“ ( scabbard-fish) , “cocci” (crowner ), “scorfani” ( scorpion fish ), “merluzzetti”or “musdee” ( ling ), “sogliole” ( sole ), “rombi” ( brill ) and others. But I’m married now and with two sons, the little boat is too much expensive in time and money for my family life. I fish now from the beach and very rarely, “spigole” ( european sea bass ), “mormore” or “gaiole” ( striped seabream ), “triglie” ( mullet ), “saraghi” ( white seabream ) , “lecce” ( leerfish ), “orate” ( gilthead bream ) with the road “all’inglese” ( match style )...in wonderful Jonian Sea...

Sorry for my bad english ( and thanks to Google translator :-) ).

Regards and... ciao

Francesco

[Andrew Fenton]

Francesco,

Welcome to eGullet! And thank you for identifying the ricciola. I have had ricciola a few times in Sicily, and I agree that it's a wonderful fish. (Somewhere I have a photo of a really beautiful ricciola preparation from a restaurant in Taormina; I'd post it, but I'm having computer issues.)

I haven't spent a lot of time in Calabria, but the coast there is one of the most beautiful parts of Italy. And Reggio is a great town, especially along the waterfront. I'd love to go back: maybe do some fishing...

[Pizza Napoletana]

Some of the English name in the google traslators may not be very accurate ;-)

For istance Rombo should be Tourbot, or At least I thought so...

The Ionina sea is between the few un-spoiled in Italy.