pickerel cheeks - good eats?
March 24, 2011 I have always been one to enjoy trying new foods. I especially love to try fresh, local, regional foods. I am always talking to Manitobans about my favourite Nova Scotia regional foods - dulse, cider, valley apples (honeycrisps, russets and cox orange are my fav!), brothers pepperoni (deep fried and dipped in honey mustard is the best!), garlic fingers, donairs, fresh breaded haddock, Digby scallops, etc. Over the last few years I have tried and enjoyed the following "Manitoban" foods: bannock, garlic sausage, perogies, cabbage rolls, bison, moose, elk, Saskatoon berries (jam and pie), and Rigby Orchards Estate Raspberry Wine. Recently I came across this advertisement on a bulletin board:
I have heard of pickerel and know it is a local fish in Manitoba. It is routinely advertised for community fish fries and surfaces on Manitoba inspired menus. I have yet to try it, although I have heard it is delicious. I had never heard of pickerel cheeks until seeing this advertisement and it caught me a bit offguard. What exactly is this? Do fish really have cheeks? How do you prepare them? What do they taste like? After asking around and researching on the internet, it turns out pickerel cheeks are a Manitoba speciality. The cheeks of the pickerel are cut out and dipped in an egg/milk mixture and then dredged in flour or bread crumbs and then seasoned and fried in butter. They sound interesting to me but the "cheek" part still turns me off a bit. Perhaps I will make it a goal to try them in the near future and decide if they are good eats or not. I'll keep you posted! If anyone has any other "Manitoban" foods I should try, please let me know!
Reader Comments (3)
Welcome to Manitoba!
Yes, pickerel cheeks are considered a local delicacy. I rarely buy them as they are more $$ than regular pickerel fillets. But they are good, and you should definitely try them at least once.
Can't wait until lousy weather is gone forever and we get right into spring, and soon ... summer! Definitely the best season in MB.
Pickeral cheeks are delicious. Whenever Cade & his Uncle would go fishing they would cut them out of the fish that were big enough. We would cook them just like regular filets. Yummy!
Mmmm Pickerel Cheeks! My Grandfather used to always bring a bag with him when he came to visit us, they were a real treat in our family!
I'm enjoying your blog's perspective - there are so many "Manitoban" things I take for granted.