Rocky Point has quite a reputation for fresh seafood. That’s possibly because it is on the sea where the fish live. Well, duh. I had an email chat with frequent visitor Martha Willis of Holbrook, Arizona, about how and when to buy fish.
MARTHA: Cap’n Greg, should I enjoy shrimp only in months with an “R” in them?
CAP’N GREG: Yes. Because if you eat shrimp from May through August, your hair will fall out.
MARTHA: That’s horrible!
CAP’N GREG: It’s also a lie. Let me explain it this way, Martha. The shrimping season for this area, when they actually harvest the shrimp, is from September through late April. All those months have R’s in them, and the majority of shrimp sold then is fresh off the boats.
MARTHA: What about the other months?
CAP’N GREG: They freeze part of the catch and sell them “freshly thawed” in the months without an R. Believe me, they are so good you can’t tell the difference.
MARTHA: I don’t like fish that tastes like fish. Where can I get that kind?
CAP’N GREG: Long John Silver’s.
MARTHA: No, really.
CAP’N GREG: Fresh fish has very little odor, if any. As far as taste, it all depends on how the fish is prepared.
MARTHA: Okay, where’s the best place in Peñasco to buy it?
CAP’N GREG: Everyone’s prices here are about the same. Just look for a clean shop and a friendly salesperson.
MARTHA: How about calamari?
CAP’N GREG: Squid? I like it very much.
MARTHA: In ceviche or fried?
CAP’N GREG: Raw on a hook.
MARTHA: What?
CAP’N GREG: To me, squid is bait. I haven’t cultivated a taste for the slimier species.
MARTHA: That’s not very adventuresome.
CAP’N GREG: Some people who like adventure in their fish end up at the San José Clinic with an IV in their arm.
MARTHA: So, what’s your favorite kind of fish?
CAP’N GREG: I like the deep fried all-you-can-eat kind. Any more questions?
MARTHA: Sushi?
CAP’N GREG: Gesundheit.
