Mystic Seafood: Great Recipes, History, and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport [Paperback]

Jean Kerr (Author), Spencer Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2006

Mystic Seaport in southeastern Connecticut is the home of all things about New England and the sea--including great seafood cooking. Every year tens of thousands of people visit Mystic to see the fishing boats and ships, tour the 18th-century coastal village, and sample great seafood.

Now here is Mystic Seafood, with more than one hundred great seafood recipes, both historical and contemporary, simple and elaborate, for oysters, clams, lobster, shrimp, cod, flounder, tuna, swordfish, and many other types of fish. Some of the recipes come from famous chefs and restaurants in the Mystic area; others were developed by the author, who is editor of Taste of the Seacoast magazine.

Vintage photos of tall ships and scenes from New England's seafaring past are interspersed with the recipes, and sidebars--on such topics as the role of fishing in Colonial America, how to prepare a classic clambake, and the lobster's peculiar culinary history--make this not only a great cookbook for anyone who loves seafood but also a perfect sourvenir of Mystic Seaport.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Even those who have never been to Mystic Seaport, a maritime museum in Connecticut that boasts a faithful recreation of a 19th century seaport, will want to check out this fine collection. Part history lesson and part cookbook, authors Kerr and Smith have created a valentine to New England and seafood cookery. Bivalves, crustaceans and finned fish all get plenty of attention, and each segment includes a culinary and sociological history of the animal and how it became part of the American diet. The recipes run the gamut from traditional fare such as Crab Cakes and Clams Casino to innovative, inspired dishes such as Baked Sea Scallops in Apple Sour Cream Sauce, Maine Shrimp Risotto with Prosciutto and Peas and "California Roll" oysters, in which oysters on the half shell are dressed with avocado, wasabi and salmon roe, mimicking a traditional California sushi roll. Written with the novice in mind, the book even includes an essay titled "How to Eat a Lobster and Maintain Your Dignity," complete with illustrations. Virtually all the recipes call for commonly found ingredients, although cooks far from the East Coast might have trouble sourcing shad or quahogs, also known as hard clams. Regardless of where seafood lovers are located, this is sure to become a dog-eared favorite.
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Review

"Here are great seafood recipes, anecdotes about fish and fishing, and the history of New England seafood. Entertaining and informative reading."

 

--Linda Greenlaw, author of The Hungry Ocean, The Lobster Chronicles, and Recipes from a Very Small Island.

“Jean Kerr’s love of writing about the sea, maritime history and folklore, and food come sailing through in this wonderful book about fish and shellfish cookery. And the best part is that the recipes are timely, doable and simply prepared; now that is my kind of cooking!”–Mary Ann Esposito, host and creator of the PBS series Ciao Italia and the author of nine cookbooks including Ciao Italia Pronto!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 1st edition (December 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762741376
• ISBN-13: 978-0762741373
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,317,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, November 21, 2009

By 

Anne Patenaude - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mystic Seafood: Great Recipes, History, and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport (Paperback)

I actually ordered this for my 11 year old son who is addicted to fishing. It
has great recipes but also good information about each particular fish in a paragraph or two. Really a nice book, I can see why it won an award.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding guide., March 4, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mystic Seafood: Great Recipes, History, and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport (Paperback)

Pair great seafood dishes with anecdotes about the industry and the history of American seafood and add a regional touch with Mystic photos and you have an appealing guide which will easily reach beyond Mystic or New England residents to any seafood fan. Chapters celebrate the history and bounty of Mystic Seaport with gourmet recipes from the region, from Smoky BBQed Bluefish to Grilled Lobster with Avocado-Lime Mayonnaise. An outstanding guide.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reviews of Mystic Seafood, November 15, 2006

By 

Spencer Smith - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mystic Seafood: Great Recipes, History, and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport (Paperback)

"Here are great seafood recipes, anecdotes about fish and fishing, and the history of American seafood--which is just about the history of the country itself. Entertaining and informative reading."
-Linda Greenlaw, author of The Hungry Ocean, The Lobster Chronicles, All Fishermen are Liars, and along with her mother, Martha Greenlaw, Recipes from a Very Small Island.

"Jean Kerr's love of writing about the sea, maritime history and folklore, and food come sailing through in this wonderful book about fish and shellfish cookery. And the best part is that the recipes are timely, doable and simply prepared; now that is my kind of cooking!"
-Mary Ann Esposito, host and creator of the PBS series Ciao Italia and the author of nine cookbooks including Ciao Italia Pronto!

"Get out your lobster pot, your clam and oyster knives and a big appetite. Mystic Seafood is as delicious to read as it is to cook from. Jean Kerr's description of a traditional New England clam bake, odd tidbits about oysters, lobsters and scallops will have you shaking your head: "Hey, I didn't know that!" This is a terrific addition to the legends of great cookbooks devoted to the subject of New England seafood!"
-Kathy Gunst, Cordon Bleu trained chef, and author of nine cookbooks, including Stonewall Kitchens Favorites and former culinary editor of Food and Wine magazine.

"Jean Kerr has a wonderful sense of food, particularly from a historic viewpoint with her knowledge of the old and tried combinations that have made New England and Mystic Seaport great places to sit down and have a simply made, but delicious soup, casserole, baked, fried steamed or grilled piece of fish."
-Master Chef James Haller, author of five cookbooks including The Blue Strawbery Cookbook and Cooking in the Shaker Spirit.

About the authors

Jean Kerr's first food column appeared in the 1980s in re:Ports Arts and Entertainment Weekly. She was previously Food Editor for Portsmouth Magazine and a regular contributor to Accent magazine. She is currently the editor of Taste magazine, a food and wine magazine covering northern New England. She is also the author of the forthcoming Union Oyster House Cookbook and Windjammer Cooking.

Spencer Smith is a publishing executive based in Maine. He was the Editor of Fodor's Seaside America and The Yachtsman's Winterbook, He served as a board member of the National Maritime Historical Society, and has worked on book publishing projects at South Street Seaport Museum and Mystic Seaport.