Fish Sticks.

[SAmadei]

So I was cooking some dinner, and reminiscing about fish sticks. I haven't had them in a while, because I love fish sticks... but they are always a disaster.

For those who remember the '70s, am I crazy or has modern processes destroyed the fish stick. In the '70s, fish sticks were crispy and easy to cook... my mother made fantastic fish sticks and we had them in abundance, so they must have been cheap. In fact, I think my mother cooked them in the microwave and they still came out great.

I never seem to find decent fish sticks... they never get crispy... they go from soggy to charcoal. They stick to the pan or rack and the breading falls off. The fish inside is always mush. Even freshly purchased frozen ones taste like the freezer... and you pay a fortune for a big box... that has a measly 11 fish sticks. Trying to microwave them turns them into hot mush or fish jerky in a hot mush breading.

Its like canned tuna fish. Once upon a time, there was tuna fish... you didn't have to buy "albacore" to get a solid piece of tuna... you bought chunk light... chunk lite tuna today is so watery and mushy that once I squeezed almost an entire can of fish out when I tried to drain it with the lid. Ugh.

So, anyway... anyone know where the decent fish sticks are hiding?

Oh, BTW, I've had my mother try her hand and she is unable to save modern fish sticks, as well... so it wasn't technique.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

If Schwans truck are in your area it might be worth trying them. Their stuff is a lot of times a cut above the others. I think they would have fish sticks. You might try them. Most of what is in the store these days is garbage. The pizza rolls in the store are crap compared to what you get from the Schwans person.

[Satty]

You love fish sticks....what are you, a gay fish?

[Intrepidation]

Van DeKamps Makes excellent fish sticks.

[cletus8269]

gordons own brand fish sticks are good. in fact they have potato breaded fish sticks they are great baked in the oven or fried.

[trinacriabob]

I love fish sticks, but I also know they aren't good for you, so I have them once every two weeks in the form of "Fish and Chips" at a greasy-spoon cafe near where I work. They give you a lot of fish, greasy fries and that oh-so-necessary tartar sauce. As for cooking them, or anything else, I can't cook...and I'm Italian. But I can eat....

[Daryl Z71]

Mrs Pauls and Fisherboy have good ones too.

[daves87rs]

If Schwans truck are in your area it might be worth trying them. Their stuff is a lot of times a cut above the others. I think they would have fish sticks. You might try them. Most of what is in the store these days is garbage. The pizza rolls in the store are crap compared to what you get from the Schwans person.

Yum!

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

gordons own brand fish sticks are good. in fact they have potato breaded fish sticks they are great baked in the oven or fried.

Where? I have been looking for something not breaded in wheat flour.

Mrs Pauls and Fisherboy have good ones too.

I remember Mrs. Pauls and Van De Camps. Mrs. Pauls used to taste quite good.

[Daryl Z71]

Where? I have been looking for something not breaded in wheat flour.

I remember Mrs. Pauls and Van De Camps. Mrs. Pauls used to taste quite good.

Ive got a box in the freezer too that im starting to get hungry for lol!

[FAPTurbo]

You love fish sticks....what are you, a gay fish?

I came in here thinking this, too.

[ocnblu]

Yeah, I too love fish sticks, and agree they've gotten expensive. Lately I've been buying frozen whole filets when they're on sale, thawing them in the microwave, breading them myself, and baking them at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. They turn out good.

[intrigued]

I love fish sticks in my mouth... lol

[z28luvr01]

Islander fans like myself automatically cringe every time we hear the term "fish sticks". Here's why:

Haven't had a set of fish sticks in a while though. I might try oblu's homemade sticks idea - at least they won't be loaded with salt. What type of fish would you use?

[FloydHendershot]

I came in here thinking this, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V_Ay2Jwt8E

[Satty]

Kanye West is a gay fish

[ocnblu]

Well, z, I must clarify, I usually don't cut the fish filets into stick form, I just leave them whole and bread them. If you want to make actual, homemade fish sticks, I'd use a firm fish, like haddock or cod, cut them to suit, and bread with your own mixture. I usually buy tilapia or flounder for my purpose.

[trinacriabob]

cod

As it should be.

Yesterday, it was a friend of mine's b-day and he works a few blocks from me, so I bought him lunch at a non-chain fern bar/microbrewery.

I ordered the cod and chips for $12.99. The beer-batter sucked and it interfered with the taste of the fish. I also think that cod should be chalk white. It was white in some fillets and a little darker in others. This place is only good for their tri-tip or chicken sands, and not much else. The $6.99 dive I patronize serves WAY better fish and chips.

Still, cod is the way to go...but halibut chips can be decent, too.

[z28luvr01]

Well, z, I must clarify, I usually don't cut the fish filets into stick form, I just leave them whole and bread them. If you want to make actual, homemade fish sticks, I'd use a firm fish, like haddock or cod, cut them to suit, and bread with your own mixture. I usually buy tilapia or flounder for my purpose.

Ah - I saw a small pack of fresh-from-frozen cod in the supermarket the other day. I might give this a try. I'm not a fan of tilapia, but I love flounder and fluke, both of which are so plentiful on LI that you can't drop a pebble in the Atlantic Ocean or Long Island Sound without hitting one on the way down. I also love salmon and bluefin tuna steak when they're done right on the grille - which means I won't be cooking it.

[Robert Hall]

I've been on a seafood kick this summer...wierd to think about seafood in the desert, but that's how it's been.

Had fish and chips w/ a couple Harps at an Irish brewpub near my house every couple weeks the last few months, quite tasty. I've grilled salmon filets (with bacon topping) a couple times, as well as made shrimp skewers, tilapia, clams. And when I've gone out to a couple favorite local restaurants, I inevitably get bacon wrapped shrimp for the appy....tasty!

A local seafood place I like called The Fish Market (part of a Cali chain) is soon being replaced by another outpost of a Cali chain that I can't recall the name of (something grill, not Bonefish Grill...had one of those in Denver, liked it).

Rob

[trinacriabob]

a seafood kick this summer

grilled salmon filets (with bacon topping) a couple times, as well as made shrimp skewers, tilapia, clams.

A local seafood place I like called The Fish Market (part of a Cali chain) is soon being replaced by another outpost of a Cali chain

Can't blame you for the kick. One reads the nutritionals and figures out that (non-shell) fish has it all.

I hate clams, mussels, calamari and all that stuff. OTOH, I can't get enough of the fish that serves up like a slab of steak.

In the 80s and 90s, there was a chain in SoCal called "The Seafood Broiler" - reasonably priced, fresh, tasty and it seemed to always have a decent amount of people in there - don't know why it bellied up.

[z28luvr01]

Have you had dover sole? I haven't, but I've heard it's a west-coast fish that is to die for. I'm going to see if I can find some when I go out to Vegas next month.

[Robert Hall]

Have you had dover sole? I haven't, but I've heard it's a west-coast fish that is to die for. I'm going to see if I can find some when I go out to Vegas next month.

Haven't tried it...

Will have to look for it.

I haven't had good calamari in while...used to get some that was very good at a bar (The Bull and Bush) in Glendale, Colorado when I went there as often as twice a week w/ my team from work back in the '02-07 time frame... another place that has good calamari and oysters is the

McCormick and Schmick chain--used to work in walking distance from one--would go there with my cubies for Happy Hour and have a some w/ a few canned PBRs (kind of an odd juxtaposition--PBR in an upscale establishment).

Rob

Edited August 19, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Z-06]

Haven't tried it...

Will have to look for it.

I haven't had good calamari in while...used to get some that was very good at a bar (The Bull and Bush) in Glendale, Colorado when I went there as often as twice a week w/ my team from work back in the '02-07 time frame... another place that has good calamari and oysters is the

McCormick and Schmick chain--used to work in walking distance from one--would go there with my cubies for Happy Hour and have a some w/ a few canned PBRs (kind of an odd juxtaposition--PBR in an upscale establishment).

Rob

Calamari is a tricky meat for preparation. As soon as squid is caught, you have to beat it down continuously and strongly to soften the meat, otherwise you end up having rubber-like consistency.

[FAPTurbo]

Because my mom's Australian, we eat quite a bit of homemade fish and chips, with local salmon and halibut being the main staples. However, I'd have to say grilled Barramundi is my favorite and try and eat it as much as I can, whether I'm here or in Australia.

[Robert Hall]

Calamari is a tricky meat for preparation. As soon as squid is caught, you have to beat it down continuously and strongly to soften the meat, otherwise you end up having rubber-like consistency.

Ya, which is unfortunately how it often ends up in a restaurant.

I want to live in a coastal area again... the fresh seafood in S. Florida was great when I lived in the Keys as a kid, IIRC.

Rob

[trinacriabob]

Have you had dover sole? I haven't, but I've heard it's a west-coast fish that is to die for. I'm going to see if I can find some when I go out to Vegas next month.

No, I've usually ordered halibut, salmon and red snapper. I will look for it. Snapper is often on the daily special menu at a lot of places.

Vegas is a food lover's paradise. For buffets, the best price/quality relationship is at The Mirage (and cheaper if you show up before 3 or 4 when it changes to dinner pricing), according to a friend who has been living there for 5 years now.

[Justin Bimmer]

Because my mom's Australian, we eat quite a bit of homemade fish and chips, with local salmon and halibut being the main staples. However, I'd have to say grilled Barramundi is my favorite and try and eat it as much as I can, whether I'm here or in Australia.

That's nice, but how do you like shrimps on the barbi?

[Robert Hall]

No, I've usually ordered halibut, salmon and red snapper. I will look for it. Snapper is often on the daily special menu at a lot of places.

Vegas is a food lover's paradise. For buffets, the best price/quality relationship is at The Mirage (and cheaper if you show up before 3 or 4 when it changes to dinner pricing), according to a friend who has been living there for 5 years now.

Lots of good restaurants there... I've gone to an excellent lunch buffet at the Bellagio a couple of times. I don't gamble, but enjoy the occasional Vegas trip for the food, shows and concerts.

Rob

[SAmadei]

Well, z, I must clarify, I usually don't cut the fish filets into stick form, I just leave them whole and bread them. If you want to make actual, homemade fish sticks, I'd use a firm fish, like haddock or cod, cut them to suit, and bread with your own mixture. I usually buy tilapia or flounder for my purpose.

Hmm... you know, I thought all fish sticks used the same fish... and now I wonder. Reading all the boxes at the supermarket last night, and they are all "minced Pollock"... which tells me they are made from scraps. Wikipedia seems to indicate that fish sticks where originally Cod. Since I generally don't care for Cod as a fillet, I would not have thought that was used in fish sticks.

So it looks like I have to find some fish sticks made with solid Cod or Haddock.

Minced Pollock explains why they are always mush.