He Didn't Hunt( or Fish) But He Shore Could Cook - Claiborne

If the "sides" are really good it doesn't really matter if you catch any bass. As long as someone else does.

Craig Clairborne, legendary New York Times food critic( 50's and 60's mostly) and food writer wrote a hilarious piece about foxhunting for Gourmet Magazine in 1955. He was a city boy, and believed that hunting, as Oscar Wilde said, was "the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable." Though he may have felt the same about fishing, he knew what to do with the game after the kill. Many of us( outdoorsman and women) feel the same way, that " no hunger on earth is so keen or so long in being satisfied as that which follows are hard hunt( or fish), 'on a cold day, when the 4 winds of heaven have whipped color and health into every fiber of one's being'."

Pork and beans or baked beans are usual accompaniments to the fried potatoes in a traditional shore lunch. Add onions and jalapenos to the beans( saute' the onions first, add peppers, then beans) for a sweet and hot treat. Add onions, bell peppers and mushrooms( any) to the potatoes.

Red or black or pinto beans and rice are less traditional, but a great side to your fried fish. Spicy, of course. Use one of the mixes that are commonly available at the supermarket, if you want to make it easy and save time. I always add more cayenne and garlic and any fresh herbs that I have growing this time of the year, like chives, parsley, or cilantro. ( Do that w/ the potatoes, too, sage if you have it).

Corn fritters add a whole new dimension to the meal. They are really simple to make - kind of like a corn pancake. Make them from scratch w/ 2 cups of corn, 2 eggs, 1 /3 cup milk, 6 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper, according to Claiborne in his book Southern Cooking. I added corn meal, (3 tablespoons), and a tablespoon of baking soda, and a little more milk to the recipe. Drop by large spoonfuls into oil in a frying pan - a little more oil than you would use for pancakes. Serve on the side w/ honey. They are excellent, and really complete a shore lunch. Some may like them better than the fish.