Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Robert St. John: How Tuna Came to the Panhandle

 WATERCOLOR, FLORIDA— Once a year I bring my wife, our kids, and their friends to the Panhandle of Florida to “vacation” for a week. A longtime reader of this space already knows that I don’t vacation well. I provide food and lodging for the family and enjoy spending long periods of mostly uninterrupted time visiting with them. But I don’t do well at sitting still and relaxing. Never have. Never will. Never wanted to, for that matter.

My time at the beach is— first and foremost— spent with the family and their friends. But it’s a beach. As stated, I don’t vacation well, and I certainly don’t “beach” well. A 6 a.m. quiet walk on the edge of the surf? I’m your guy. Walking down to the beach to admire the sunset then sitting and watching while critiquing the clothing choices of families who are dressed alike for a photo session? Sign me up. But lying on the sand under the blistering sun in 98-degree heat? Not since I was in my twenties.

While the kids and friends are basking in the sun, I spend my days visiting area restaurants, reliving old memories of the days when I lived down here, and catching up on work in a silent and peaceful empty house, free of people tugging me in all different directions as in my typical workday. It’s “catch up time” for me. And with the opening of the bakery having been an all-consuming proposition for the past eight weeks, there’s a lot of catching up to do. 

Someone once asked, “Why do you go on vacation and work?” It’s not work. My work is my hobby. It’s my fun. It’s what I love to do. Next to my family and friends it’s my happiness. Why would I spend all this money to come down here and not do what makes me happy? 

“Don’t worry about me,” I said. I’m a happy guy doing exactly what I love.

I make an annual trek down here and try to check all the boxes during my week in the old stomping grounds. My first stop is always at my friend— and former employer— Charles Morgan’s restaurant, Harbor Docks. Charles and I usually catch up over breakfast during the week, but he and his son Eddie were in the restaurant when I arrived, so we sat and visited. After several minutes of catching up on old war stories, digging up kin, and locating common acquaintances, our conversation drifted to where it typically lands: The restaurant biz (I think it’s his hobby, too).


I have written about Harbor Docks smoked tuna dip for over a decade. To me, it is the gold standard of all smoked tuna dips, and there are a lot of smoked tuna dips out there these days. But there is something that separates the Harbor Docks smoked tuna dip from all others. It’s not the complexity of the recipe. It’s simple. I asked Morgan (probably for the 935th time), “What makes yours better than all of the others?”
“It’s the freshness of the tuna,” he said. I knew that, but I kept thinking that maybe one day he’ll let slip another small detail I’ve been missing. That conversation led to a fascinating discussion into the origin of yellowfin tuna in the panhandle.
I mentioned to Morgan that the only tuna I knew as a kid came out of a can— and I grew up an hour from the Gulf of Mexico and spent my childhood summers fishing those waters. “I can tell you exactly when tuna started getting fished in this area,” Morgan said. If anyone knows the origin of tuna hitting local markets, it’s Morgan. He has been operating a business here for over 40 years, but has been fishing it all his life. He owns three commercial fishing boats and— through his wholesale and retail seafood company— does business with over 125 commercial fishing vessels. Also, all the best local captains hang out at Harbor Docks. He knows the scoop. I was riveted.

According to Morgan, bill fishing started in Destin in 1970 when Bruce Marler caught a blue marlin while fishing for king mackerel near the beach. After that, a local industry was born. But in those days, they were using mullet, croaker or ballyhoo for bait. Trolling had to be kept under four knots so the bait wouldn’t fall apart.

“Destin hasn’t really exported anything over the years except G&S Boats, which were the best fishing boats ever built, and captains and deck hands who were hired out and taken all over the world because they are such excellent fishermen,” Morgan said.

One of those captains came back from the Pacific with large plastic lures that allowed fishermen to troll at eight knots— twice as fast— without the bait falling apart like the croaker, mullet, and ballyhoo had done. It also allowed the captains to cover twice as much water, and deeper water. But most importantly, the tuna, which had obviously been out there the whole time, would strike the fast-moving plastic lures. 

Now that the fishing boats were faster and could go farther out, they started catching tuna. There was one big problem— no one knew what to do with them. The looked like big bonito because the meat was red. But bonito is inedible. The captains didn’t know what to do with the tuna, so they went to the bar where they hung out and ate and gave them to Morgan at Harbor Docks. Morgan had no clue what to do with them either. His crew also assumed it was a trash fish, so they brined it overnight and smoked it like they had been doing with mullet. Then they rough-chopped it, added mayonnaise, seafood seasoning, and black pepper and served it with crackers. It’s safe to assume that the first smoked tuna dip ever served in the South— and possibly the country— was at Harbor Docks in Destin, Florida.

And, to my taste, it still reigns supreme.

It’s hard to believe that tuna had always been swimming in these waters but went virtually untouched. By the mid 1980s tuna was established as a legit edible species. I opened my first restaurant in 1987 and tuna steaks were still a “new thing.” Harbor Docks had been serving them for years at that point. 

You’ve got to put yourself in a time to where sushi restaurants were non-existent in most of the nation— the first sushi restaurant was Kawafuku in Los Angeles which opened in 1966, but it was a sole practitioner for years. Sushi didn’t start spreading across the country until the late 1980s. The first sushi restaurant in the south opened in Atlanta in 1972, but no one on the Gulf Coast, from Tallahassee to Texas was serving sushi. Harbor Docks served their first nigiri in 1989, eight years after they started smoking tuna.

I’s like the man always said, “The only thing we overlook is the Harbor.”

Onward.


 Smoked Yellowfin Tuna Dip

1 lb Smoked Yellowfin tuna loin, finely chopped
2 Tbl Creole Seasoning 
2 tsp Black Pepper
3/4 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise 

Mix thoroughly and serve with saltines (and a few dashes of hot sauce)


 


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.