Fish Roe:

Finding its Way Back to Our Plates

Virginia Food Heritage: Planning for Sustainability & Resilience University of Virginia Spring 2012

Liz Russell

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Some say that this country was founded on shad. i Legend has it that spawning shad saved Washington’s

starving troops at Valley Forge.ii One of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite dishes was a roe soufflé, made with fresh

shad or river herring.iii And in fact, for thousands of years before white man stepped foot on this land, Native

American tribes up and down the Mid-Atlantic harvested these fish as food and as fertilizer for their crops. iv

However, a combination of factors, mostly man-made, resulted in shad and river herring populations dropping

drastically through the 19th century.v Conservation and management efforts as dramatic as fishing moratoriums

and sustainable hatcheries show positive signs for the future of the species; vi however, as an item on our

dinner plates, shad and herring seem to be fading out of memory and tradition.

Planners and historians frequently talk of the importance of “sense of place”, in regards to buildings and

structures. I argue that “sense of identity” may be just as important to a community. Honoring history and

tradition serves to strengthen ties to the land and to each other. The legacy of shad and herring is of

particular importance, not only in reasons of economics and livelihood, but also in honoring the seasons of

nature, something from which we have become removed. What would it be like, after long winter months of

salted and preserved foods, to celebrate the arrival of spring with the return of

these fish and their delicious roe? How much enjoyable would these foods be if

we tasted them at their best, not by picking them out of the frozen foods

section of the grocery store This food heritage story is one that sheds light on

a fish, on a place, and on a memory.

American, or white shad (Alosa sapidissima), the smaller hickory shad (Alosa

mediocris) and two species of closely-related river herring - alewife (Alosa

pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) are anadromous fish,

meaning that most of their life is spent at sea, migrating up rivers in the From top to bottom:

Alewife, Blueback Herring, Hickory Shad, & American

Shad

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springtime to spawn. vii , viii , ix Virginia was once famous for its “spring runs” of anadromous fish like shad and

river herring.x They also supported Virginia’s large commercial fishing industry. However, by building dams that

block their route upstream, overfishing, and pollution of water, shad and river herring populations were so

depleted by the 21st century, that Virginia passed a moratorium on river herring and shad.xi,xii,xiii *

Due to the dwindling population and subsequent fishing moratorium, as

well as changes in culinary trends and tastes, shad and river herring

have become a forgotten food of American culture. In earlier times,

entire shad and herring were consumed whole, both fresh or preserved

in salt. Now they are generally considered too bony for modern

tastes.xiv ,xv The roe, however, is still considered a great delicacy, even if

people today are less familiar with this traditional food.

Shad and herring roe, unlike preserved caviar (the roe from a

sturgeon) is best when served fresh. xvi The female fish is harvested

for her roe, found in egg sacs, or lobes, which can be prepared in

a variety of ways. xvii One popular way of eating roe is sautéed

alongside scrambled eggs. In a 2012 interview, Alexander Gilliam,

University of Virginia class of ’55, long-time Charlottesville resident,

and current Protocol and History Officer at UVA recalled one

particular 24/7 establishment located under the old Belmont

Bridge, at the western end of downtown Charlottesville. Mr. Gilliam

and his UVA classmates would frequent the C&O Diner after

parties and on Sunday mornings, but “it was a place that catered to the people that worked in the railroad

yard.” xviii The fate of the diner was sealed with the construction of the “new” Belmont Bridge in 1963; it is

Shad roe sautéed in butter

* Per Code of Virginia, Chapter 4 VAC 20-530-10, eligible commercial fishermen may be eligible to participate in the American Shad by-catch fishery in 2012, a program to allow limited fishing of these fish.

C&O Diner circa 1950

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likely that the building was demolished

to make way for the wider bridge. To

read more about the C&O diner, please

refer to the Appendix.

“The other way to eat [fish roe] was to

make cakes,” explains Gilliam. “Considered good, cheap food,” canned herring roe was mixed with filler such

as eggs, onions and breadcrumbs, and fried in bacon drippings. “Those two things were dishes that were

universal in Virginia. They just disappeared.xix”

However, for a very short period of time every spring, Virginians can still find fresh

shad roe, provided they know where to look and are willing to pay a premium for

it. “It has begun to come back,” says Mr. Gilliam. “The first serious sign of spring

is on the chalkboard at Andersons Seafood place on Barracks Road, when they

announce that ‘Shad Roe’s in.”

Although today there are challenges that keep shad and herring roe from regaining

their prominent place in our economy and our diets, I have two hopes for the

future: (1) that through conservation and sustainable fishery efforts, we can begin to see these fish returning

to our rivers; and (2) through keeping memories, recipes, and traditions alive, we can begin to see them

coming back to our plates as well. This is the true meaning of food heritage.

1940s “Pride of Virginia” canned herring roe with a recipe for Roe Cakes.

L

Sign at Anderson’s Carriage Food

House. Anderson’s has been serving Charlottesville

since 1929.

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Works Cited:                                                                                                                                        i Springston, Rex. American shad aren't coming back in Va. Richmond Times Dispatch. http://www2.times dispatch.com/news/2009/may/25/jame25_20090524-220625-ar-42428/ 25 May 2009 (Accessed May 2012).

ii Ibid. iii Asman, Judy. Foods of Thomas Jefferson http://www.astuterecorder.com/presidents_foods/2009/february/ favorite-foods-of-thomas-jefferson-with-judys-deviled-eggs-with-anchovies-recipe.html (Accessed May 2012)

iv Read All About It: American Shad. http://www.festival.si.edu/past_festivals/water_ways/kids_coast/pdf/ shadReadAboutIt.pdf (Accessed April, 2012)

v Ibid. vi Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission http://www.asmfc.org/shadRiverHerring.htm (Accessed April 2012). vii Read All About It: American Shad. http://www.festival.si.edu/past_festivals/water_ways/kids_coast/pdf/ shadReadAboutIt.pdf (Accessed April, 2012)

viii Virginia Saltwater Fishing. 6 February 2011. http://www.virginia-saltwater-fishing.com/2011/02/06/virginia-shad-and-herring/ (Accessed May, 2012)

ix Ibid. x Fish Passage Program. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/ fishing/fish-passage/ (Accessed April 2012).

xi Springston, Rex. American shad aren't coming back in Va. Richmond Times Dispatch. http://www2.times dispatch.com/news/2009/may/25/jame25_20090524-220625-ar-42428/ 25 May 2009 (Accessed May 2012).

xii Chapter: Pertaining to River Herring. Virginia Marine Resources Commission. March, 2012. http://www.mrc. state.va.us/regulations/fr1260.shtm (Accessed April 2012).

xiii Regulation: Pertaining To American Shad. Virginia Marine Resources Commission. February 2012. http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/fr530.shtm (Accessed April 2012).

xiv Fish. The Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia. http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/fish xv http://thegarumfactory.net/2012/03/30/george-washington-ate-here-shad-roe-with-brown-butter-capers-and-ginger/

xvi Alden, Lori. Caviar and Roe. The Food Thesaurus. http://www.foodsubs.com/Caviar.html (Accessed April 2012)

xvii Hastings, Michael. Roe will float your boat if you like it 'fishy.' Windston Salem Journal. 1 April 2009 http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2009/apr/01/roe-will-float-your-boat-if-you-like-it-fishy-ar-146735/ (Accessed April 2012)

xviii Gilliam, Alexander (16 March 2012). Personal interview. xviii Ibid.      Images Used, in order: 1 http://www.schain.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/raphanockfishingbc.jpg 2 http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishingreport/shadherringid.html 3 http://onevanillabean.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/shad-roe-2.jpg 4 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/charlottesville_va_1919.jpg 5 http://sanborn.umi.com/image/view?state=va&reelid=reel03&lcid=8995&imagename=00233&mapname= Charlottesville%201929-June%201950,%20Sheet%2012&CCSI=302n (Charlottesville 1929-June 1950, Sheet 12)

6 http://www.thelabelman.com/popup_image.php?pID=1958&osCsid=1cc84b96a30b02bd3cfe0f1cf4ab0462 7 Personal Photo    

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Appendix: The Diner Under the Bridge

With the help of Albemarle Historical Society, I looked into the restaurant “under the old Belmont bridge”, as identified by Gilliam (he calls it the C&O Diner). The map shows the restaurant’s location circa 1950. The address is believed to be 623 E. Main Street. The City Directories from the 1950s-early 60s listed for 623 E. Main Street are as follows:

1951-'53: Mayo Restaurant 1955: Mary's Place 1956-'57: Bill's Place 1958-1962: C&O Restaurant1

There is no listing in the 1963 City Directory for 623 E. Main Street, the year that the new Belmont Bridge was constructed. It is likely that the building was demolished.

                                                                                                                                       1 Information courtesy Desha Armengol, Albemarle County Historical Society Volunteer (personal communication, April 19 and April 26, 2012)

623  E.  Main  St  

510  E.  Main  St  

515  E.  Water  St  

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A 2006 Daily Progress newspaper article highlights the 30th anniversary of the C&O Restaurant, located at 515 E. Water Street. The article refers to this restaurant being, “in its first life, a diner of sorts that had a bar and a place for workers on the Chesapeake and Ohio railway to sleep...”2

The Charlottesville City Directories for 1947, '48, '50,' 51, '52, '53 and '55 list a “C&O Café” located on 510 E. Main St. The Directories for 1958, '59 and '60 have a listing for a C&O Restaurant, located at 623 E. Main St. The 1966 Directory lists a C&O Restaurant, located at 515 E. Water St., which is the address of the current C&O Restaurant. No listings for a C&O Diner exist.

The Daily progress article indicates that the current C&O Restaurant at 515 E. Water St. opened its doors in 1976. Further research could reveal whether it was affiliated with the restaurant of the same name located at 623 E. Main Street from 1958-62 or the C&O Café, located at 510 E. Main Street from 1947-53.

 

                                                                                                                                       2 Wampler, Christie. Eatery a Staple of Downtown. The Daily Progress. 29 March 2006.