Even though it first debuted in exclusive high-end
restaurants away from the hoi-polloi of your typical hipster foodie hangout,
could the increasing popularity of flying fish roe caviar revolutionize the
world caviar scene?
By: Ringo Bones
Even though it only became widely known to the
hipster-foodie-scene-at-large near the end of the first decade of the 21st
Century, flying fish roe caviar – popularly known as Tobiko – was hailed to be
the most versatile ingredient in cutting edge newfangled dishes. No longer the exclusive
“proprietary secret ingredient” of top sushi chefs; the shiny, crunchy, vibrant
orange and dense black versions of this Caribbean fish roe are a total delight
for both chef and aficionado alike. But what makes flying fish roe - i.e. that orange colored pearl-like tasty stuff in sushi rolls - caviar a
more “environmentally-friendly” option in comparison to the “traditional” true
blue Caspian Sea sturgeon sourced caviar?
Flying fish - the common name of some 50 species of fishes
in the family Exocetidae, they are found in warm seas, like the Caribbean, and
usually far from land. Flying fish range in color from blue or greenish on the
upper portion of their bodies and silvery white at the bottom as a form of
protective camouflage coloration typical of open-water ranging fishes. Its
ability to glide is made possible via the great enlargement of the pectoral
fins in the two-winged flying fish. Ordinarily, flight is made in order to
escape enemies and the action is often initiated by any large body – such as a
ship – cutting through the water.
Since the wings are held rigid, the flight can in no way be
compared that of a bird or bat but is more like that of an unpowered fixed-wing
glider. The propulsive thrust is supplied by the tail, the lower lobe of which
is extended. Flying fish swim rapidly and when the surface of the water is
reached, they set the pectoral fins at right angles to the body. They then skim
the water, the tail remaining submerged and moving laterally with powerful
strokes. Now they tremble all over from the thrust so that the tips of the
pectorals may alternately touch the water in a manner which falsely suggests
that they are voluntarily moved. They shoot into the air at a speed of 30 or 40
miles per hour. The glide may last 30 seconds and cover 300 yards, although the
time in the air and the distance covered vary greatly. The flight ends as the
fish dive into the water; but in many cases they turn immediately at right
angles and take off again.
Flying fish lay their eggs supplied with fine sticky threads
which anchor them in crude rests in drifting seaweed. The species of seaweed
the flying fish laid and anchored their eggs to plays a factor in the resulting
final color (and inherently varying nutritional content?) of the Tobiko caviar. The young differ in color from the adults and
often have a pair of whisker like appendages on their lower jaws.
Flying fish are an excellent food fish. They also serve as
forage for important food fish such as tuna and are often used as bait. In the
Philippines, flying fish caught locally are usually prepared with a sugar and
salt blend marinade since the species found locally tend to have a bitter /
blander taste in comparison to other locally sea caught food fish.
