The Working Man's Seafood

The Working Man’s Seafood sometimes feels like a moving target. As soon as you have it locked down, you find the same ingredients on very high and very low tables as well. Seafood was fueling the colonists and the economy in the 18th century. This video is some of what we’ve discovered so far.
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[@WastedTalent-]

Many years ago, a friend of mine worked in a boatyard on the Maine coast. To save money for college, he lived on a boat and ate what he caught. He'd set his traps, go to work, come "home" and cook what was in the traps. He said he ate so much lobster and crab that he couldn't eat it for well over 10 years after. He did go to college and is now a marine biology professor.

[@mmthomas3729]

I grew up on the Gulf Coast with a father who was an attorney. When he did work for people on the bayou, they paid him in seafood: shrimp, crab, crawdads, and big croaker sacks of oysters. When those were delivered, it was a party!

[@brendamyc3173]

Jesus made all foods clean

[@planetclownfishbrain7052]

I read that book too.

[@erikcrouch7881]

​@@brendamyc3173God bless salmonella and trichinosis too then 🙃

[@Frame_Late]

​@@erikcrouch7881 I didn't know you could eat raw beef with zero consequences. Or didn't Muhammad say to cook food and eat it meaningfully?

[@joshschneider9766]

@@Frame_Late people eat steak tartare all the time dude what are you on about?

[@usapatriot4163]

Really like the "Working Man" series on the weekend. Very informative and enjoyable to watch!

[@coffeelover7687]

Even with refrigerators and freezers, I think learning how to preserve most foods the old fashioned way is important to learn. Never know when there's a power outage, the fridge/freezer breaking down, SHTF, or you have more food than you can easily store.

[@Jackmaynard22]

Thumbnail looks so good

[@JenIsHungry]

Also can just be fun from the new food perspective. Dried fish tastes different from fresh, potted salmon is different from smoked, etc.

[@duybear4023]

Simply grow a large garden. If successful, you'll normally have more than you can eat at once.

[@devilslamp7306]

(people in Texas furiously taking notes)

[@mindstalk]

For most First World people, if you're worried about few-day power outages, it's simplest to just have a stock of canned and dried food, rather than getting into home preservation. Even if you grow a lot of fruit or veggies in your garden, or buy bulk food on sale, preservation is competing with buying a big freezer.

[@ulfricthorsson8347]

I grew up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and every year for my birthday, we'd go out for lobster dinner. What we paid to get a full meal, the grocery stores charge for just a tail here in Texas

[@Beryllahawk]

I grew up out in west Texas, absolute desert, and Red Lobster was probably THE most expensive seafood in town back then lol! It's so interesting to learn how different seafood is regarded even today within our country.

[@tylermabey3828]

whats really crazy is one of my teachers in school told me when he was young, (40-50 years ago now maybe?) lobster was considered poor mans food and they had to hide the shells so the neighbours wouldnt think they were poor

[@tylermabey3828]

i should also point out that i'm from nova scotia canada and lobster is very plentiful here. still expensive nowadays but very plentiful to the point even subway and mcdonalds sells them occasionally

[@bostonspinach8144]

@@tylermabey3828 I remember my family ate alot of lobsters during the summers when I was younger. I asked my dad how did he afford it? He said lobster use to be cheaper than beef. New England area during the late 90's

[@tylermabey3828]

@@bostonspinach8144 Yea I'd say its a little more expensive than beef now but if you can get it from the right people you could get it cheaper than beef just hard to find. I think average price from a fish truck is $15ish per pound now and a pound of beef is $10-$20 depending on cut and quality.

[@johncave3334]

My son is taught almost nothing about history at his school. Especially American history. My wife and I have a lot of fun studying history with him at home. Your uploads are an important part of his (and ours too) education. Thank you, Townsend.

[@LucyLockholme]

It’s abysmal. They hardly teach any American history these days. Really a shame.

[@lynnodonnell4764]

Did I hear you say "Joe Workaday" as a moniker for the Everyday Joe? If so I love it. If that's what I thought you said I love it anyway. I'm a WORDIE...gonna start saying that to refer to ME, someone who has spent their entire working life as a Temp Worker - clear up to 67 yes old. Love the content of this Channel. Always a history lesson.

[@MikehMike01]

too busy with the indoctrination

[@restingsmirkface]

Yeah, we're taught the history of politics and major societal events, but never life-skills of the time (which could still be life-skills today).

[@GetPsyched6]

America is like barely 300 years old. There's way more other important history to learn about then just America

[@mokspr]

My mother grew up in a small fishing village in Nova Scotia and she always said that you could tell the social status of a family by the sandwiches the kids brought to school: mutton for the shop owners children, jam for the "middle class" kids and lobster for the poorer kids. Just boiled lobster on plain dry bread, no butter, no mayo.

[@adventureguy4119]

Sea cockroaches 🪳

[@devatwell334]

I'm from NS aswell fishing is huge here. Aswell as agriculture and hunting

[@jamesellsworth9673]

Ryan, it is fine to see your work featured on the Townsends channel. You did the cod fillets perfectly: crispy breading and a flaky, yet moist interior! The entire episode was nicely produced and edited: kudos to that crew. I have cured salmon into gravlax with satisfactory success. My various ancestors were from families that came very early to New England. They included merchants and fishermen. At one point, a father and son were lost at sea while out fishing using a larger ship with a crew. Many families could tell the same tale (lost at sea.) As a child, my Mom periodically used Mary Anne brand salted cod that came in a wooden box. Even when rinsed a bit, the product was still salty. Mom made milk gravy and poured the cod and gravy over mashed or plain boiled and smashed potato to make a tastier use of the salt.

[@SyRose901]

I am a Mongolian, a country that's extremely far from any sea. Nowadays there's imported seafood, but even then, it is NOT a popular option.

[@jackster2568]

Mongolians and the open sea don't have a good history

[@tobiasworner4970]

What protein is most commonly eaten in Mongolia? Since I heard there is a lot of meat and dairy eaten in general due to herding

[@hayleyxyz]

What about freshwater fish, from lakes and rivers? Regardless, Mongolia looks like a beautiful country. I live in Liverpool, UK so we can get some local fish on the coast, but most of our seafood is still imported.

[@jameshsu8303]

Based meat diet

[@raraavis7782]

Yeah, that's about as landlocked, as you can be.

[@AliceRelaxCooking-ob4ih]

I’m in food heaven just looking at this! ☁🍴

[@docwho9]

In the early days of the city of Sydney: The convicts ate salted beef (because beef was expensive) and fresh fish (which they caught themselves). The gentry ate fresh beef (because beef was expensive) and salted fish (because convicts ate fresh fish).

[@woodelfproductions]

I love seeing all the comments from people all over the world on these videos. Food cultures might vary, but they're also great ways to bring people together regardless of nationality as people talk and share. Food is one of the great unifers.

[@joshschneider9766]

also this is the definition of a scottish kipper A kipper is a whole herring, a small, oily fish, that has been split in a butterfly fashion from tail to head along the dorsal ridge, gutted, salted or pickled, and cold-smoked over smouldering wood chips (typically oak).

[@smellyfella5077]

During the time of the 13 colonies the Royal Navy had precedence over the supply of limes and lemons---to stock it's ships to ward of scurvy for it's sailors---grown in Britan's Caribbean colonies and anything left over was imported into it's North American colonies seasonally and they were expensive, especially in it's most Northen 13 Colonies; lemons and limes on a working class man's plate would have been seen very rarely.

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

Vinegar it is

[@ryeguy7941]

​@@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger Sauerkraut

[@NK-61]

I still can’t get over how high the production quality of this channel is. I’ve yet to have seen a bad video from y’all, kudos.

[@ruariniall7463]

They wouldn't have boiled just the lobster tail. Theyd have plunged the whole thing, live, into a pot of boiling water, as we do in Maine today. The head has quite a bit of edible meat and the tamallay - the green paste inside the body is edible as well. They wouldn't have wastes it.

[@adventureguy4119]

Tu vien’du Maine? Est-ce tu parle le français Acadian?

[@j.r.f8381]

Being from Maine, shellfish was a regular weeknight meal. Lobster was (and still is when compared to other meats) cheap, and shellfish was common. Having fish such as bluefish, flounder, or haddock was a treat. I suppose I never really noticed it wasn’t normal in other parts of the country and took it for granted when I was growing up.

[@nicholasmorgan7609]

Perhaps I ought to move out there, I'd kill to have shellfish more often

[@jessehayes8052]

It's a beautiful state, and if you like seafood you can eat like like a king or queen without breaking the bank, I've lived all over the East Coast of the USA and I will go to my grave saying that Portland Maine is the most beautiful place in the country

[@stpyramids]

My understanding is that when you hear stories about lobsters and crabs being seen as a poverty food (prisoners protesting being fed lobster, etc.) the significant context is that these would have been bigger, tougher lobsters that wouldn't be marketable today, in addition to likely being overcooked and underseasoned. Something more akin to the infamous stewed crab that everybody hated.

[@stuartbaxter-potter8363]

I hadn't thought about the preparation, good point!

[@adventureguy4119]

Oh man a big lobster you chew and chew and chew

[@Cynthia_5479]

I have a seafood diet. I see food, I eat it.

[@blackkakari]

@Cynthia_5479 Boooooooooo!

[@metal87power]

Be careful what you look at.

[@kristoffer8609]

Thanks, bot. Very cool.

[@Minnevan]

Do you eat humans when you see them?

[@monke7725]

@@kristoffer8609 How do you know it's a bot?

[@degariuslozak2169]

I have a seafood diet. I see food, I eat it

[@hayleyxyz]

Lol

[@-_-_-_-318]

Classic 😂

[@cahallo5964]

Very quintessencially American

[@mysterygamermgclues8864]

glorious

[@dwaynewladyka577]

Cod was a very big thing in Newfoundland and Labrador, in Canada, long ago. It sustained so many people. It still is important. In other parts of Canada, such as Atlantic Canada, and British Columbia, salmon is very abundant, and was important for Native peoples. Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, in Canada, have many freshwater lakes, and fishing was very important for people in these parts of Canada. It is an abundant source of food, year round. Fish was also used for barter, in exchange for other foods, in North America, long ago. I have heard of different preserving methods for fish, and different methods of preparing fish. Cedar planked salmon is very good. Also, I recall hearing about pemmican made from fish, but I've never see it done. This is a very informative series. Cheers!

[@rawnature8148]

Cod was one of the earliest exports from North America.

[@NimrodtheWHM]

I've solved the problem of shellfish being expensive by not liking any kind of shellfish or most seafood besides fish really. Really working out well for me.

[@roostermbakb6727]

This is my absolute favorite history channel on KZbin. I keep the mushroom ketchup in my house always nowdays and my wife and I love it.

[@ddogg14]

Can't forget the nutmeg too!

[@sevenproxies4255]

In Sweden there's tons of traditional dishes based on various kinds of preserved fish. Salted, dried, smoked, brine pickled and then last but not least: the notorious fermented herring (Surströmming). I'll admit that I avoid the last one. It's a very acquired taste to say the least.

[@NoPantsBaby]

Salmon used to be plentiful everywhere. Back when we didn't have dams in rivers.

[@Kjellbot]

salted herring was a huge part of the swedish working man's and farmer's diet for quite a long time. the herring trade was hugely important and the fattest catch made for excellent pickled herring for the rich man's table, which lives on in modern sweden. home-made pickled herring is a fundamental part of christmas and midsummer festivities. i've made my own recipe where i season it with orange zest, toasted sichuan pepper, black peppercorns and thinly sliced yellow onion. it's perfect on buttered hard bread. seafood is so important yet so ravaged and neglected. soon we won't have any left. it's a tragedy on multiple levels. a decent man would be driven to despair and madness over less

[@Splendid123456789]

Great video, thank you! I know a family who grew up in the 50s in Tucson, AZ & their parents would take the kids to the small lake nearby, Momma would tie a string on her finger & would catch fish to feed their kids. Gotta love the love & ingenuity of the poor!

[@MrRpence]

Man this channel is seriously one of the best on KZbin hands down. Well made, fascinating content, that keeps you watching. Hard to believe I would want to watch how people salted fish in the 1800's but now I just want to know more! Amazing stuff. Thank you Townsends.

[@offtheroutetours2190]

I love your videos! Keep up the awesome job y’all!

[@OhnoesJG]

This is the most wholesome channel on KZbin. If you are feeling low, just watch a couple of Townsends videos and your mood will lift. There is just such a cozy vibe to this that is unparalleled anywhere else on the platform.

[@briannawalker4793]

What a lovely way to start a Sunday morning n.n It's always so interesting to see not only how our foods have changed, but how our narrative around foods have changed! It makes one wonder how the "lobster used to only be sea-bugs for the poor" story got started and popularized!

[@RPrice_OG]

I had some flounder last night prepared how you showed here. So simple and so good.

[@jimbob3332]

"The fancy food of today was the working man's food of yesteryear" And I'm sure if you lived close to a chocolate fountain, a glass of water would seem like a luxury. It's just a case of living close to the source that defines what's exotic on the plate.

[@TheNacho1717]

Thanks for sharing! I love your videos!! I’m going to order some campfire / cooking items from your catalogue.

[@user-lr4tr3zc3q]

Excellent episode Ryan. Well done!

[@NinF37]

Love these food videos. Very calming and nice to watch - just give the perfect vibe

[@Caine61]

Waking up on a Sunday morning with my mug of coffee in hand, relaxing on the couch, and seeing a new Townsends video is always a great pleasure!

[@DG-hb8rh]

Thank you for another great episode !

[@admiralradish]

Fantastic!!! Townsends never disappoint.

[@leafittobeavis321]

All the Townsend videos are fascinating and a joy to watch. Your deadpan humor at 9:31 had me literally laughing out loud. Y'all are great. What you folks do is important and appreciated.

[@bobscar327]

Great video, great channel. Love this stuff. Keep it going, please.

[@andrewfontaine4833]

LETS GO NEW TOWNSEND VIDEO you legit make me feel so at ease and comfortable

[@Burnsbv]

what a great episode, thank you Townsends!

[@nstabl]

30 likes and it’s been uploaded for 2 minutes. People haven’t even seen the entire video. You’re doing something right!

[@degariuslozak2169]

7min now

[@ginahaider8205]

I always hit Like the instant the video starts, too. 😂

[@hayleyxyz]

Townsend's food video, I click, I like

[@leedoss6905]

I can't believe how much his channel has exploded.

[@amaruqlonewolf3350]

The video also might be available earlier for the Patreon contributors, too.

[@petersutcliffe4927]

Much love bro, your expertise is much appreciate!

[@Uncle_T]

In Sweden in the 17th and 18th century it wasn't uncommon for workers to demand or even have it stipulated in their contracts that they wouldn't be served salmon more than three times per week since it was such a cheap staple food.

[@darthplagueis13]

Same in parts of Germany.

[@anonymousviewer69]

Love the historical presentations in Ryan’s videos!

[@katferments]

The way you prepared the cod is pretty much how my grandma used to cook (and still does) most fish! I remember that on Fridays after school she'd often make some sort of fish, floured and fried in butter. It's to this day my favourite way to eat fish :)

[@lukeb6394]

Hey Ryan!! Awesome to see you bro!! I love your videos

[@genewentz9906]

Fantastic video, great job!!

[@emazey5044]

That underwater shot was awesome! Videography plus excellent content! 😍

[@danielmcclure1302]

Awesome episode as usual Townsends cast and crew. What great insights into the working class of the 18th century.

[@JohnRNewAccountNumber3]

Salmon is pretty big in Canada, as well as freshwater fish like you know. In Canada we learnt about candied salmon and salmon jerky, and even New York considers Canadian salmon the go to for lox.

[@yonahda8911]

Incredible insight love this channel

[@peterott-tn6pf]

Great content, Ryan!!

[@Blrtech77]

Thanks for another amazing video. Ryan Take Care and Be Safe!

[@reallyseriously7020]

I read about a poor fisherman (1800's?). He would filet his catch on the spot for each customer. The heads went into a bucket to take home. Some fish have a small bit of meat in their cheeks. Several nights a week his wife would cook 'fish cheek stew' with veggies from their garden. The family had a hearty meal for almost no cost.

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

If they had cream or flour, that stew became chowder. Add some bread: you're living high on life

[@ChrisRand-gf7lz]

I live in Manitoba myself, and despite being practically in the centre of North America, fresh water fish is very common here with all our rivers and lakes. Head a few hours east into Northwestern Ontario, it's the same thing with all the lakes. I don't think I could live anywhere that was more than 5 minutes from a body of water to fish on.

[@ryeguy7941]

I hear ya, I'm in Southern Ontario, so we have Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and a ton of rivers to choose from.

[@MegaBabyRawr]

great video and information!

[@Dadwar_Dev]

i love these, keep it up guys

[@VinsCool]

Great video like always, this looks delicious!

[@benrichard452]

Great job hosting the show!

[@ThiisStil]

Really enjoying this series :)

[@paladro]

great channel, wonderful content.

[@matthiasbruhn2410]

In northern Germany, according to Stevanus von Schonevelde (in a book from 1624 on fish species of the coast), the North Sea crabs native to the region were also used on a large scale as fodder for fattening ducks and pigs. Unthinkable today, but very interesting.

[@robzinawarriorprincess1318]

It's always great to see Ryan again! The fishing scene was fun. Great video.

[@ant-1382]

Fish was, and is such an important food source around the world. Likely the first harvested meat source for primitive cultures. Fish is so easy to get, often times like with salmon it comes to you, all that is needed is some sort of fish trap, or dip net and you got all the fish you need.

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

Limpets, whelks, snails, and other mollusks/bivalves are likely the first (easy to forage just walking along coastlines) but the minute we learned how to fish, it became a staple for sure. Most early cultures also enjoyed seaweed, even in Europe

[@gibberishname]

Surprised you didn’t mention the legend that lobster was so plentiful and as a bottom feeder considered a trash food, that in Massachusetts indentured servants got a judgement saying they couldn’t be fed lobster more than 3 times a week, because it was cruel and unusual punishment

[@dirtpounder]

Crazy, if I could get lobster 3 days a week I'd be over the moon

[@mikekuppen6256]

I´ve heard the same story about salmon in Hamburg.

[@jeremyscungio16]

As someone from RI seafood has always been a part of my diet

[@LucyLockholme]

Yay, new Townsends upload!

[@kmoecub]

Having grown up in Oregon I can agree with you about everyday foods becoming more elevated over time. Geoduck used to be the cheapest seafood one could buy, but in the early 1980's it was marketed to Japan and is now among the most expensive due to the demand for it there. It's only on the menu at high-end restaurants in the U.S. now, though it used to be considered bar food decades ago.

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

I grew up going to asian markets in the 90s and being utterly enthralled by these massive clams. God I miss old Portland

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

3:09 - The correct terminology you were looking for is _'bartering.'_ He traded a fish for other goods or services that he needed. Bartering was quite a thing in olden days.

[@adreabrooks11]

If you're looking for a "working man" alternative to your lemon sauce, you might try using shamrock. It was imported to the Americas from Europe for it's tart, somewhat citrus taste. Naturally, it's less potent than lemon, but makes for a very nice sauce - especially mixed with a little dill. Sumac (specifically the velvety flesh from the outside of the seeds) is another option - though I don't know when it was imported, and may come in at a later time period.

[@Foolish188]

I believe the Sumac you are thinking of came from India during the British Raj.

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

Edible Sumac is native to North America - the lemony one.

[@adreabrooks11]

@@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger Oh, you're right! I was specifically thinking of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), but I was conflating it with the sumac used in Middle Eastern and Indian dishes, and thought it was an import. Thanks for the info!

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks for sharing with us Ryan. I enjoyed each of those recipes and sure glad that Lemon Juice is optional.I hope folks understand. Thanks for the great presentation. Fred.

[@Nathanthefool1]

This channel deserves an Emmy

[@dennisyu2760]

Great video!

[@terryt.1643]

I made a fish trap using native materials for a local museum. Hardest thing about it was finding, processing and drying the mule fat saplings… As kids we would fish for bluegill and crappie and get enough to feed the whole family in a couple of hours. Fun times.

[@Blondie42]

See? Food.

[@hokkaidorider4296]

Love the shoutout to the Midwest. Would be cool to see you guys do a video focusing on the Great Lakes.

[@wilder_mann]

Very interesting video! I come from the Upper Rhine Valley (southern Germany) and while salmon is quite an expensive commodity these days, it was indeed considered poor people food here for centuries.

[@user-ts4be8yg8p]

Mr Ryan you do a great job on this channel 👍

[@brianartillery]

Lovely informative video, with a really great presenter. I'm going to have to try that lobster tail recipe. One small thing: here, in the UK, 'Prawns' (that you call 'Shrimp'), and 'Shrimp' are two related, but totally different creatures. Prawns are readily available, and cheap, but Shrimp, especially Brown Shrimp (👌👌👌) are smaller, sweeter and more expensive, and lovely served with some Marsh Samphire (Salicornia europaea).I also really enjoy Crayfish (Crawfish) tails, too. Your videos always make me hungry, despite already having eaten. Every time. 👍👍👍

[@alfredpeasant5980]

You guys are legends.

[@Charstring]

Really well presented by Ryan, and informative. It would be nice if he got to try some Scottish kippers, Arbroath Smokies, or even Scottish salmon.

[@YesYes-xb6he]

Arbroath Smokies are a thing of beauty, getting them fresh and still warm wrapped in newspaper was the highlight of my Saturday afternoon as a kid. Still get them shipped down a couple of times a month now ive lived in southern England for the last 30 years

[@tomjoseph1444]

I just have to mention something. I was a young lad living in Key West back in the 60's. We would have shrimp, fish and what you know as lobster almost every day of the week because it was basically free for our family. We would beg our mom to have something special like chili dogs on Saturdays. LOL.

[@joshschneider9766]

also salmon and trout species occur basically everywhere fresh water occurs on earth. even arctic ocean in the form of arctic char

[@Ivehadenuff]

I live near the coast in Massachusetts and we are so lucky to have fresh fish. It’s expensive, but delicious.

[@greensquall2264]

A recreational fishing permit here is only $10. Well worth it!

[@Zwicken1776]

Got lucky this weekend and ran into this guy at the Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous. Once again, nice to meet you, Ryan.

[@Drizzly0]

These are so well made

[@its2point072]

All my favorite foods come from the sea but I live in the prairies. This video is getting me through withdrawals

[@theoldschoolconnoisseur2991]

Idk what it is but im always drawn in as soon as i start watching an episode of yours . Growing up on Vancouver Island the plate looks vary familiar other then the lobster you could put oysters on to substitute lobster. My absolute favorite is oysters dusted with flour fried in butter ! . Ive found it harder and harder to find quality seafood at a good price over the years as the stocks are getting smaller and smaller and it becomes a luxurie rather then a staple as it once was .

[@johndayan7126]

Great program! This working man's series is wonderful. Thank you.

[@gailsears2913]

Thank you Ryan!

[@jack1701e]

I wish we ate more seafood in England, we're surrounded by it after all! Heck we got those big weird crabs aplenty but people don't want them because they look ugly. IT'S BLOODY COOKED XD

[@HWhit9000]

Here in the central part of the states, seafood is only available when frozen and shipped inland and even then, the cost is almost prohibitive. I love seafood of all sorts but for the cost, I will be happy catching and eating what I can catch locally.

[@81cb750fss]

We are a lot of catfish, bass, bluegill, crapie, yardbirds (chicken) and mud dogs (pigs) growing up in Virginia. Edit: We did eat crabs in the summer if someone would jump in the truck and go get them!

[@TheJoeyboots]

What an interesting and informative video. 😸

[@aj.j5833]

We used to dry fish on the beach in winter as well.

[@user-cl5yb3vj2l]

My favorite food group! I love it 💕

[@pasjeihobby]

Great video