So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Sunday, January 18, 2009

What are King George Whiting?

By Dr Corey Fisher

[I:0:G]The King George whiting was first named in 1829 as Sillago punctata, based on an indervidual caught from King George Sound in Western Australia. A number of synonyms have since been added to the initial naming due to the fish not being designated a holotype. The fish has a variety of commonly used names but the most common, "King George Whiting", taken from the name of the body of water where the first officially named fish was caught.

The King George whiting is the largest in its group and is quite easy to destinguish. It has an elongated, slightly compressed body with a tapered head and a terminal mouth to assist with bottom feeding.

Of the several whiting species found, King George Whiting is the largest and most renown. It would have to be considered as one of the best table fish around, and South Australia is most fortunate to have the densest concentration of King George Whiting, in Australia.

The continued removal of seagrass meadows during the dredging of shell-sand poses a continuing threat to king george stocks. Realistically, though, probably the biggest threat to the species stems from recreational fishing effort, given that the legal catch size is well below the breeding size.

Whitings are prized for their sweet, delicate flavour. They are versatile fishes that can be prepared in a number of ways including steaming, baking, barbecuing and grilling, with frying the most common. Careful handling is required because of their soft and delicate texture.

Australian Fish Resources notes that king george numbers declined dramatically in Westernport, Victoria, after a 70 per cent dieback of seagrass.

Complementary flavourings for whiting are the herbs dill, basil, chives, parsley and tarragon. When whiting is grilled or barbecued, a salad of grapefruit, orange, lime and lemon, with a citrus and olive oil dressing, will complement the flavour wonderfully. Other suitable sauces and condiments are lemon and herbed butters or buerre blanc. Crusts of cumin, coriander and ground turmeric are also tasty.

In 2005, the number of small juvenile whiting was the strongest recorded since monitoring began in the mid 1990s.

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