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Eel special: 1. Elvers with 'Elver' Dave

Episode 4 of the The British Food History Podcast podcast, hosted by Neil Buttery, titled "Eel special: 1. Elvers with 'Elver' Dave" was published on August 15, 2021 and runs 38 minutes.

August 15, 2021 ·38m · The British Food History Podcast

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Summary

In part one of his three-part Eel Special, Neil focusses on eel fry – elvers, or glass eels – once a very important source of seasonal protein the south east and west of England. He visits a traditional elver fisherman to watch him haul in his catch and to find out why, paradoxically, to save this critically endangered species, we may have to eat it. Neil also looks at the ecologist who discovered that eel migrate back and forth to the Sargasso sea, the folklore surrounding elvers and provides some serving suggestions should you get your hands on some. Useful things: Elver Dave’s twitter handle: @elverdave Life cycle of the European eel video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBRnNk_uo9Y Neil’s blog post about the Eel Paradox: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/ Elvers numbers are on the increase: https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/endangered-elvers-have-made-a-dramatic-comeback-in-british-waters-following-a-year-of-perfect-conditions/ ‘Elvers in the Gloucester Style’ recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/10/elvers-in-the-gloucester-style/ The ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ project. Will he ever complete it? https://neilcooksgrigson.com/ Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email [email protected], or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery. If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.

Episode Description

In part one of his three-part Eel Special, Neil focusses on eel fry – elvers, or glass eels – once a very important source of seasonal protein the south east and west of England. He visits a traditional elver fisherman to watch him haul in his catch and to find out why, paradoxically, to save this critically endangered species, we may have to eat it. Neil also looks at the ecologist who discovered that eel migrate back and forth to the Sargasso sea, the folklore surrounding elvers and provides some serving suggestions should you get your hands on some.

Useful things:

Elver Dave’s twitter handle: @elverdave

Life cycle of the European eel video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBRnNk_uo9Y

Neil’s blog post about the Eel Paradox: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/

Elvers numbers are on the increase: https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/endangered-elvers-have-made-a-dramatic-comeback-in-british-waters-following-a-year-of-perfect-conditions/

‘Elvers in the Gloucester Style’ recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/10/elvers-in-the-gloucester-style/

The ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ project. Will he ever complete it? https://neilcooksgrigson.com/


Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email [email protected], or find me on twitter @neilbuttery, or Instagram dr_neil_buttery.

If you like my blog posts and podcast episodes, please consider a monthly subscription or buying me a virtual coffee or a pint? Go to https://britishfoodhistory.com/support-the-blog-podcast/ for more details.



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