So we spent our Sunday bringing this beast up from the deep. For those who can't ID it, this is an Atlantic Cod. It looks big, but, they used to be easily brought up at 2 to 3 times the size you see. Those days are far gone. I'd read a book which does a great job telling the history of the Cod in relation to the western world in an entertaining way. It is a great story about how the fish had a huge impact on our history.

The thing about the Cod is that it is almost the perfect fish for building a culture around. They grow quite large, they eat just about any food found on the bottom (ours had a crab and two fish skeletons in its belly) which conveniently means they are easy to get on a hook, and they are not big fighters. If you hook one you caught it, the size doesn't matter. The most important feature that helped the west is that they are incredibly low in fat and the flesh can almost be dried completely. This means that it can be perfectly preserved and will last indefinitely if properly handled. Truly beautiful. Even more beautiful is that they are so easy to catch they almost seem to be giving themselves to you. Like apples from a tree.