No. 172 - Toothfish

For lunch today I had Chilean sea bass with a soy ginger onion sauce, a spicy tuna roll, and a side salad. It was yummy.

I wondered if Chilean sea bass was from Chile. I mean, if you call yourself a "Chilean" sea bass, shouldn't you be from Chile? I previously learned about Chile in Post No. 58 and Chinchillas who live in Chile in Post No. 15.

I learned that Chilean sea bass is not from Chile. And it is not really a bass at all. Well that makes sense.

Chilean sea bass, also called Patagonian toothfish, is a fish species which became very popular for human consumption in the 1990s. It is caught in the cold, deep waters off the coast of Antarctica, and earned the name Chilean sea bass because Chile was the first country to bring it to the popular market and "sea bass" was deemed more commercially viable than "toothfish."

The Chilean sea bass is a pretty ugly fish, with a somewhat prehistoric appearance. The Chilean sea bass has large eyes, an thrusting jaw, and a muddy skin color. Unfortunately for the fish, the athletic deep sea lifestyle it lives results in a delicious white meat which has minimal oils and a firm texture, standing up well to grilling, baking, sauteing, and other such cooking applications.