It’s no surprise that “sugar toad” does not suggest a mouthwatering gourmet delight. Alternate names don’t help at all: blow toad, mud toad, swelling toad, sugar bellies and more. Luckily, the names do not even apply to a toad — the creature in question is a finfish, properly known as the northern puffer.
Admittedly, the fish isn’t pretty. It’s not shaped much like familiar fish. Some call it club-shaped, some blunt-bodied. Its skin is covered with tiny sharp spikes, its mouth looks like a beak, and its teeth are few but large and powerful, with two each top and bottom, capable of crushing the crabs, clams, shrimp and other shellfish that are its main diet. It’s yellow-white on the underside, and the upper body shows a row of vertical dark stripes. Among commercial fishermen, northern puffers were mainly ignored as bycatch for years, thrown back or saved for fertilizer rather than the cookstove. Calling it a blow toad or a swelling toad added another reason why the fish was considered an undesirable — the names are a reminder that puffer fish are known to be poisonous.
Fortunately, the northern puffer is not a poisonous species. It will puff up when threatened — that’s its only defense against potential predators — and the little fish that suddenly becomes a slightly larger balloon does little to add to its appeal as dinner, though it does provide some entertainment value apart from its intended message. Despite all the reasons to dismiss it, someone discovered that the funny-looking fish was exceptionally good to eat. An Eastern shore waterman is said to have described the northern puffer as “sweet as sugar and ugly as a toad,” thus its now common name, and thus sugar toads became a staple on the menu boards of local watermen’s restaurants on both sides of the Bay.
Photo courtesy of Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
Fast forward a few years, and sugar toads began to appear on the listings of high-end restaurants in Williamsburg, Richmond, Washington and beyond. The menu may show them as sea squab, chicken wings of the sea, or chicken of the sea, a credit to the chefs for fine presentation and to the promotional teams for a successful change of perception. Either way, the fish has gone from bycatch to fine dining. Usually coated with a batter and sautéed or deep fried, the fish is served almost whole, minus the head and skin. Because it’s prepared with the spine of the fish still intact, it’s the perfect appetizer, served with lemon juice and one or more dipping sauces. Each restaurant will have its unique variation on that theme, but sugar toads are meant to be eaten like a tiny ear of corn, hand-held like chicken wings or chicken legs but nibbled on each side. The white meat has a delicate sweet flavor similar to white perch and sea bass.
Because of their newfound popularity, northern puffers are now targeted by watermen. Recreational fishermen catch them on hook and line while bottom fishing, often with a two-hook bottom rig. In the lower Chesapeake and its tributaries, the fish are found from early spring to autumn, and in winter in deeper waters offshore.
If the family fisherman brings home fresh-caught sugar toads, the cook might need help initially with cleaning the fish, as the skin is like rough sandpaper and must be removed. The obvious benefit of buying sugar toads at a local market is that the fish will most likely be cleaned and ready to cook. They can be purchased fresh from May to October and can be frozen for availability year round. Fresh sugar toads should be cooked within two days of purchase. Deep-frying seems the most popular way to prepare the fish, but everyone can experiment, perhaps with recipes already in the family-favorites file. The range of possibilities for dipping can create a change of flavors each time sugar toads are on the menu.
Photo courtesy of Arnest Seafood.
BUTTERMILK FRIED SUGAR TOADS WITH HOMEMADE TARTAR SAUCE
Serves 4
Ingredients:
• 1 pound Northern Pufferfish (a.k.a. sugar toads), cleaned with skin/fins removed
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• Oil (or Crisco) for frying
Directions:
Preheat oil to about a 1 1/2 inch depth in a cast-iron skillet until a thermometer reaches 375 degrees. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish mix together cornmeal, flour, Old Bay, and peppers. In another small dish, whisk together egg and buttermilk.
Pick up sugar toads by the tailfin and dip them in the buttermilk mixture and then dredge in flour mixture. Fry in hot oil until lightly brown and crispy. Be careful not to crowd the fish. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Lightly sprinkle fish with sea salt. Serve with tartar sauce and garnish with lemon wedges.
HOMEMADE TARTAR SAUCE
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickles, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, more if you like it spicy
• Pinch of Cajun seasoning or Old Bay seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Cover and chill.