So.....who does it?

How do you cook it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGBPfXpd7Ms

just like that. Although I would make smaller fritters that fit the size of the slice of bread. And the bread needs to be super fresh.

A fritter to me is batter (Beer batter) that's a white bait omelet!

An acquired taste Muzza?

Flavour wise i put them in the same class as scallops, crayfish etc. Not strong, and you can wreck them by adding too much other stuff.

There is a small bait fish (about 100 times bigger than those) about the size 7 inches long and 2 fingers wide that lives in North America. Alaskans call them candlefish. They are smoked and so fatty they can light fire.

They had them in New England, but I never ate one there. They are supposed to be really tasty.

these guys are the juvenile form of several species of native fish. they are born in rivers , run out to sea once hatched and spend at least a year in salt water. In sea water they are sticky , gelatinous and easily damaged , but once they enter fresh water again they harden off but still remain translucent.
There is a set eason for them , varies in length from area to area , and some people make a years income from fishing these guys for the 3 month season.

Shanks is correct - egg and whitebait is all you need , maybe a touch of salt and pepper . Mixing other stuff in just ruins it. Philistines might add a splash of tomato sauce ( ketchup ) but its not needed

https://www.niwa.co.nz/freshwa...q/what-are-whitebait

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Had them fishing up Bay of Islands as the saltwater version - omelette for breakfast. Tasted superb! Have not eaten the fresh water version. Looks great! Must do one day!

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I fondly remember getting shanks to pull the car up in a little town between C/church and A/pass or somewhere like that as they had a board out the front advertising WHITEBAIT SANDWICHES $5....

STOP!

I remember those fritters well from Stewart Island - wish I could find some in Melbourne.

there is a Chinese ( isnt there always ? ) substitute that is smaller and tasteless that is found sometimes. not sure what its called but its a poor second choice

When I was living in Cairns I used to buy the Chinese stuff. Ten bucks for a frozen one kilo block. Used to make the fattest fritters for all my Kiwi visitors who would drool at the volume. Taste wasn’t too far off the good stuff from home. But, if you thought about it too hard you would realise they’re probably grown in a pretty suspect environment.