Taste Of Chicago To Serve Up Free Asian Carp Sliders On Wednesday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- You know them as the invasive species trying to enter Lake Michigan, but one Taste of Chicago booth could get you to think differently about Asian Carp.
WBBM Newsradio's Nancy Harty reports Asian Carp will be on the menu at a booth run by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday, starting at noon.
Spokesman Chris McCloud said Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop will be serving free sliders made out of the meaty – but bony – fish that, in the water, eats up so much, it crowds out native species.
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"Those people that have the culinary creativity to do it have made amazing products with this fish," he said. "Dirk Fucik from Dirk's Fish is going to be serving up mini Asian Carp sliders. I've had them, they're really good."
McCloud said the fish is popular in Asia, but hasn't caught on here.
"Americans are not used to eating fish on bones. They're used to having it fileted, and other markets, other countries, man, they eat the whole thing," McCloud said. "We are not looking to create a long-term sustainable market for Asian Carp, but right now there are so many of them, that any help in getting them out of our rivers, lakes , and streams is going to be a benefit."
The free lunch will be served up with a side of information.
"When you do come by, we hope that you also will take a listen to some of the folks that are gonna be there," he said.
Those people will be talking about all the efforts the state is making to eradicate Asian Carp and protect the Great Lakes from the destructive fish.
