Abstract
BackgroundMany freshwater fish species that were earlier appreciated by consumers have disappeared in the central, north and west European foodways. Although they were regarded as healthy and tasty, commercially captured marine species and highly processed products have nowadays replaced these fishes. The global transformations of the food system contribute to the erosion of many local foodstuffs. Habitual tastes disappear.MethodsThe article is based on a vast amount of scattered original data found in sources such as in local ethnographical studies, fishing reports, topographic literature, zoological literature, archaeological fish reports, and cookery booksResults and discussionThis article discusses how Eurasian ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua (L., 1758), once was used, and the reason for its disappearance, as foodstuff in some parts of Europe. Actually, it is a fish with potential for a revival as fine food. The authors discuss the chances of its rediscovery as a foodstuff, which could be used for instance within the concept of the New Nordic Cuisine and beyond. There are also environmental reasons to increase the use of local biodiversity not to mention making tastier food.ConclusionRuffe is a common species in many waters and nowadays a non-used potential food resource.
Highlights
Nowadays most anglers and fishermen in Central, North and West Europe probably have an aversion to the spiny Eurasian ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua (L., 1758) (Synonym Acerina cernua), if it is accidently caught on the hook or are trapped in nets
In the early nineteenth century, it was still captured by poor people in some parts of Sweden, and it was even known as ‘royal food’ among them (Fig 1) [8]
In Sweden Carl Linnaeus culled it from the official Swedish pharmacopoeia in 1750 [15, 16]
Summary
Nowadays most anglers and fishermen in Central, North and West Europe probably have an aversion to the spiny Eurasian ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua (L., 1758) (Synonym Acerina cernua), if it is accidently caught on the hook or are trapped in nets. It is a well-known species over its distribution range and has many local names. This article briefly discusses the former importance of ruffe as food in Central, northern, eastern and western Europe, providing an overview of this particular fishery whose decline owes more to changing culinary tastes than overfishing It deals with the catching methods, preparation and consumption of this fish resource.
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