From bait to delicacy - calamari tastings at Clive's Chokka Block.
On a warm summer’s day in the waters around St Francis Bay, you may have the privilege to come across one of the sea’s most fascinating creatures. Once thought of as being nothing better than bait, she is now so sought after abroad that this special delicacy from our coastline seldom graces local tables.
Her slim body and eight legs pirouette through the ocean. Her diamond fins flap elegantly as she sways with the underwater foliage. Suddenly she shoots forward on a stream of water leaving an explosion of bubbles in her wake. In a flash, two tentacles whip forward to grab an unsuspecting small fish – little suckers securing the prey.
A temptress in her many guises and forms with the ability to squeeze through a space as big as her beak, the females are picky when it comes to a mate. Courtship begins far above the egg bed. Once the romance blooms, the male uses one of his long arms to place his sperm near where the egg will appear and stays with his lady until the egg has been fertilised. He gallantly escorts her to the egg bed as she cradles her eggs in her arms. Jealous bachelors try their luck at breaking the union and devious tactics are needed to ward off other suitors. Males use their incredible ability to communicate and distract with an ever-changing display of patterns and colours on their mantle. Small pockets of dye create a dazzling spectacle as they flex and contract their inky muscles.
Once they reach the egg bed, the male must still be on his guard as it is now when other large males might try to assert their masculinity and fertilise the eggs. With sperm coming at her from all directions, her mate pulls out all stops in the colour department to defend his damsel in distress. But in the end, this smart lady of the sea chooses the healthiest sperm and lays between 100 and 150 eggs in strands of a jellylike substance attached to the ocean bed or a reef. It will be around twenty days before the squidlings hatch, if the water is warm, the incubation period might be slightly shorter.
The baby chokka will have 8-12 months to frolic in the ocean, squirting around in their undersea playground. Once they have reached maturity, they must head back to the spawning ground. After the deed has been done and eggs laid, the beautiful Loligo renaudii (aka calamari) reach the end of their lifespan and either die a natural death or end up being served in a pool of butter.
At noon, on the 23rd of November, the chokka season opened. Port St Francis, one of the only private ports in South Africa and the heartbeat of the chokka industry, was busier than ever. Inspectors whizzed back and forth between anchored fishing vessels, ready to hit the waters while fishermen were ferried to waiting boats ready to cast their lines and lures.
We were lucky enough to have a bird’s eye view of all the action from Clive’s Chokka Block in the port. We also got to spend time with Clive and learn all about the calamari from our waters. The knowledge and passion this restaurateur and chef has for the Loligo reynaudii or the squid better known as chokka will not only inspire you to never want to eat any other calamari again, but also give you a whole new understanding of the sea creature that drives one of the major industries in our area.
We booked a calamari tasting with Clive to give a visitor from the States a taste of the port. Not only do you learn about the biological makeup of chokka but he also describes the way it is fished and compares it to other calamari both through taste and fishing practices.
Clive comes from a family of chefs of French and Mauritian descent and grew up in Durban. He has worked extensively in the fishing industry and has consulted globally on sustainable fishing practices. Following the family tradition, he moved to St Francis Bay seven years ago and opened “Clive’s Chokka Block.” His restaurant is one of the few places in South Africa that serves local calamari prepared in previously unimagined cuts. He has made it his mission to dispel the notion that chokka is only good as bait and educate patrons about this treasure of our coastline that has breeding grounds between Port Elizabeth and St Francis Bay.
The calamari catchers
The practice of fishing for calamari requires a skilled fisherman who can operate in challenging conditions, often working twenty hours in a row and rotating bunks with crew members for 21 days.
‘Everything you have heard about fishermen is true.’ Clive told us with a glint in his eye.
Generally, fishermen are prohibited from going ashore during their time on the boat (even if the weather is bad or the chokka are not biting) as it seems these guys enjoy ‘liquid refreshment’ a little too much. They are also superstitious about certain things, one being that if you shower while out fishing you wash your luck away. Chokka fishermen are paid per kilogram, so each man makes his own fortune.
How it works
We’ve all seen the armada of chokka boats on the horizon at night with their lights glistening. I’m sure many of us assume that the lights are there to attract the chokka. I was surprised to learn that the lights attract the fish that chokka like to prey on and the squid hang out in the shadows waiting to pounce. Because the chokka are found in the shadows, the lights on the boat are positioned so that the shadow falls just where the fisherman throws in his jigger.
Our calamari is only caught manually using a line in a process called jigging. A fishing line with a special lure called a dolly and a bit of wood to wrap the line around are used. As squid can also be caught during daylight hours nearer the ocean bed, two types of dollies are used – a light, luminescent one for the night and a weighted, larger one for during the day.
Experienced fishermen can handle up to three lines at a time. As the bulk of our calamari is exported to Europe, strict EU fishing standards must be upheld aboard. No other line fish besides calamari is allowed to be caught and strict protocols for freezing the fish must be implemented. Calamari is blast frozen on the boat and then glossed with seawater and transferred to a bigger freezer.
Unfortunately, this practice of ethical fishing does not happen globally. To drive the point home, Clive showed us a few videos of how calamari are caught commercially in other places using mechanical jigs. How the squid are caught and stored appears to be relatively unregulated and often standard of hygiene seem to be questionable (https://youtu.be/Blo0lZigay0?si=VffUVYPcC2yubys-). For an animal that only breeds once in its lifetime, there is concern over depleting resources.
Squid dissection
Another highlight was watching Clive dissect a squid, explaining the body parts and function as he went. Each squid is prepared by hand in his kitchen (during the busy seasons he hires people specifically for this job). The shiny membranes, the mantle that looks like fairy wings, the birdlike beak, the perfect little suckers on the tentacles and the ink pod with its black gold – nature’s attention to detail and magnificent beauty at every point is mind-blowing and humbling.
Local vs imported calamari
To demonstrate the superior quality of local calamari, Clive prepared some calamari from China and Argentina. He prepared each sample identically and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc was used as a palette cleanser between tastes. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that it was obvious how far superior local calamari is. We can eat it with the knowledge that it has been caught sustainably and not injected with water to bulk it up.
Many thanks to Clive and his staff at Clive’s Chokka Block restaurant for the wonderful information.
Book your tasting! Call +27 (42) 294-1615 or +27 (60) 305-0972 | Website: https://chokkablock.co.za
Pat Holme’s amazing chokka light creations
With our piqued interest in all things chokka, we have to mention one of our very talented Dune Daisies readers. Pat Holmes makes the most amazing lamps using the giant bulbs from decommissioned chokka boats. Having had a house in St Francis since 1980, Pat has watched the industry flourish and came up with the idea to recycle these lights in 2014. Over the years he has perfected his lamp-making skills and fits each light with a customised fitting and top. Every lamp is unique. In addition to hanging lights, Pat is also now making standing lamps using galvanised tubing – very chic. If you would like to see these lights, pop into Nevermind where some are up in the restaurant. Alternatively, give Pat a call at +27 (73) 1640-622 and he will undoubtedly have a creative solution for you.
Nadine's nutritious way of life
The countdown to the festive season is well underway, synonymous with mistletoe, mince pies and a multitude of calories. And if the post-season tightening of waistbands, coupled with the guilt of unobtainable New Year health plans sounds all too familiar, fear not, we have just the lady for you! Dune Daisies were lucky to chat with Nadine Lahana, dynamic health fundi and owner of Nadine Lahana Nutrition Coaching. She has just completed one of her Go Green Challenges; a sustainable, fun, interactive healthy eating course. Let’s find out more…….
DD: What inspires you about health and fitness and how long have you been involved in this realm?
Nadine: My inspiration now has evolved slightly from when I was a young mom raising a baby in Canada. I had experienced both mental and physical challenges as a result of an uneducated decision to go vegetarian. I then propelled myself into an industry with a desperate need to learn more about everything from movement mechanics to the fundamentals of foods. These days, what inspires me is the need to share the truth, to set the record straight about food and help (mostly women) develop better relationships with both food and themselves.
Knowledge is power and as long as we don’t have it, we are vulnerable to every fad that promises a “RAPID RESULT” or a “BRAND NEW YOU”.
We are ultimately sacrificing ourselves to diet culture, which inherently results in a loss of control. Each time we fail a diet (because it does not consider our own unique body or lifestyle limitations) we blame ourselves or our lack of willpower! In truth, it is the restriction of elimination that does not fit our unique lifestyle.
There is no one-size-fits-all!
DD: Can you please tell us a little bit about your workshops – who are they aimed at and what can your clients expect when they sign up?
Nadine: My workshops are aimed at anyone who has experienced the side effects of serial dieting. In the past, I hosted these workshops to a much wider audience online. Although it was exciting being a part of a global community, they lacked the intimacy of in-person contact. For this recent workshop, I changed things around and invited only 20 people into my home. Having a small group like this allows daily communication. We are all part of a WhatsApp community where we inspire each other daily with recipes and I am on hand to answer questions.
The participants are introduced to a lifestyle that includes 3 BIG words – Balance, Variety & Moderation. By learning about proper nutrition, (there is no Monday to Sunday Diet booklet), they are then armed with tools to formulate their own personal lifestyle plan. The workshop challenges each individual to create their own daily balanced meal plans, using their understanding that all macronutrients are vital to body processes and optimal wellness.
I share my simple formula for FAT-loss and vitality, my BYOG Fitness plan and we get hands on and messy with meal planning and prepping (pestos, dressings and some time saving hacks)! Not everyone is here for weight loss, however, I do dedicate a good portion to explaining the importance of understanding WEIGHT vs FAT loss.
DD: What do you love about hosting these workshops?
Nadine: I’ve always said that the power of the knowledge I have obtained through individual client challenges, and the dedicated research on each, has surpassed any certification on my wall! I absolutely love how everyone is swapping recipes, sharing emotions and ideas on our group and during our sessions. As I said, the participants are all attending for different reasons so the outcome will differ person to person. I can’t wait to hear from each of them at the end of this Challenge.
DD: What are your biggest challenges?
Nadine: Although I strongly believe that there is a solution for every barrier, one of the toughest barriers for me is dispelling the myths and misconceptions that have settled in through clever marketing and product pushing.
As Epidemiologist & Author, Tim Spector so aptly put it: “PROTEIN SELLS. FIBRE DOESN’T!”
The protein push has resulted in most people consuming twice their daily needs of protein and 95% of people are fibre deficient. This explains the focus on the unhealthy gut microbiome and sudden rise in digestive issues.
Another challenge would definitely be keeping motivation flowing through the plateau phase. Commonly, the start of any challenge is the best for focus and commitment. Once some glycogen stores are depleted, the body experiences “fight or flight” and prepares for survival. The body just wants to survive! This is where weigh scales can either make or break our day and we need to remind ourselves why we are committed to this lifestyle change. The questions are: What other choice do we have? Elimination? Starvation? Yo-yo gains and losses?
And finally, there’s budget & availability. It’s easy enough for a health professional to tell someone to eat half a ruby grapefruit for breakfast, a salad of sorrel & pine nuts for lunch and a herb encrusted fillet of Norwegian salmon on a bed of polento for supper, but the reality is that most cannot afford or do not have access to these ingredients!
DD: Can you share some success stories?
Nadine: You will have to check out my reviews on Social Media 🙂 I’m happy to say there are a lot of stories with happy endings! From clients in New York, London, Germany and Australia who had the choice of top personal trainers at their fingertips but continued to “Zoom” in to my little studio every week, claiming my method produces the best results, to my lovely locals who send me heart warming reviews telling me that “in all my years of serial dieting, this is the first time I feel in control!” I think the most rewarding are those who haven’t just noticed the losses but the immense gains!
“I have suffered from eating disorders since my early teens and well into my 30’s. I have always had a low self body image and struggled terribly with finding a way to eat that makes me happy. So the biggest lesson I have experienced from your go green has been to have a good relationship with food….wow this has made me think completely differently!!
Now knowing that I do not have to count calories all day long….meal prepping and making food look colourful and delicious and not sacrificing, but substituting.
It has sparked an excitement inside me…..and I cannot wait to enjoy the journey of change ahead of me. Thanks you so very much, you are an amazing role model for wanting to live a healthier and happier life.”
Niks G
One particular favourite story features my Mom. After being diagnosed with a multitude of ailments from gall stones to diverticulitis and hiatus hernia, she came with my dad to St Francis to live with us. After her diagnoses, she came into the kitchen and said “I’ll have what she’s having!” This meant I had the challenge of spending a lot more time in the kitchen than I would have liked (no, weirdly enough it’s not my favourite place to be), churning out plant based burgers and Buddha bowls, smoothies and transforming a palate accustomed to fatty cold meats, full English fry ups, daily sweet treats, goose fat and other sources of metabolic mayhem! By the time she left for France, she had lost 20kgs and gained a whole new way of eating. Sadly, having left it a little late, her new diet was born out of absolute necessity rather than choice.
When we subject our bodies to severe overload or restriction, it takes a toll on our organs and disrupts our second brain. When we severely restrict calories then return to normal eating, we discover the frustration of not being able to shift excess weight.
Why? Simply put, we have severed signaling from neurons to working parts and we are left with an inability to UTILIZE calories as efficiently as we once could. So inevitably, we STORE. I don’t want other people to experience this.
DD: Do you have any inspirational texts/people that motivate you?
Nadine: I am very motivated by anyone who has passion and pursues goals (it isn’t easy to stay focussed when life happens despite our plans!). I am ashamed to say that I have only just latched onto the world of Podcasts. I have always been so careful of who I tune into for research or simple listening pleasure – there is just SO much quackery out there. Everyone is a Health or Lifestyle Coach these days. I have a daily challenge updating my Social Media and managing a fast scroll past ‘6-pack wielding so-called Influencers’ feeding the public utter &*!$. However, I am so grateful to have found this handful of geniuses who have, in my ripe old(er) age, given me a boost of confidence.
Keep your ears out for:
✅ Dr Andrew Huberman of the Huberman Lab. A Neuroscientist and Podcaster.
✅ Dan Beuttner. Aside from Guiness record holding cyclist, Founder and Author of the Blue Zones. He sums it all up nicely in his Documentary- Live to 100!
✅ Tim Spector. Softly spoken Epidemiologist and founder of Zoe, a personalised nutrition company that works at the intersection of food, lifestyle and health.
DD: How can we sign up for your next workshop?
Nadine: You will have to follow me on Social Media to keep an eye out for dates of my upcoming 2024 Challenges.
INSTAGRAM:
FACEBOOK:
DD: What do you love most about SFB?
Nadine: St Francis teaches you very quickly that downsizing is actually upgrading when it comes to your wellness. I love that my grown up children, who we once feared would suffer the boredom of village life, refuse to accept offers to go overseas for the holidays and explore, for fear of missing out on the St Francis vibe!