Читать книгу Reel Masters - Susan Schadt - Страница 7

PREFACE BY SUSAN SCHADT

REEL MASTERS: BEYOND A LIMIT

With their teeming culinary calendars, perhaps the most tempting tonic I could cast out to our eight celebrated chefs was, “Let’s go fishing!” It’s a potent phrase that stirs the soul of every fisherman, especially these chefs, passionate about conservation and resolutely hooked on the beloved sport. In short order, they readied their rigs, enlisted family, friends, and guides, and planned strategy and season, eager to selflessly share their stories of the country’s most sought-after fishing spots and unknown gems.

HERE, THEN, is a firsthand and rare glimpse into their private fishing respites, rituals, and reflections. Part field guide, part cookbook, this sporting story is warm and potent, a familiar and soulful pull on the memory of that first fish, cherished recipes and a sport that provides no end of keen pleasure.

From their earliest recollections of youthful adventures and boyhood schemes to their grown-up versions of camaraderie, competition, and renewal, catching fish is the lure. Also passionate about the preservation of fishing for future generations and the requisite replenishment of nature and ecosystems, their collective voice imparts deep and lasting values way beyond a limit.

Stewards of the land and the water, these chefs work to make a difference. They support local farmers, sustainable conservation and fisheries, train rising chefs, and fight childhood illness. They are culinary entrepreneurs and philanthropic innovators that give back in a multitude of ways.

They are the real masters!

Lisa Buser’s artful eye, with photographic genius and grit, captures the essence of the bounty and spirit of bayous, backwaters, and bays, as well as the celebration of culinary culture and the sporting life. Undaunted in her pursuit of magical moments, Lisa floats seamlessly from 10-hour cobia hunts atop a three-tiered roiling tower, through the perfect storm as it looms over a deadline, to assorted late-night, deliciously un-styled food shots.

This vivid combination of images and stories embody affection, anticipation, and gracious sharing of this thoroughly rewarding sport. Chances are that each of us would describe our days spent fishing with a similar voice.

Peter Kaminsky, author of our Foreword, offers that such portrayals, “…always come out sounding like poetry, or phrases from a holy trance.” That depiction enchanted me upon first reading and remains one of my favorite phrases in his evocative and powerful essay.

You, too, will read the narrative and borrow nuggets that beg for savoring and sharing. Like a purposeful cast with rod and reel, I wasn’t quite sure where Peter was leading me, but I sure was excited when I got there. How fitting for his story of “yesterday, now, and next time.”