To the average Mendocino Coast diver, a 10-inch abalone can be the find of a lifetime.
But at Saturday”s Mendocino Area Parks Association cook-off in Caspar, seemingly every cook and even the Department of Fish and Game had the shell of at least one such monstrous mollusk on display.
Some cooks were willing to share not only recipes, but how to find monster abalone.
At the booth of Travis Pacheco of Fort Bragg, the tip to find giant abalone like his 10.5-inch shell on display was go to Elk and find a very, very steep cliff. “The abalone are biggest where it”s hardest to get to the water,” he said.
Uncommonly warm and direct sun in Caspar blessed the day. More than 400 people were on hand about 3 p.m, with cars parked all the way to Highway 1 in both directions from the Caspar Community Center. The big crowd sat in the sun, tasted abalone, sampled local wines and listened to live music at an event to benefit a non-profit group that funds interpretive programs for State Parks
Several people thought it was the late Ken Tallman who attracted the big crowd — and maybe even the sun — as much as the abalone and MAPA. The event was dedicated to the stout, bearded late owner of Sub Surface Progression Dive Center in Fort Bragg, who was a familiar smiling face and friend to divers from all over the country. Tallman died July 28.
“I think a lot of people are here as a tribute to Ken,” said Don Walker, whose tasting booth was called Don”s Abalone Shack.
“He was a special guy who loved the ocean. He made a big impression on a lot of people,”Walker said. A special photo board showed the smiling Tallman in poses ranging from diving feats to playing with his dogs. Tallman founded the Abalone Cook-Off 17 years ago in the parking lot of his business.
The Tallman family continued Ken”s tradition by contributing the top three first, second and third-place prizes, as well as donating nine additional Sub-Surface prizes for the cooks. Blake Tallman (one of Ken”s two sons), announced the winners and Sparrow Fazzio (Ken”s daughter), from Santa Cruz, handed out the prizes.
At the Department of Fish and Game booth, in addition to 10-plus inch abalone shells, the greatest abalone hunter of all time was on display — a stuffed sea otter. Jerry Kashiwada of Fish and Game said that had Russian fur hunters not exterminated the sea otter in the 19th century, the abalone and sea urchin industries might never have flourished. Otters dive just like humans, holding their breath. They they can lie on their backs and make the abalone a meal.
“The reason we have all the abalone and urchin is that we don”t have the otters,” Kashiwada said.
At the abalone cook-off, the closest thing to the otters” quick meal was probably the recipe of Dirk Newington, whose first year entry was “Dirk”s six minute abs.” Newington comes from Nebraska to visit and to dive for the delicacy.
Abalone, a snow white pound or two of meat which manages to taste like steak, lobster, clams and chicken all at the same time, is also inedibly tough unless pounded. Newington pounds his entire abalone whole and cooks it whole, to retain flavor.
One myth about the monster abalone is that they live very deep.
While abalone numbers in intertidal waters have declined in the last half century, Kashiwada said abalone may be doing better recently due to a decline in urchin numbers. Abalone divers must dive without scuba gear for the rich delicacies, meaning they are only harvested to about 40 feet. Many divers think the biggest abalone are down just a little bit farther. Kashiwada said that might be a bit more abalone mythology.
“They don”t live too much below 40 feet, they actually start to thin about below that.”
Travis Pacheco”s abalone ravioli balls were surprisingly tender in the pasta shell, the pure white meat impossible to distinguish in the white sauce and white ravioli shell.
There were 33 cooks each using about a dozen abalone to make the required 200 portions.
Volunteers are the heart and hands of the annual cook-off. The event would not happen without all of the dedicated people who give of their time and skills to support MAPA”s fund-raising efforts.
Moneys from the event help provide funding for nature programs in the State Parks of the Mendocino District such as Jr. Rangers, Campfire Programs, School Field-Trips, Nature Walks/Talks, and Park Interpreters who interpret the language of nature to humans. Cultural history programs are equally vital, demonstrating the inspiration of past lives via exhibits and living history programs in State Park visitor centers such as Ford House in Mendocino, MacKerricher, Van Damme, Hendy Woods and Elk/Greenwood. Public support of MAPA”s visitor centers is important to the quality of the park programs.
People are already asking how to get a ticket next year before they are sold out. Joining MAPA as a member assures advanced notice and ticket sales of special events such as the abalone cook-off.
To join, contact MAPA at 937-4700, mapa@mendoparks.org, or sign up on MAPA”s new Website www.mendoparks.org.
The winners
Three first place cook off winners won eight days and seven nights at a private villa in the Yucatan: Chris and Kelli Jensen of Paradise, Don Walker of Chico won with breaded abalone with sun-dried tomatoes, capers and lemon, Elizabeth and Michael Haydu of Roseville, Calif., won with rosemary abalone.
“Don”t be discouraged,” said Haydu to other cooks. He has participated in the event for nine years, won third place three times and second place four times before snagging first place this year. Indeed the ballots were unusually close in the top positions and the judges had many flavorful and tough choices.
Three second place winners won a wetsuit, hood, boots, gloves: David and Nadine Edgecomb, of Paradise, Tom McGinnis, of Fortuna, Terry and Janie Davis, Hydesville, Calif.
Third place won fins, mask, snorkel: Randy Forbes, of Ukiah, served naked abalone, David Michelotti, Escondido, Calif.; Gregory Newington, Sacramento.
Several locals were awarded with cook prizes:
? 7th Place: Melissa Hinkle, Caspar Beach RV Park, offered a sourdough abalone chowder bowl inspired by a camper;
? 8th Place: Steve and Shirley Mangini, Fort Bragg,;
? 9th Place: Teresa Heitmeyer and Dick Killion, Fort Bragg, served pan-fried abalone with cornmeal batter and topped with aioli sauce;
? 12th Place: Mary and Charles Brandenburg, Beach House Inn in Fort Bragg made abalone tacos.
Other local winners were Lucy Stanley and Wally Clark, Fort Bragg, who served abalone with fry bread and fried seaweed, and Jon Krebs and Scott Effinger, from the Moosse Caf? in Mendocino.
Musical groups helped carry the day, including Bob Dease, from Acoustic Serenade, Helene Chalfin with Jughandle Nature Center, Susan Arpeggio and other talented musicians. All donated their talents for MAPA”s major annual fund-raiser.
MAPA Director Carolyne Cathey contributed to this story.
