Authentic fishcake recipe for consumers abandoned by Gorton’s
There was a time when Gorton’s offered wonderful time-saving fishcake products. Canned ‘ready-to-fry’, Gorton’s brand frozen fishcakes and fishballs, and best of all, Red L brand frozen fish cakes made with exactly the right proportion of salt cod. But no more.
So here’s a question for readers …. Are fishcakes obsolete?
For posterity, here is a recipe from our artist friend, the late Mary (Desmond) Lizotte. It came from her mother. Mary’s father was from Nova Scotia and captain of a square rigger.
Al and Phyllis Bezanson
Editor’s note from Joey: Best fish cakes ever were made by old timer and good friend of ours at the dock who has passed a long time ago now- Leo “The Flounder” Ciaramitaro but Leo’s fish cakes would have a whole lot of garlic in them. God, Frank and I used to pound down a tray of them at the dock.
Good Morning Gloucester 
So much appreciated by this homesick Glosta girl who misses real fish and real seafood! The last time I had fish cakes was at a Mother’s Day breakfast with my two boys aboard the Thomas E. Lannon several years ago-and they were the best fish cakes of my life–served with baked beans and I don’t remember the rest of the meal though it was all delicious, because the fish cakes were to die for! I have dreamed of those fish cakes ever since and kicked myself for not getting the recipe from the ladies who made them. This recipe looks like it might be it! Endless thanks for sharing! It is a real treasure!
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Hard too find good ones since everyone wants to skimp on the fish and so uses too much potato, but Lee’s are pretty good. Maybe cod, maybe not. Al, how much salt cod do you suppose was in a box in that recipe?
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Tom, I think the standard 16 oz box is right for five pounds of spuds. Skimping on fish is not a bad thing these days. Nothing wrong with adding some fresh fish to the mix, however.
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There’s a great recipe I’ve used for years from The Taste of Gloucester A Fisherman’s Wife Cooks cookbook. It uses less potato, a little breadcrumb, Parmesan, garlic, and parsley. Sounds like Gloucester, doesn’t it? Delicious as a fishcake or a cocktail size fish”ball”. Very popular. At times, I’ve used fresh fish or a combination of fresh and salt. Also good for breakfast with poached eggs. Might have to make them this weekend!
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This is the way I’m used to and love
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Gorton’s was an early pioneer in the convenience foods business. ‘Ready-to-fry’ was a signature product before the innovation of Clarence Birdseye caught on. These are from Gorton’s 1937 ‘134 delicious DEEP SEA DISHES.’
Al Bezanson
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Joey, Schooner39 Al bezanson…
You found gold here indeed! We lived off these fish cakes growing up! Circa 1957-1968 (lot’s happened in the 50’s :-)…I to this day buy the local Gorton’s shipped our way in the military commissary here many miles away still love them all and fish sticks, frilled garlic type and scampi…
Know how to make a grown man cry here thanks for the memories 🙂 Dave
1849 to present 🙂 Older brother and wife (girlfriend then) worked at Gorton’s in early 1970’s I believe about 6-8 months before returning west.
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My heart goes out to you Dave. If you get back to Gloucester be sure to make the rounds of Gloucester’s many breakfast establishments where fishcakes and beans are featured.
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Thanks Al, maybe the adventure will take place I hate flying and from here South Korea it can be a challenge I do miss the small town feel and folks 5 minute walk from house then to lanes cove and pester George Morey then and Duke who had us believing it was a shark long before jaws…I was told by another source shotgun accident (?) Didn’t matter he had the circle oar down pat 🙂 Dave
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