Texture and tradition. For those with love for this nostalgic dish, nothing else quite compares. Seasonally sourced from late winter to spring, shad—a local fish caught off the coast of Long Island, shad roe (the eggs of the shad fish enclosed in a delicate sheath) is a classic American delicacy. Uncooked, it has a rust to ruby red appearance. After cooking, it has a firm, liver-like character. For a rich taste of spring in New York, sauté these delicate “sweetbreads of the sea” in butter, onions, and bacon and serve with sautéed cabbage, and enjoy the “pop.”
