Ikejime Tai
Tai Snapper is actually not a snapper at all. It is a pink sea bream, or porgy, in the Sparidae family. The snapper title, according to legend, was given to this fish mistakenly by renowned eighteenth century British navigator Captain James Cook. With its pink and silvery scales, it does bear a close resemblance to the American Red Snapper, a common fish in Atlantic waters, which likely explains the confusion. Market Names for this fish also include ''New Zealand Red (or Gold) Snapper.''
Most Tai Snappers are wild caught on longlines in the cold waters between New Zealand and Japan, where this fish has attained its greatest popularity (ours hail from dayboat inshore catches in the waters of Northern New Zealand). The Japanese revere it as one of the best-tasting fish in the sea. The word ''tai'' in Japanese means ''good fortune'' - and is often served there at celebratory feasts from New Year to weddings, and even the birth of a child. It is fortunate for us all that this delicious fish is flown in fresh from New Zealand, and is always of high quality.
Malaysia
