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Really fresh fish!


Laura Corin
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They land fish off the boats only half an hour from here, and there's at least one fish van that buzzes around the county selling that day's catch to people's houses.  We've never investigated this before, but as Husband works from home, we're the perfect customers (some people leave out cool boxes for the fish to be stored in until they get home).  We can't wait!  It will be more expensive, but we are moving to less animal protein but higher quality.

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Oh, I am envious. I used to spend a bit of time in East Angelia, and the fish shops all stocked today's North Sea catch. My favorite shop was The Fish Plaice.

 

There are whole fish here, some in local supermarket and an amazing, but $$$, selection at local vegetable store. And there is a specialized fish shop. I am trying to learn how to look fish in the eye and judge freshness, but I have a lot of learning to do. I would live to get them right off the boat!

 

I hope that eliminating the middleman helps the fishermen. I presume you are talking about small fishermen and not a giant conglomerate?

 

I wonder how long it will be until Amazon gets into this?

 

ETA

I drive an hour or so to get fresh poultry. The actual farm is in a neighboring state, but they bring live chickens to their shop. No preservatives necessary.

Edited by Alessandra
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Nice. Around here we can buy lobsters off the boat, and other seafood straight from the fisherman, clammer, etc. My boss is a clammer and brings extra clams and mussels in to the office when he harvests more than he can eat.

 

There's a seafood CSA local to us that specializes in the less common local fish. It's both consumer friendly and environmentally friendly, creating demand for and opening new markets for seafood that isn't overfished. Local restaurants are broadening their menus to support the movement.

 

I admit it's easy for me to fall into a rut. I really ought to branch out more, given the abundance and variety in our area.

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ETA

I drive an hour or so to get fresh poultry. The actual farm is in a neighboring state, but they bring live chickens to their shop. No preservatives necessary.

 

It's one of the things that Brits are worrying about with leaving the EU, because there are meat-handling practices that are allowed in the US that are not in the EU, and many people don't want to move to US imports. Chlorine washing of chickens is one.

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It's one of the things that Brits are worrying about with leaving the EU, because there are meat-handling practices that are allowed in the US that are not in the EU, and many people don't want to move to US imports. Chlorine washing of chickens is one.

I know I've read bits and pieces of things done in U.S. And not allowed in EU. I've yet to read a comprehensive list (I should), and chlorine washing wasn't something I knew about. But I have seen enough documentaries to realize that our food supply has serious flaws.

 

On a more cheerful note, your post reminded me of spending time as a child in Long Island, where you are never far from the water. A local fish store carried fish brought in by local anglers. I was often asked to run down to the beach and collect mussels for dinner -- lots of rocks covered in mussels. For lunch we could get out a hibachi, run to the dock or go a few feet from shore in a rowboat, and return with flounders to grill for lunch. Family and friends who wanted to get up at 6 am to surfcast caught striped bass and red snapper in season, and bluefish (oily) anytime. (I never managed to get good at surf casting.) There were also lobsters and clams and a few oysters.

 

Here in NJ, there are lots of streams, but worries about pollutants. However, there is a big trout season in early spring, when the state fish hatchery releases trout. Trout Unlimited does offer flycasting lessons -- perhaps I should try?

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Nice. Around here we can buy lobsters off the boat, and other seafood straight from the fisherman, clammer, etc. My boss is a clammer and brings extra clams and mussels in to the office when he harvests more than he can eat.

 

There's a seafood CSA local to us that specializes in the less common local fish. It's both consumer friendly and environmentally friendly, creating demand for and opening new markets for seafood that isn't overfished. Local restaurants are broadening their menus to support the movement.

 

I admit it's easy for me to fall into a rut. I really ought to branch out more, given the abundance and variety in our area.

Oh, now I am envious of you too! I don't really know enough about different fish, but I have found a fish book by Mark Bittman that is arranged fish by fish, with simple recipes. What are some of your less common fish?

 

From your name, I gather you are in Maine? Too far for me to come on a quick food run, alas. But the idea of a fish CSA makes me want to hop in the car, lol.

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We have a farm pond stocked with catfish and bluegill. I love it when my dh takes the kids fishing and we eat off the fat of the land so to speak.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have friends who lived on Chesapeake Bay. When I'd go over for dinner, they'd ask if I minded crab and then walk down to their dock and pull up a crab trap full of dinner, lol.

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We have some nice CSA options here for fish.  Or we can buy lobsters down on the dock.  And there are lots of cultivated muscles.  They also farm a lot of salmon, but I generally avoid penned salmon as they have environmental issues.  I like cultivated mussels but dd13 can't eat them, so they, and clams, are a treat. (My dad lives in an area famous for clams, they used to have a sort of beauty contest at the yearly festival and choose a Clam Queen. She sat in a giant clamshell on the parade float.)

 

Dh is a fly fisherman, but pretty picky about what he keeps and uses an unbarred hook, so I don't get much fish that way.  But he'll sometimes g to his parents when the mackerel are running and bring me back some - I only like them very fresh.

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We have some nice CSA options here for fish. Or we can buy lobsters down on the dock. And there are lots of cultivated muscles. They also farm a lot of salmon, but I generally avoid penned salmon as they have environmental issues. I like cultivated mussels but dd13 can't eat them, so they, and clams, are a treat. (My dad lives in an area famous for clams, they used to have a sort of beauty contest at the yearly festival and choose a Clam Queen. She sat in a giant clamshell on the parade float.)

 

Dh is a fly fisherman, but pretty picky about what he keeps and uses an unbarred hook, so I don't get much fish that way. But he'll sometimes g to his parents when the mackerel are running and bring me back some - I only like them very fresh.

Oh, that sounds lovely! We get Prince Edward Island farmed mussels here, and I prefer them to some of the wild/organic mussels that are more expensive.

 

Mackerel. I keep hearing how healthy it is, but i don't think I've seen it in my local supermarket. I've never cooked it, and don't think I've eaten it, although we used to fish for blufefish, which are also oily. What's the difference between very fresh mackerel and regular?

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Oh, that sounds lovely! We get Prince Edward Island farmed mussels here, and I prefer them to some of the wild/organic mussels that are more expensive.

 

Mackerel. I keep hearing how healthy it is, but i don't think I've seen it in my local supermarket. I've never cooked it, and don't think I've eaten it, although we used to fish for blufefish, which are also oily. What's the difference between very fresh mackerel and regular?

 

Well, it's a very oily fish with a strong, distinctive flavour.  And I don't know if I can quite put my finger on the difference, but it very quickly just doesn't seem as nice.  It might still be worth trying if it looks very fresh at the market, I like i with some kid of sour cream accompaniment.

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