Cooking Whole Fish, Canadian Cooking Theory, Billy Beer

Hey Y'all,

I have had a number of comments about my new blog format for my newsletters.  I hear you!  Not all of you are clickers! I am fixing it this week by sending you the content in the email and then copying it into my blog.   That way if you ever want to go back and find some simply charming photo of my dog or a recipe from a former newsletter, you can go there for it.  If you are, in fact, a clicker and would prefer to see it in blog format, just click away at the link at the bottom of the email.   

Fin Mail

Thanks so much for all your love and photos this week.  My friend, Mary Mayer of Cheeses and Mary sent me this photo of her work.  There is a ton of beautiful food on this board but I think our shrimp is holding its own.

Loaves & Fishes

Here's her sweet note that came with the picture.

Last night we had the privilege to host a Corporate Team Building event and created a post-meeting Nosh board.  We are so grateful to you and Theos for your outstanding Localisciousness and making us look good!  

Thanks KC, 

Cheeses loves you.

Localisciousness!  I love it and I love Cheeses and Mary!

Below is a Valentine photo from an old friend of mine from another life!  Dan Person and I used to work together as Construction Managers back before I became a fishmonger. And you thought it was the fishmongering that made me gray.  

I'm not sure how Dan managed my Valentine logo placemats but how cute! Maybe we will be offering those next year with our Valentine's meals!

And this week on Google, a 5 Star review!
Amazing quality! I have never really enjoyed fish until now. Reviews might say it’s expensive, but it’s well worth the price. The freshest and best seafood I have ever had.
— T P

ed:  Blushing and nodding furiously...

How to Cook a Whole Fish
Ellen Buskovitz sent me this picture of the red snapper she prepared last weekend.



As Ellen knows, cooking it whole has to be one of the easiest ways to prepare fish. Pick up some whole yellowtail snappers at our markets this weekend. They are already cleaned so you can simply stuff the cavity with sliced lemons, fresh herbs, garlic, and salt. Score the outside of the fish, as shown in the picture above, about every inch or so. Rub the outside of the fish with olive oil. Lay the stuffed fish on the counter and measure the thickest part of the fish. 

Using the Canadian Cooking Theory, you can determine the amount of time to bake the fish. The cooking time is calculated by multiplying the thickness of the fish in inches by 10 minutes. If you are using a sauce, add 5 minutes. If your fish is frozen double the cooking time.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place fish on an oiled baking sheet and bake uncovered for the required number of minutes as calulated above.

How to tell when it's done?  Insert the tip of a sharp knife into the fish. If there is a very small line of translucency in the middle, it's time take it out. That little bit of translucency will cook on the way to the table. 

Overcooking fish is the number one reason people get discouraged.  Do your best to get it out before it gets too flaky and dried out.

A Few of the Available Fish This Weekend

Whole yellowtail snappers

Swordfish

Mahi

Fluke flounder

Monkfish

By special order only (order Friday for Saturday delivery)

Pompano

Catch to Go
Through Sunday it's Italian Herbed Swordfish with Grape, Amond and Barley Salad

Next week starting Monday, in honor of Mardi Gras, we are serving New Orleans Shrimp Creole!  

And Finally
President's Day was week before last and it didn't occur to me to write about it.  Like I mentioned last week, we spent the day at the Georgia  Aquarium which didn't have much to do with presidents.  No worries though because apparently my grandchildren were learning about presidents at school.  Joel must have learned a thing or two about our Georgia president, because he was even able to draw a picture of him.

I'm probably never going to become President of the United States but if I did, I hope I could see all the pictures that children in 2nd grade draw of me.  It would be humbling.  2nd graders are innocent, no politics or negativity.   Jimmy's teeth didn't even make it into this picture.

I wonder if 2nd graders learn about Billy Beer...

Blessings,

Kathleen