Mother's Day, Fish for Soon to Be Moms and How to Feed Kids Fish

Hey Y'all, Sunday is Mother's Day so all of you that are looking for a meal for your mom better head over to the Catch. Your mother does not want a 16 oz. ribeye steak cooked on the grill. She does not want a rack of barbequed ribs. She wants a beautiful piece of fish that is delicious and still kind to her figure. Mother's Day is a big day for us so if you have a fish in mind, you better give us a call so we can order it for you. Not sure what to do? If I were you, I would pick out some beautiful Chilean sea bass or Pacific halibut portions to bake or saute. If you are thinking of grilling, get some skin-on dotted rose snapper or a Verlasso salmon fillet. Some moms might like a seafood boil of shrimp, clams, mussels and crab legs and if you are doing the old "newspaper on the table" trick you won't have much to clean up. Happy Birthday to Us! It's hard to believe I have been doing this for 8 years as of May 5th! Way back in 2011, I had been contemplating the idea for a market for a few months when one day I found mysef waiting for a hair appointment at my new hairdresser, Tara Burroughs Salon. I was early so I was spending the time reading a book (never go anywhere without one) in my car. I looked up at the For Lease sign in the window and thought, "Maybe that's the spot." One thing led to another and here I am writing you emails about my 8 years of seafood sales in Johns Creek (and still loving Tara Burroughs Salon). In these years I have made so many friends both at Johns Creek and at our second location in Milton which came along five years later. I have learned so much and had so much fun. It was a long curvy path that brought me here and I am so happy I did it! I would love it if you would join me next Saturday, May 18th at our location in Johns Creek. We are throwing a party with our neighbors, Johns Creek Wine and Crystal (celebrating 7 years!) and would love to see everyone there. The party starts at 1:00 and goes until 4:00 with lots of wine to taste and seafood to enjoy. Fin Mail Hi Kathleen, The State Bridge fifth grade has finished the Oceanography Science Force and we are so excited about our trip to the Burton 4H Center on Tybee Island next week. Georgia is so fortunate to have the 4H program on Tybee and Jekyll to teach our students about our oceans. Thank you so much for your support of this program. The kids loved the octopi, fish, shrimp and crabs! Thanks! Amy Rice

What Fish To Eat When You Are Pregnant?

As if lugging around a 10 lb. boulder/baby in your gut isn't enough all by itself, moms-to-be have to be really careful what they eat. Everything that goes in her mouth can help or hinder the babies growth and development. When talking about seafood, it can be scary!! If you are pregnant or nursing, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that pregnant women eat at least 8 ounces and up to 12 ounces (340 grams) of a variety of seafood lower in mercury a week. Seafood, which includes fish and shellfish, can be a great source of protein, iron and zinc — crucial nutrients for the baby's development. The omega-3 fatty acids in many fish, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), also can promote the baby's brain development. There are so many benefits to eating seafood! But some types of seafood — particularly large, predatory fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish — can contain high levels of mercury. Although the mercury in seafood isn't a concern for most adults, special precautions apply if a woman is pregnant or planning to become pregnant. If she regularly eats fish high in mercury, the substance can accumulate in her bloodstream over time. Too much mercury in the bloodstream could damage the baby's developing brain and nervous system. That's the scary part. So what's safe to eat? Eat a variety of seafood that is low in mercury and high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as: Salmon Sardines Trout Shrimp Cod Catfish What not to eat: Be careful not to eat too much tuna. Limit yourself to 6 ounces a week. Skip uncooked fish and shellfish. To avoid harmful bacteria or viruses, don't eat oysters, sushi, sashimi and refrigerated uncooked seafood labeled nova style, lox, kippered, smoked or jerky. Cook seafood properly. Most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F (63C). Fish is done when it separates into flakes and appears opaque throughout. Cook shrimp and lobster until the flesh is pearly and opaque. Cook clams, mussels and oysters until their shells open. Discard any that don't open. Source: The Mayo Clinic How To Get Kids to Eat Fish Wouldn't it be wonderful if kids sat down to dinner every night and said, "I am so glad we don't have to eat McDonalds Happy Meals today and can enjoy a nice piece of salmon instead." Maybe you can force your kids to say that on Mother's Day but if you are hearing that on any other day you might be hallucinating and should see a doctor. In the section above I write about the importance of seafood to the developing brain of a fetus, but the positive effects don't stop at birth. Growing children need the benefits of seafood as their brains, bones and heart continue to develop. How to get them to eat fish? The most important thing you can do is involve your children in the process. Let them come to the market with you and pick out their dinner. Partner with your child in the kitchen by prepping, slicing and cooking together. Kids love carbs. Pick their favorite carbs and then toss in a bit of fish. Let them help you decide whether to put shrimp or salmon in the mac n cheese or fried rice. What's their favorite food? Tacos? Pizza? Asian Noodles? All of these can add a little seafood to their diets. Little hands love little sandwiches. My grands love Kings Hawaiian rolls. A few saute'd West Coast Dover sole fillets and a zesty sauce is perfect on these little rolls. Dining al fresco makes any food fun. A blanket on the lawn or a gathering around the patio table will encourage kids to eat what's on their plate. Here's a kid friendly recipe for eating outdoors: Shrimp, scallop and pineapple kebabs with cilantro aioli  (Serves 8) Ingredients 1 pound fresh or frozen peeled and deveined large shrimp (tails left on) 1 pound fresh or frozen sea scallops 3 tablespoons lime juice, divided 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (Sriracha sauce) ½ teaspoon ground black pepper cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon olive oil ½ cup finely snipped fresh cilantro ¼ cup light mayonnaise ¼ cup non-fat sour cream 1 fresh serrano chile pepper or jalapeño chile pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped ¾ of a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1½-inch pieces (about 3 cups) Method Thaw shrimp and scallops, if frozen. Rinse shrimp and scallops; pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons lime juice, vegetable (or canola) oil, garlic powder, coriander, paprika, chili sauce and black pepper. Add shrimp and scallops, tossing gently to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Meanwhile, for aioli, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together garlic and olive oil. Microwave on High (100% power) for 20 seconds; stir. Microwave 20 seconds more, being careful not to burn garlic. Stir in cilantro, mayonnaise, sour cream, chile pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Cover and chill until serving time. Using sixteen 12-inch skewers (two skewers for each kebab), place skewers in each pair parallel to one another. Alternately thread shrimp, scallops and pineapple on the parallel skewers, dividing ingredients evenly among skewers and leaving ¼ inch between pieces. For a charcoal or gas grill, grill on a greased rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes or until shrimp and scallops are opaque, turning once halfway through grilling time. Serve with the aioli. And one last idea: How about fish fingers or fish sticks? These are simple to make and kids love to help! Home-made Fish Fingers (Serves 4) Ingredients 1 lb firm white fish fillet skinless and boneless, cut into strips 2/3 cup plain flour salt and pepper medium free-range eggs, beaten 1 cup breadcrumbs Method Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Mix your flour with a little salt and pepper. Take your fish fillets and one at a time, dip into the flour, then the eggs and finally the breadcrumbs. Place on your lined baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and cooked through. If none of these ideas work for your kids, you can always resort to smothering the fish in ketchup. Works every time. Source: Seafood Source, April 12, 2019

A Few of the Available Fish This Weekend Dotted rose snapper Lake whitefish from the Great Lakes (only $18.25/lb!) Corvina Mahi Cobia Halibut Black grouper Monkfish Cod Haddock Flounder Soft shell crabs (coming to both stores Saturday) Whole steamed blue crabs Fresh shrimp Live lobsters (special order by Friday for Saturday delivery) Catch to Go Salsa Verde Salmon with Grape Tomatoes, Garlic Green Beans and Jasmine Rice

Next week starting Monday: Oven Baked Cheesy Crab Pasta

Ceviche! Jalapeno Coconut Swordfish (Available Saturday and Sunday only) And Finally I was lucky that I had a really great mom. She was 40 when I was born, the fourth of her five children. She was smart and funny and kind of quiet and very busy. She raised the five of us to be strong, independent and decent people (if I do say so myself.) I recently found this picture of her - on the back it shows it was printed 6 months after I was born. Look at that pillbox hat. And the gloves. Holy smokes (because they are at a church and my dad and uncle are smoking). She's a Jackie look-alike, don't you think?

She's been gone nine years. She never knew I became a fishmonger but I bet she would have found that hilarious and awesome. Squeeze your mom this weekend.

Blessings, Kathleen