Marinated Sable, Farmed Fish, and New Hours

 

Hey Y'all, Happy Friday! I make a drive almost every day to all three stores and one part of that trip involves the stretch down Old Milton Parkway between Milton and Johns Creek. As I sat at the light at 400 this week I was startled to see the Christmas tree that sits atop an office building there every holiday season. That's when it struck me. The season is upon us! Of course, I panic because, like every year, I'm not ready. This year, however, is a very different story from years past. Last year, in the midst of COVID we had double the number of customers over the holidays because so many people were looking for something special and new to prepare at home after the restaurants closed. We barely managed to survive the Christmas week. This year, we still have plenty of customers but we have half the staff from last year. The employment crisis has struck small businesses like mine in a big way; we have basically 3 employees per store as we head into the busiest days of the year. Therefore, I have had to make some painful decisions about how to handle the holiday rush while keeping my employees safe, healthy and sane. So here's the new plan for Christmas 2021: Starting this coming week we will be closed on Tuesdays so that everyone is guaranteed a day off. We will not be accepting any special orders for Christmas week on anything EXCEPT live lobsters and caviar. The last special orders of the holiday week will be filled on 12/17 (that's the Friday before Christmas). We will do our best to provide crab cakes and lobster rolls but when we run out after the 17th, that will be all we can do. We will close at 3:00 on December 22nd, 23rd and 24th. We will be closed as usual on Christmas Day. After Christmas, we will be closed on Sunday, December 26th to have two days to rest our sore feet and to have the first extended holiday vacation for our family in 10 years. We will resume our regular hours on Monday, December 27th. All of this will be posted on our website if you need to double check. After ten years of filling hundreds of Christmas orders, it is a strange thing indeed to cancel them for Christmas week. I promise to fill my store to the brim as much as I possibly can to satisfy all your holiday needs. You will need to come with a bit of patience and maybe some flexibility in your meal planning. Where's the Shrimp???? Mother Nature is up to her old tricks again and she's hidden the shrimp from us. Most years by this time, we are swimming in shrimp but this year it's been hit or miss. Mother Nature's bag of tricks includes water currents, tides, moon phases and air temperature. Any of these can keep the shrimp in the grassy areas of the bays and sounds where boats can't reach or way out in the deep warmer waters where they can't be caught. Everything has to be just right to get them out into the channels where the boats are waiting to catch them. We know some of you were looking forward to our next stop on the Hulsey Family Traveling Shrimp Show and I'm so sorry to disappoint. However, if you would like to register a complaint, please contact Ms. Nature at 1-800-WHERESTHESHRIMP? Marinated Sable You have probably heard that sable is my favorite fish. It's rich and buttery and even better than Chilean Sea Bass. My favorite recipe is Nobu's marinated sable but it takes so much planning ahead to get it in the marinade days ahead of when you want to cook it. At just $19.99 per portion, we've done the hard part for you so all you'll have to do is go home and cook it! This is while supplies last so make a plan to get in early as these will sell out fast!

Let's Talk About Farmed Fish Unfortunately, the ongoing wild vs farmed debate involves political motivations and misinformation. The truth is that both can be good choices for your family. Choosing a good mix of wild-caught and farm-raised fish is important because if we support aquaculture in a healthy and sustainable way, we will continue to have wild fish for generations to come.   Understandably, aquaculture is the number one issue new customers have. Their nose wrinkles a little at our farmed fish selection and they slide over to see what's available that is wild caught. The first thing we want you to know is that we buy from the very best farms in the world like Verlasso Salmon. You will never find any of our farmed fish doping on growth hormones or preventive antibiotics. In most cases, the farmed fish we carry come from open ocean pens in natural, super clean waters far away from any industrial pollutants or sensitive coastal areas. I agree that not all aquaculture is perfect; there are horror stories out there about cramped ponds and unhealthy uses of antibiotics and growth hormones. I give you my word; you won't find that in my stores. I promise! Give our farmed fish a try next time you come in – we promise you won’t be disappointed!  Calling All Oyster Lovers Have an oyster lover in your life? Are you one yourself? Gift your hostess, gift your friend or gift yourself one of these Oyster Beds that we just got back in stock! Perfect for any occasion - but extra-perfect for Thanksgiving holidays. Have you ever tried to shuck a bunch of oysters and serve them on a plate? A rimmed plate filled with ice can make a giant mess and a plate of salt doesn't keep them cold. The answer is to put one of these oyster beds in the freezer until it is very cold and then load up with shucked oysters. There's a spot for some sauces or lemons or horseradish and the little Trinity Beds are perfect for individual servings. Each bed comes with a packet of Cajun Butter Seasoning by Perrain's Brand, exclusively from The Oyster Bed, LLC. Oyster Beds are available (while supplies last) in 3 sizes: Le Grande (holds 12) for $135.00/ea, The Stella (holds 6) $85.00/ea, and The Trinity (holds 3) for $29.99/ea.

All About Charcuterie Boards Class We have your back with a fun instructional class that teaches how to create a great board the Kathleen's Catch Way! At your next gathering, you could feature many of the products we carry on your own charcuterie board! The class is Saturday, November 13th. We will start with a wine tasting from 4-5 PM and then pair those wines to our charcuterie from 5-6 PM at our Brookhaven Market (3436 Clairmont Road, Brookhaven, GA 30319). Admission is $65/person. This includes the instructional class, samples of all the items you can order for future use and wine samples. Plus, if you purchase a charcuterie board from us during the class, it's 10% off! This is a limited event so we are only filling 12 spots. Visit our website here to sign up. Please note that tickets must be pre-purchased and this is a 21+ up only event. Can't wait to see you there!

WEEKLY SPECIAL 11/05 - 11/11 while supplies last  Walleye Fillets for $17.99/lb From Windsor, Ontario! It's beautifully fresh and mild tasting. Walley Po'boy with Roasted Red Pepper Remoulade

Catch-To-Go This Week & Next

Until Sunday, we'll have Prosciutto Wrapped Cod with Roasted Asparagus and Hollandaise Sauce.

Starting Monday, Lemon Pepper Shrimp with Creamy Grits and Broccoli.

And Finally, With all the changes to our business while we are in survivor mode, it may appear that we don't care as much about our customers. This couldn't be further from the truth. You are the reason we are here! And I promise, as soon as we get back to normal we will be begging you for special orders instead of refusing them. I am looking forward to the day when we can provide you with the service you have always expected from us. Until then, we are committed to bringing you the very best products we can. Blessings, Kathleen