Hake, Lobster Tails, & Father's Day

 

Hey Y'all, I hope this email finds you right smack in the middle of summer fun. To go with summer fun, you need some extraordinarily good summer food, such as fish! This time of year, you need light meals that give you the energy you need to get up on those water skis or hike the Appalachian Trail or just to keep up with your kids. And no one wants to spend the afternoon in the kitchen - there's too much to do outside! A quick nutritious and healthy meal is the ticket. This is a delicious, healthy summer meal that comes together in 30 minutes! Horseradish-Crusted Salmon with Cucumber Salad Lobster Tails Our freezer stocks are lower than they have ever been. Why? Covid, of course. Now before you roll your eyes (I see you doing that), put yourself in the position of the supplier of these products. Fall is the time of year when most of the lobster tails are frozen. It's when many cold water lobsters are weak from molting and get picked to lose their tails since they are dying anyway. At this time of year, you, as a processor, would have to spend a great deal of money to buy the lobsters, hire the people to process them and then store them in freezers while you wait for customers to buy them. Last fall was COVID. Restaurants were closed. People weren't working. There was no vaccine. No one knew how long the country would be shut down. Do you really want to take the risk to pay your limited workforce top dollar to put up a bunch of tails when you have no idea how long you will have to pay to store them? Not if you are a savvy business person. You will wait to see how things pan out. Once the vaccine was widely available the restaurants opened with a bang ,but there was very little time left in the season to product the tails. So shelves are bare of lobster tails (and for that matter, king crab and snow crab as well.) The season for warm water tails (Caribbean or “rock lobster” ) starts in mid-summer so we should have those tails pretty soon, and we will slowly start to get larger cold water tails as the summer goes along. I promise I will buy tails as soon I see some on the market. You should probably get out all those pandemic pennies you have been hoarding as the prices could be pretty high. Lobster Roll Mishap A few of you reached out to say that the lobster meat you purchased this past weekend did not look anything like the below picture. Our new staff was accidentally cutting the lobster pieces too small. The issue has since been fixed so if you were not happy, please come back and give them a second chance - it'll be worth it! Also, thank you to all of you that answered "Yes but louder" in response to our best lobster roll in the USA question - we appreciate it!

What the Hake!? Have you seen hake in our cases but are unfamiliar with it? We're here to educate! First of all the word is pronounced just like it is spelled, like "lake". Hake is in the same family as cod and similar in many respects. It comes from the same cold waters and has a mildly nutty flavor. Hake is not quite as flaky as cod so it is a little easier to prepare and it has a nice mild flavor. Special Order Caviar When you think caviar, most people think of fancy parties around the holidays but what about getting some caviar to enjoy on a late night boat ride with your loved ones this June? It's always nice to play fancy during the summertime.

Check out our varieties that are available for pre-order from Highland & Menlo below. There is a price for every taste and budget!

Father's Day Weekend Father's Day is 06/20, just a week from this Sunday. We know the dads in your life love to grill so purchasing great seafood for grilling is a no brainer, but what about putting together a gift basket filled with everything he'll need? We have you covered! We have a lot of spices, sauces, grilling planks, and even gift cards to let him choose what he wants to grill! We also have fresh produce that will help elevate his amazing grilling skills. If you need anything special ordered, give us a call a few days ahead so we can guarantee availability. It'll be a busy weekend!

Linz Beef Fillet Price I know it seems like we're constantly mentioning price changes but we want to keep you informed when we aren't getting some of the normal items or why pricing has changed so much. The fillet price has skyrocketed so we won't be carrying them until the price gets back in line. If you absolutely HAVE to have them, we can special order a case for you for the bargain basement price of $___ I can't even say it. It's ridiculous. Call us if you want us to insult you with this price. Mercato Delivery Just a reminder, you can always get us delivered with Mercato! Right now for new customers, you can get $10 off $35+ with the code SUMMERTIME. It expires 06/30/2021. You can always place the order to reserve your fish and then schedule a pickup instead of delivery if you pass us on your way home!

Special Until 06/11: WHILE SUPPLIES LAST Kvaroy Salmon for only $13.50/lb Here are some great recipes from the Kvaroy (pronounced KWA-RAY) website: Salmon Fillets with Crunchy Savoy Cabbage For the kiddos - Salmon Nuggets

Catch-To-Go This Week Honey Jalapeno Salmon with Zucchini - have you tried this yet? It's fun to change it up!

Next week's Catch to Go is Summer Succotash with Hake topped with Salsa Verde.

And Finally I'm always looking for the bright side of things. To get up every morning I have to believe that if things are not already great, they are getting better and better every day. It feels good to be vaccinated and to take the mask off, but if you are still struggling because prices are climbing and products are scarce, you might need an emotional boost. If you, like me, are working seven days a week because there aren't enough people needing jobs, you might need an even bigger boost. I'm getting my boost next week - a vacation in Charleston, SC. In the meantime, take care, eat fish, walk the dog and read a good book. See you in a week. Blessings, Kathleen

Barramundi and Lobster Rolls

 

Hey Y'all, One of my all time favorite fish is back tomorrow - barramundi! Yes, it is a farmed fish but it is a truly wonderful fish that meets all my standards for healthy aquaculture. No preventive antibiotics, no growth hormones, big open pens with low pen density. What's not to love? If you have been around the block with me, you know that years ago I promoted this fish but lost my source. Barramundi fans were saddened by this but now I have found a good place to get it! If you're unfamiliar with barramundi, it's a fish that originates from Australia. Barramundi has pearly-pink flesh when raw and cooks up flaky white and firm plus it has a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids. It's very versatile as it is great roasted, grilled, sautéed, or steamed. Did You Know? You can peel and devein shrimp with just a fork? Chef Jon shows you how here. This past weekend, my daughter's neighborr was gifted some shell-on, vein-in shrimp. Apparently, she has never had to devein shrimp but this video was super helpful and easy to follow! Kvarøy Arctic Salmon from Norway Pronounced KWA-RAY, this gorgeous salmon is available in our stores now! Kvarøy Arctic salmon has double the omega-3 content of other farmed salmon. This has been achieved naturally by using fermented microalgae as a sustainable source of omega-3s. Kvarøy is from Norway and if you haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting for?

Lobster Rolls Are Back! Did you see our banners? LOBSTER ROLLS ARE BACK!! We are making them as fast as we can but the crowds got ahead of us in Johns Creek on Thursday. Never fear - more are on the way today! Only $14.99 each and as you probably know, they are worth every penny. One customer even stated: "The best ever!!!! I've tried them all over the USA and yours by far are the best!!" We agree but you be the judge ;)

Are our lobster rolls the best in the USA? Yes Select Yes but louder Select

Copper River Salmon Copper River sockeye will be in all stores today at a much more reasonable price of $29.99/lb. Stop by ASAP because we are only getting 10 lbs. per store and it will go fast!

Mercato Delivery Just a reminder, you can always get us delivered with Mercato! It's also a great way to see availability before you come in.

Special Starting 06/05: (Until 06/10) WHILE SUPPLIES LAST Barramundi $17.99/lb Barramundi with Lemon Butter Sauce This recipe for barramundi is high in protein, low in carbs, sugar, and sodium plus the rich taste of the recipe is the dieter’s perfect food to make them feel as though they are NOT on a diet.

Catch-To-Go This Week Rainbow Trout w/ Parmesan Broccoli Medley and Italian Pico de Gallo

Next week's Catch to Go is Honey Jalapeno Salmon with Zucchini. (A little switch up on the dish to keep things interesting! Cooking with Chopped Champion, Chef Jon Check out here how Chef Jon conquers a blender béarnaise. AMAZING!

And Finally I hope you had a chance to watch Chef Jon on Monday win Chopped. Seeing someone you know and love looking like a star on TV is so much fun. I don't know if you caught it during the show or on Jon's social media but Jon is a man who has truly battled some demons, namely addiction. When he came to work for me he had already started down the road to recovery and even then, at the beginning of the journey, he showed incredibly fortitude and self-awareness. From the day I first interviewed him (and asked the obvious question - Why on earth would YOU want to work for ME?), I have been profoundly impressed with the man that he is. I am proud beyond measure to know him and call him my friend. If you are struggling with your own addictions, take heart. Like Jon, the recovery process could bring out all that is good in you. Blessings, Kathleen

Copper River, Sodium Levels, and Golden Tile

 

Hey Y'all, What a great time at Johns Creek last Saturday celebrating a decade of fish selling!! I loved catching up with so many customers that I have known for 10 years! I'm surprised at how sentimental I got seeing all my old friends - after all, it's just work, right? psst. lobster rolls might be in next week.

Fin Mail aka Tooting My Fishy Horn Ellyn F. - Congratulations on ten years! We've been fans and customers in all of your locations but mainly Milton during that time.  I was also so pleased to see your crabmeat in a Garnish and Gather package I was preparing at my daughter-in-law's home!  Why I like you all: CONSISTENTLY excellent products at a fair price; nice people at all levels of the business although we especially love Sara; as a businesswoman I like supporting other businesswomen.  Here's to the next 10!  Your fan, Ellyn Jalpa V. - Congratulations on 10 years. You know what? That means 10 years for me eating fish! The first fish I ever tried was dover sole sold to me by you. As they say, the rest is history :) psssts. lobster rolls might be in next week. What! You are out? One of my employees took a scolding last week because we did not have our special (walleye) in the store one day. I wanted to explain to him and to everyone else that we do our best to get our specials fully stocked in the stores but we are at the mercy of so many things such as weather, truck schedules, airline schedules, Covid staffing problems, lunar cycles and competition with other stores and restaurants for the same fish. We do a pretty good job of this, considering that we are small and insignificant in the world of seafood retailing, but sometimes the stars just don't line up right and we are out for a day or two. We always have something tasty in our cases, though, so don't worry. You won't go hungry. pssst lobster rolls might be in next week. Copper River Salmon Copper River officially opened on 05/17! I'm especially excited because I get to tell my favorite fish story, the wild salmon saga, to our new Brookhaven customers! It is a tale of determined survival, instinct, strength and a lot of heavy eating. Wild salmon start life as little eggs in a fresh water stream. If they manage to avoid predators, they spend the first year or so after hatching swimming around and eating a lot to prepare to swim downstream to the ocean. Depending on the species, salmon will spend between one and seven years swimming in the Pacific ocean. The Big Three (king, sockeye and coho) spend the longest time out there eating and swimming, building fat and muscle. When they are finally big and strong enough to make it home (how do they know how big they need to be?), they head back to their fresh water river (how do they know where to go?) to swim home to spawn. The Copper River is over 300 miles long from the Prince William Sound watershed to the spawning pools.  Not only is the river long, but "the water itself is something else—this is a wild, gushing river of icy glacial runoff from the imposing Chugach and St. Elias Wrangell Mountains." Making it back to the spawning grounds requires a lot of muscle. And since the salmon don't eat again after they enter the freshwater of the river, they have to have a lot of stored fat to supply the energy needed to make it home. These big, strong, fat fish are the best food in the world and they are caught just as they enter the mouths of the river. Fishing at the Copper River watershed is closely monitored to make sure that plenty of fish make it through to the spawning grounds so that future generations of fish will be making their way through this same process. We are still taking pre-orders for Copper River Salmon and even though prices will be high, we hope to get you the fish by next weekend. Call up your local market and get on the list! You might have this amazing fish just in time for Memorial Day Weekend.

psst. lobster rolls might be in next week.  Sodium Levels in Your Fish Are you watching your sodium levels? Well, we've got some great news - you can still enjoy your favorite seafood! Fish like salmon, cod, halibut, tuna, flounder and snapper are naturally low in sodium, providing about 40 to 80 mg of sodium per serving. While shellfish naturally contain higher amounts, they are still relatively low in sodium and typically provide fewer than 250 mg per serving – less than the amount of sodium you’ll find in two pieces of bacon. It’s also important to remember that seafood provides a ton of healthy nutrients, such as protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins D and B and selenium, all important nutrients needed to keep you going strong! Here are the true sodium levels in our biggest sellers uncooked: Tuna 6 oz. - 39 mg Chilean Sea Bass 5 oz. - 56 mg Salmon 4 oz. - 67 mg

Memorial Day Weekend It is going to be a big weekend at all the Catch locations next weekend. If you're needing anything special, call ahead to get your special orders placed. We are open all weekend normal hours! psst lobster rolls might be in next week.

Special This Week (Until 05/27) WHILE SUPPLIES LAST Golden Tilefish Fillet - $24.99/lb Great recipes for this weekend: Citrus Grilled Golden Tilefish with Coconut Lime Compound Butter Buttery Tilefish

Mercato Delivery Coupons Short on time but know what you need? Shop with us via Mercato! You can have fresh fish delivered right to your door or schedule a pickup. Right now through 05/31 for first time orderers, you can get $10 off your order of $35 by using the below code.

Catch-To-Go This Week Hake with baby red potatoes, green beans and creamy lemon sauce.

Next week's Catch to Go is Catch BBQ Salmon with country potato salad.

psst lobster rolls might be in next week And Finally There's a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Employees (including me!) who are not wearing masks in the store are now fully vaccinated. And if you are vaccinated, you don't need yours either. This got me thinking about the end of the pandemic and what is different about me now then a year ago. We suffered a bit of anxiety last week as we were dealing with gas shortages. People were hoarding and staying at home. Schedules were being rearranged and people were working together to get shopping done and errands run. It felt a lot like Spring 2020. I realize now that I took the gas shortage in stride - I didn't lose a minute of sleep because now I know how to handle unexpected change. I knew I would have to make some adjustments and I called on some creative juices to keep my stores and my life running. No problem because I HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE! I have experience in dealing with the unknown. I managed it then and I will manage it now. Thanks to the pandemic I am stronger, more organized and less fearful. I got this! I hope you do too. Blessings, Kathleen

I'd Love to Meet You Today

 

Hey Y'all, It's been ten years since I opened my little seafood market with just a bit of fish and even less savvy. It was May 5, 2011. Not the best economic times for new business, especially mine which was basically an untested idea for the Johns Creek area. It started s..l..o..w..l..y. I passed many sleepless nights thinking "What have I gotten myself into this time?". I made a million and one mistakes and never felt so unprepared for my work. I'm a hard worker and had been somewhat successful in the past but this seafood market... well, let's just say I was humbled by it. Today I just want to thank every single one of the people who have supported me over 10 years and who recognized my struggle and helped me get through it. It's been a team effort and here we are. And for those of you who said it would never work, well, I have never backed down from a challenge and your skepticism got me up and going morning after morning. So thank you for your doubts. I hope you all will be by to say hello this afternoon. It's happening at Johns Creek from 12:30 to 3:00 and I would LOVE to say thank you in person. Now to back to business. Sky High Scallops The size of a scallop is indicated by the number of pieces per lb. Just like shrimp, the lower the number the bigger the scallop. We generally sell two sizes fresh - U-10s and 10-20s. The area off of Massachusetts where our scallops come from has had quotas on U-10s reduced by 50% this year as a conservation effort. So that means fewer U-10s to sell and you know what that means. The law of supply and demand dictates that few scallops mean higher prices. When the supply of the U-10 scallops is reduced, the demand for the smaller sizes increases and so the 10/20 scallop price goes up too.  I promise to stay on top of these prices and lower them just as soon as the scallop market will allow. King Salmon Troll caught king salmon are here. Coming from the area of the Columbia River up to SE Alaska, these fish are not showing in large numbers like you will see in the summer. Some kings show up early outside the mouths of the rivers where they will spawn where they swim around and feed for a few weeks, building up their strength for the return upriver to their natal ponds. The government allows some hook and line fishing around this time but no nets so the catch is low. Troll caught fish are generally very high quality because they are individually handled. But low catch means higher prices (see above on supply and demand). The Copper River marks the official start to trawl net fishing for salmon and that opens Monday. The catch will be kings and sockeyes and will still be limited numbers. For the first couple of weeks, fishing will be open for only one or two twelve hour openings per week as this is when most fish are allowed to escape upriver to spawn which will continue the population. I will bring in the Copper River fish by pre-order only. I don't know the cost yet but my guess is it will be between $30 and $40/lb for the first fish. If you can hold off until mid-June the price should lower as other fishing areas open.

Saturday's Birthday Party It's finally here! Today from 12:30 until 3 PM at our Johns Creek location, we're going to be throwing a really fun event that you won't want to miss! We'll be having sliders, raffle prizes, and a few cooking demos - one with Chef Jon who will show you how to crisp fish skin on the stove top and you won't want to miss Shucking with Sara! My daughter, Sara will demonstrate how to get that deliciousness out of that oyster shell! She might even shuck one for you! We'll also be debuting our new lobster dip and showcasing our new sauces if you haven't had a chance to try them yet. If you can't make it out to our Johns Creek location but still want to get in on the fun, don't worry! At both our Brookhaven and Milton locations we'll also be having raffle prizes and sampling our new sliders. You can also get our new lobster dip and taste our sauces!

Fin Mail aka Tooting My Fishy Horn I love this note from Ed this week - I read last weeks email about sable( black cod). First, I am definitely not, repeat not, a cook. But this recipe looked like one that I could do, so I tried it. I went to Whole Foods to get the white miso, mirin, and sake. Following the recipe was easy for the marinade, and two days later I made my wife a meal that she said " If we went to a high quality restaurant and got this meal, we would compliment the chef." As a husband of 35 years who is occasionally accused of being uncaring, it's nice to have that meal to present to my wife as she returned home from a long business trip. It truly made both of our nights. Thanks again - Glad we can now dub ourselves as marriage counselors...at least when it comes to helping you make nice meals that bring you closer together! Bo W. sent us his gorgeous Verlasso recipe with this to say: The dog story was great! We love our four as you know from visiting my office! Glad to hear the ‘perky’ is back! I am sharing that last week was “S” week!  Monday-Snapper Tuesday-Sable Wednesday-Shrimp Thursday-Salmon ALL From KC Brookhaven : ) (FWIW, Friday was STEAK ; ). Salmon photo attached—Verlasso with pineapple salsa over a bed of coconut cauliflower ‘rice’. Yum!"

Specials This Week (Until 05/20) Walleye Skin-On Fillet for $13.99/lb If you're unfamiliar with Walleye, here are a few facts! We buy it from a Canadian company in Ontario, Canada that is a 45 minute drive from the Detroit airport. It flies into Atlanta one day off the boat! Walleye Pike is only a marketing name. Walleye is related but is not a Pike (which are also caught in the Great Lakes). People from the mid-West will tell you that Walleye is way better eating than Pike. In the upper Mid-West (along the Great Lakes states), Walleye is thought of as a white tablecloth fish much like people view Grouper and Red Snapper in the South. They are hook and line caught. All you southerners out there need to pick up a piece of this beautiful, mild white fish and expand your horizons!

Cooking with Chef Jon You can watch here how to Conquer Shrimp Scampi on Chef Jon's YouTube Channel. Go ahead and subscribe to his channel and check out his other videos so you don't miss a minute!

Catch-To-Go This Week Haddock with Summer Succotash and Caper Salsa Verde.

Next week's Catch to Go is Hake w/ baby red potatoes, green beans and creamy lemon sauce.

And Finally I just want to say one thing to all of you out there reading this silly email - I love you. I appreciate you. I want to meet you today at Johns Creek. (I know. That was three things - I can't help myself.) Blessings, Kathleen

Fresh Shrimp, BOGO, and Chopped!

 

Hey Y'all, We have so much to fill you in on this week: Mother's Day, Anniversary Party, Fresh Shrimp, BOGO, Chopped and a story about my dog!

Mother's Day Gifts When you stop in to pick up your Mother's Day fish, check out the selection of items that we have for last minute gift ideas. We have The Rustic House candles, Euroscrubby products, Bates Family Farm lotions, and more! You could also purchase a gift card so mom can pick out exactly what she wants. BOGO Tuna Salad Sandwich Starting today (05/07) until next Friday (05/14), we're having a buy one get one free on our Tuna Salad Sandwich! Our tuna salad sandwich is made with fresh yellowfin tuna, seafood seasonings, lemon, celery, onion, and green apple. It's SO yummy and a great out-of-the-box lunch option for just $7.99! *while supplies last, 1 BOGO per customer per visit*

Party Party Party! Our birthday party is May 15th from 12:30 PM until 3 PM at our Johns Creek location. That's a week from now! If weather permits, we will have a parking lot soire that is worthy of a 10 year anniversary. See you there! Special This Week (through Thurs. 05/13): Fresh Georgia Shrimp is BACK! Right out of the gate we are able to offer a great price on these sweet, beautiful shrimp as the boats are bringing in nice catches of 26/30 count. And below is a recipe from a TV star to boot...

Fresh 26/30 GA Shrimp: $12.99/lb Here's a great shrimp scampi recipe brought to you by Chef Jon! *Fun fact: National Shrimp Day is Monday, May 10th!*

Cooking with Chef Jon This week, Chef Jon shows you how to devein a shrimp with just a fork! You can view the video here. He also has been keeping a little secret that he finally shared on his social media pages yesterday! In case you missed it, here's his announcement: (We are soooooo proud!) Today you get happy chef because I’m very excited to announce that on June 1st at 9PM est/pst I will be appearing on @foodnetwork #Chopped! It was an amazing experience and I had an absolute blast competing with some of the best chefs I have met both professionally and personally. Tune in June 1st to @foodnetwork for #chopped at 9:00pm est/pst and watch me compete, how will I fair in the heat of the #chopped kitchen?!! Tune in to find out!

Catch-To-Go This Week Parmesan Mustard Corvina with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes.

Next week's Catch to Go is Haddock with Summer Succotash and Caper Salsa Verde.

And Finally This story isn't about fish so if you are not interested in a dog story you can go on about your business now. My dog grew a giant cyst-like thing on his side and I was worried. I know it happens to dogs often but just to sure he was fine I took him to the vet where they removed a sample and sent it off to UGA for testing. Two days later I got the bad news. It was cancer and needed to be removed. In addition to taking the big lump, they would need to remove 2 inches on either side to make sure they got it all. The large bandages wound all the way around him would have to stay on until the wound healed. I thought about it, prayed about it, meditated about it, wore out everyone I know talking about it and finally decided that I loved my dog too much to do it. I said no to the surgery. We spent two days sitting quietly on the sofa. I was very sad. I tried not to think about not having him to force me out for walks, not having him to talk to when I was alone in the house. I wondered how long I would have him in my life. I noticed that Nemo was slowing down and not his usual perky self. He seemed tired and sick. I was preparing for the worst. He had moments when he rallied but they didn't last long. He quickly came back to quietly sit with me on the sofa. Then I noticed that his rallies happened when other people were in the house. It seemed like he fed off their energy. That gave me an idea. I tried cheering up and acting normally and guess what. Nemo got better right away. Nemo was only sad and tired because I was sad and tired, not because he was feeling bad. Once I started giving out positive messages to him, he cheered up right away. Years later Nemo is healthy and happy with no sign of cancer in his bloodwork. What did I learn from this? Lesson Number One : never give up Lesson Number Two: lab tests are sometimes wrong. Lesson Number Three: you can change the world around you by changing the way you see it. Put on a smile this weekend and enjoy your dog. He will thank you for it. Blessings, Kathleen