Black Sea Bass. Hook and Line caught by MY MOTHER. Woods Hole, MA

Haul in that catch, MOM.

We are up to our gills in BLACK SEA BASS, which is why we are passing the HUGE, MASSIVE, ENORMOUS SAVINGS along to you!! These fish are running absolutely hog-wildoff the coast of Woods Hole, MA right now. Local permit holders, like my family, are reeling them in three at a time and sending them down to Pierless.
We have all sizes of these illustrious beauties, ranging from approximately 0.8#-5# each.
Some of the large male fish we caught have blue iridescent heads, which are truly a sight to behold. They are stunning, that is, until you learn that the conspicuous blue humped head signifies their reproductive state, which of course is DISGUSTING! HA HA.

FACT: Many male black sea bass start off female before going through a sex change. Scientists believe that this happens in order to make up for low male populations in spawning groups.
Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me.

So shake a leg, buy up a ton of Black Sea Bass and spread a smile across your big mug 'cause finally, FINALLY these fish are going cheap, cheap, cheap!

Pike and Tina Turner: LIVE AT THE GREAT LAKES!!

What's PIKE got to do, got to do with it? 

Milky-eyed Bully

Tina, you are FIERCE.

Well, first of all, they are trap caught. This method of fishing leaves minimal impact to the Pikes natural environment. Traps promote zero by-catch because any critter that sneaks in can be released unharmed when the pikes are harvested. Pike, like Ike, is a bully by nature. Walleyes are the largest, toothiest and meanest of the perch family known to regularly rip their enemies (which include not only small fish but also mammals and birds) to shreds. NASTY!!!

Walleye refers to the pikes leering milky eye that stares numbly into the abyss. Actually, this light reflecting eye is good for seeing in the dark, much like a cat's. Since the Pike like to hunt at night this eyeball is a helpful survival tool.

4-6# each, mild flaky flesh, inexpensive and good.

ANATOMY of a LOBSTER CLAW: Can you HAND-le the truth?

Have you examinated your lobs lately? If so, you may have noticed that their claws are not symmetrical. The pincher claw is smaller and sharper looking than the crusher claw and like most things in nature, there is a damn good reason for this. Crusher, as it is called, is the larger slower and dumber of the two claws, it is used primarily in hanging on tight to prey as well as female mates (ridiculous). Pincher is the smaller, stealthier and sharper of two. Stick your finger in a lob trap and you are more likely to get pinched by a pincher than a crusher. REOW! Some lobs have a crusher on the right, pincher on the left, sometimes it’s the other way around and sometimes lobs have double crushers or double pinchers. These lobs are weird and nasty-ass mutants. Biologists seem to believe that the random claw formation and location is genetic, however signs point to environmental influence as well. Once in a while a lob will lose its claw. Whether they lose it to an undersea battle or “autotrophy” (self-amputation ala Aron Ralston) losing a claw means being sold at a cheaper price as CULLS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2XLoQ1xYB0 

Aron Rolston, the guy who sawed off his own arm when trapped by a boulder in Utah.

Does this still look appetizing to you?

Lobster claws grow at an exponential rate as the lobs get older and crustier, kind of like the ears on an old man. When the lob is young and spritely, its claws may amass only about 5% of their total body weight. As they get older, the claws can account for up to half of a lobster’s total body weight!

WEIRD AND GROSS FACT: You know that curd-like, white substance that floats to the surface when you boil your lob? That is lobster blood. HAHA. Lobsters don’t have veins which means that said milky substance floats around the inside of their bodies bathing their organs, like a blood bath.

Peekytoe Lump a.k.a. Jonah Crab Body Meat

Place of Origin: Mount Desert Island, Maine

I love peeky lump because it is so refined. Not chunky like its leg meat namesake, this shredded delicacy is perfect for any crab dish you have the mind to concoct.
So my question is this: Whacha gonna do with all those lumps? Crab cake? Crab salad? Crab pie? Crab Vindaloo? That's what I'm talking about: Get creative or crab-ative. Crabasaurus-Rex, crabtini , crabunya, crabalobacter, crabodessy, In-n-Out Crab, CrabDonalds, crabatorium, Crusty Crab, crabatements on new and used crabs.

CRAB STICKS?!!!!

Sold by the 1# unit, take this crab and make it yours for the crabbin'.

Lobster

Recommendation:  Please listen to Bobby rattle off the specials on ye ol' Extension 10 before leaving your nightly fish order.  Even though the message may seem long-winded and perhaps nuttier than a peach orchard boar, the merits of knowing what fish we have available for the next day are invaluable. For example, if you listen to Extension 10 on a Friday night, you might avoid being what some of you refer to as "totally screwed" on Saturday morning because we are out of (insert fish travesty of choice here _______). 

This Guy has the right idea.

Wrong way, Stupid!

Ext 10 goes straight to the lob. Use it!

Bouchot Mussels, Green Lip Mussels

Bouchot Mussels are spawning for the next month. Gross, I know.
In the meantime we are bringing in the almighty New Zealand Green-Lip Mussel. Sold by the 2# cryo-vac unit, these mussels are big but not beastly at all.

All of the repulsive and raunchy parts of a mussle, some of which are used for SPAWNING. BARF!!!

Trap-caught Squid:

Not for the faint of heart; these foot-longers are a sight to behold. Why not call them "environmentally conscience" squid? They are harvested live from traps set along the ocean floor of Rhode Island.  Any by-catch ensnared along with the squids can be released back into the wild immediately upon capture. Squid is delicious and inexpensive. Got it? Good.

Cutie Patooty

Trigger Fish

TRIGGERFISH will be making waves as seasonal debutants tomorrow morning. Remember these little creepers? Sharp fangs for CRUSHING their enemy (prey) completely. Sandpapery rough skin to fend off enemies (predators) and a fierce spike attached to their heads for protective reinforcement. Their meat is sweet like brandy-wine on a sultry summer's eve. Why?  Because they feed on mollusks found in their natural habitat. Weighing approximately 2# each, these fish, when filleted, constitute a perfectly sized portion for your guests.  Add-on bonus: The price won't merit a nary hoot from the Big Boss.

Trigger Specimen

Other Carolin-ians in house include: Mahi Mahi, Bonito, Softshell Crabs. Call to inquire.
Why should you go Carolinas? Freshness. Availability. Proximity.
 Go FAP or go home.

Mother's Day Smelts and Octopus

Hold onto your freakin' hats because next Sunday is Mother's Day. If you are like me, the preferred child, you have already purchased some fancy spiced biscuits for your mother. If you are not like me you will be surpassed in goodness by your angelic siblings. Whether or not your mother still loves you after all these years (sorry Grandma, I am only joking), I recommend utilizing this news resource as you conspire to provide for the majestic matriarchs on their special day.

It is a known fact that Mothers love seafood and nothing, NOTHING says "Love you Mom" like a frozen tenderized octopus from Africa. Turn on the charm and turn up with a bag of Maine SMELTS. Make mommy proud!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

Mothers of the Animal Kingdom

Oh for cryin' out loud, David Attenborough,
stop posing as this birds mother!
Ridiculous.

STRIPED BASS - Wreckfish

Stripers will not available until the end of June when the Long Island area opens.  This horrifying crisis happens every year because of a little something known as THE LAW.  Let me help you entertain other options for your menu. We also offer counseling and therapy sessions by phone if this alarming newsflash has you spiraling down the long, miserable road to rock bottom.
WRECKFISH is the new Striper:

Our wreckfish is line caught off the coast of the Carolinas where the continental shelf drops into an abyss and depths range from 400-800ft. This watery under-world is also known as the Charleston Bump. The fishermen use a mechanized system in order to get their lines all the way down to the dark dankness where these stone bass lurk. It takes 45 minutes to get the 200 lb. weighted line down. Once they have enough fish on the line it takes two more hours to haul the whole rig back up to the surface. Talk about SLOW FOOD.

Apparently wreckfish is making waves in Hollywood:
http://eater.com/archives/2011/05/02/morimoto-vs-david-pasternack-in-iron-chef-battle-wreckfish.php

Line-Caught Albacore from the Carolinas.

Have a nice day!

Another cheap-skate from the East Coast, WHAT ELSE IS NEW?  I really crack myself up. Don't get mad, I only make these lewd and lascivious jokes because I myself am a Grouchy New England Devil Woman.
It is true that an albacore is neither as ruby red nor as elegant as a big-eye or a bluefin. However its loins are so economical that, given the right circumstances, the old "edibility-to-expensiveness" ratio leans dramatically in its favor. 
As a matter of fact, some of the most prestigious chefs in New York City use albacore on a regular basis. One particularly adventurous duder I know is considering albacore as an option for his sushi menu! Gotta love the PIONEERS!!

Fine Lookin' Albacore

Scups. Porgies. Stenotomus Chrysops.

I think Long Island Porgies are super. They are a "great eatin' fish" and also cheap as hell. Porgies aren't persnickety or pretentious. They aren't picky about where they live, as long as it's on the Eastern Seaboard. They aren't overfished and they live for many, many moons. They like to spawn in the in weedy areas near Massachusetts and, unlike most other fish, they like to do so during the small hours of the morning (hubba hubba). They taste really sweet because they feed on mollusks and small fish using their molar-like teeth to grind through shells and bones. Porgies are browsers and grazers; they are known to wait patiently to feed until something especially palatable meanders by. As you can see, although they haunt some of the same Coney Island boardwalks, porgy eating habits are, in fact, much different from those of 6-year-reigning-hot-dog-eating-champion-of-the-world Takaru Kobayashi. However, I do believe that if porgies were capable of having an opinion on the matter, they would agree with me when I say that Takaru is pretty gross but still wicked radical.



Disgusting!



Awesome!

Too hard for a softshell.

Softshell crab season is here and it's playing with your emotions again; a monsoon of pleasure and pain. You love those softies, and you could ALMOST get over their outrageously "too-early-in-the-season" high price, if that was the only issue gnawing at your heart. You look at the sweet crabs nestled together in their little box of hay. Cute... until you rub eyeballs with a goner. This type of encounter is like a one way ticket to horror-world. When you try to return the cadaver to your fish purveyor you are MOCKED (just kidding, but we do not accept returns on dead softies). Your alternative might be a soft-shell that's too hard for your liking... But by serving these hard-bodied imposters you run the risk of impaling a client's mouth, causing a grizzly scene in the middle of service. I would classify a grim situation of this nature as a MAJOR BUMMER. Avoid it at all costs.
So...what to do, what to do? I have the answer to your prayers: Buy FROZEN, CLEANED softshells for half the price as the live "liability" crabs. These crabs hail from Pamlico Sound, North Carolina. They have a 100% yield and they are frozen (right after being caught) by an elderly woman who has been cleaning and freezing soft shell blue crabs for a very, very long time. You want to know something crazy? You can even put these buggers on your menu, because we have plenty in stock every single day! Isn't that exciting?

Jumbos: 40$ a dozen
Primes: 32$ a dozen
Piece of mind: Priceless

Lil' Miss Crab Freezer

Hail to the King: Wild King Salmon from Sitka Sound, Alaska

Lucky for you these TROLL KING SALMONS (as they are commonly referred to) are massive fatties because they haven't yet hit the river to spawn. Pleasantly plump might be a kinder nomenclature for their husky state, but if these chunkers understood English they wouldn't take much offense to my name calling. Existing as a corpulent King Salmon looks HOT to other salmons and is good for the humans that ingest them because the extra blubber makes them tasty. Right now is the best time of year to eat these salmons, so pick up while they are still large and in charge.

Troll Kings, not to be confused with...

King of Trolls.

Global Economy and Fish Prices:

During the deepest part of the global recession fish farmers around the world found themselves in a predicament. With fewer monetary resources to buy fish for future harvests, compounded by the inability to get a loan from the bank, fish farmers had to cut back on the amount of fish stocks they put into their farms. Now, almost two years later, the time has come to harvest these stocks. With the economy on the rebound we now see that demand is outweighing supply. This pressure on the global fish economy is becoming evident as we watch prices go up, not only in wild species but in farmed species as well. Farmed fish stocks that we know are being affected by the economic uncertainty of the past three years are: salmon, daurade, loup de mer, trout and catfish.
The disaster in Japan is also taking a toll on the fishing industry. Japan as a nation is one of the top suppliers as well as consumers of fish in the world. Soon the products they can no longer harvest from their own country will need to be replaced by substitutes. This cause and effect relationship will probably be felt by all of us as prices on scallops and other seafood items popular in Japan are pushed upwards alongside demand.
Read this captivating article by the Wall Street Journal to learn what other restaurant owners and market analysts have to say about rising food costs:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703806304576243203052636840.html

Meagre Fish: The Mediterranean Corvina

Let's explore the realm of the newest sea varmint to hit our cutting boards: The Meagre.
FACTS: Meagres live on a farm in the Mediterranean Sea and they do not give a darn about anything at all. They aren't exactly the Gisele Bundchens of their genus, no meager has ever held an MBA from Harvard and they don't have sharp fangs or do any crazy tricks like hammerheads or blowfish.

Lucky for you she isn't much of a talker.

So what makes the Meagre the hottest new fish in the Yard? The only thing that matters: They taste AMAZING. Meagres are similar to, yet creamier, denser and sweeter than striped bass. These winners weigh between 4-5# each and they have a 50% meat yield. Yes, that is an impressive yield. Meagres aren't very expensive and they will change your game, helping you to claim absolute victory on every front.

Teamwork. Bang.

Her-ring in the spring.

Despite the disgraceful weather we are experiencing today in New York, spring is technically upon us! What better way to celebrate (and what kind of curmudgeon doesn't enjoy a celebration?) than with a big box of shiny Maine herring. These babies are sleeker and chic-er than a silver Lamborgini Countage shrunken to Lilliputian-esque dimensions. Herring vary slightly in size, however there are usually about 3 fish per #. Feel free to pickle them, cream them, fry them, smoke them, wine them and dine them. No matter what you do to them, they will make you and your menu appear more provocative, interesting and mysterious.

Three words for those of you who are still haters: Priced To Sell.

Herring Babes

Haddock: Melanogrammus aeglefinus.

Our haddock is line-caught off the coast of Massachusetts. Weighing between 4-6# a pop, haddock holds it down with a generous 45% meat yield. I am beginning to realize that my obsession with haddock is reaching new heights (Does having lucid dreams of swimming amidst a school of haddock raise any red flags?). Probably because my father was a commercial haddock fisherman, I adore it. Growing up, we considered haddock our "bread and butter" in every sense of the phrase. This is the fish that paid for my Driver's Ed. class, bought a truck for me when I was 16 and later paid the increase in insurance rates when I rear-ended the living daylights out of someone merely two weeks into my long and embarrasingly poor driving record. Now there is a fresh generation of teenage Cape-Cod-fisherman's-daughters shaking down their Pops for new dresses, cheesey 30 dollar hair-do's and cases of Bud Light for their upcoming proms. In other words: Support New England teenagers in all the stupid havoc they wreak by purchasing haddock!

Thank haddock for bringing these two gems together.

If this isn't reason enough for you to buy haddock, please examine the following scientific data:
Biomass indexes for haddock have reached twice their target levels in recent years. Haddock is neither overfished nor is it subject to overfishing. Haddock fillets are sweet and soft like ethereal slices of cloud-matter.

Ye Old Timey Shad Roe

In the olden days, hungry children on the Eastern Seaboard sat around the wood stove in their hovels waiting eagerly to get their mitts on some early spring shad roe: 
"Mammy, Mammy git me a ripe and bulbous pair of shad roe you old hag!!" they cried out with fierce glee.

Their pupils swelled to the size of ha' pennies as they stared blankly at each other licking their chops and pounding their utensil clad fists on the table in unison. Evil Children. Then Mammy would waddle her fat patoot down to the local dock, score a few lobes and fry them up in lard to feed her brood.

Evil Child cerca 1900

Shad roe is seasonal, which you already know. It is from the Carolinas and it is really cool, if you are cool enough to pull it off. As usual it is accentuated beautifully by none other than our beloved pork commodity, bacon. Try saying "bacon" in a British accent, sounds like "beer can" in a Jamaican accent. You learn something new every day :)

Jah-bacon me crazy, mon!

Belizean Conch: Test it, try it, eat a TON of it.

Unbelizeable! We sell conch, which is de-shelled and frozen into 5# blocks. I just came back from Belize where, before I realized what was going on, I was waist deep what seemed like a week-long-conch-eating-contest. I ate conch every single day for a week. Conch fritters, conch fried rice, conch chowder, conch ceviche, fried conch strips, conch a la plancha, breakfast conch, conch ice cream cones with conch sprinkles and of course, conch fritters. Wait did I already mention conch fritters? I ate so many of them I started losing my mind. Anyway you cook it, or don't, it is pretty damn good. If you want to send your customers on a tropical voyage via their taste buds treat them to a conch platter with extra conch aioli served over a bed of conch accompanied by a conch frittata served directly out of a conch shell and they won't belize how delicious conch can be.

Where I stayed during my Belizean conch-athalon:

News from the Cove: Dolphin death, hellfire and massacre.

Have you seen The Cove (2009)? It is a horrifying documentary about fishermen in Taiji, Japan who slaughter approximately 23,000 dolphins each year. They sell the dolphin meat to supermarkets falsely labeled as whale meat (how is eating whale meat more acceptable, I wonder?). Dolphin meat is the color of red wine and it contains mercury levels of 20 times the recommended amount for human consumption. Talk about crazy town. The Cove explains the intentions of dolphin fishermen and the Japanese school system to serve dolphin meat as its children's mandatory school lunch. This seems like an extremely bad idea, considering the effects that mercury tends to have on growing children. Although I realize that this documentary is probably biased, it is hard to argue that killing massive amounts of dolphins and serving them to kids is a reputable plan. As someone who sells fish for a living, I think that the best lesson to take away from this documentary is that we should support local domestic fisheries which are heavily regulated. By doing this you help sustain US fisherman who are following the strict rules that usually make their jobs more challenging (and in some cases nearly impossible), but help to ensure the health and preservation of our oceans.

Dolphin blood stains the water red.
 Just another day at the cove.

I don't want you to get depressed, so I am signing off with a some new bacon bras for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!



Hey where did you get your Bac-kini? Canada? LOL



Oyster Crabs: WTF??

You crack open a sweet and salty James River oyster from the southernmost river of the Cheasapeake. Detaching the adductor muscle and slurping up the still-alive animal you are surprised to feel a weird, crunchy and skiddish creature running laps around your tongue. You instantly freak your deak! Little do you know that this little hitchhiker is an oyster crab and it is a DELICACY in the south. So congratu-freakin-lations, you just had an oyster crab.

Tyler Morris, a former chef of The Breslin NYC and loyal Pierless client recently left the city to try his hand opening Rye, his own restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. He brought these peculiar oyster crabs to my attention yesterday saying that in fact, his friend had encountered one in his James River oyster. With a little research we found out that indeed these mini crabs are an "epicures delight".

Read the facts on oyster crabs in this very short but interesting old article from the New York Times ca. 1913...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00D14F7385B13738DDDA00894D9415B838DF1D3


Rye is set to open Fall 2011. Knowing Tyler, Rye will be an amazing place to wine and dine, and if your lucky, oyster crab.

ummm.....yum?

The Invasive Lionfish

Would you change your eating habits to save the oceans? What if it meant eating the POISONOUS TOXIC AND INVASIVE LIONFISH? Sign me up!

Brought to the Carribean from Indonesia in the 1990's this spiny jerk is multiplying like mad and killing  reefs like a bat out of hell. 

Read the interesting article below passed along to me by Chef Anthony Susi of Olives NYC:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/science/earth/10fish.html?_r=2&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha23

Creeper

Massachusetts - Ruby Red Shrimp

Ruby Red Shrimp: Best kept secret on the eastern seaboard.

In the fish industry, loose lips sink ships. Maybe that's why you haven't heard about our specialty Large Ruby Red Shrimp.

These crustaceans are so sweet and succulent that once you go ruby, you may never go back.

We have been supporting the Atlantic Coast shrimp fishing industry for years. Considering the situation in the Gulf, ask yourself: Where are my shrimp from?

 Ruby Red:  IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) / head-off

 21-25 - 11.95/lb

 16-20 - 14.95/lb

 U-15  - 16.95/lb

 

Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

How do you feel about cooking up a 15-40# sea animal that is flat as a pancake, has a reputation for being delicious, and has a migrating eye? Great? Great! Halibut has an 80% meat yield. This is helpful to keep in mind when the thought of food costs makes your blood pressure skyrocket to a level where your eyes bulge and the top of your head sizzles like a New York sidewalk in July.

I recommend labeling the Halibut on your menu under its scientific name. The front of house will not be able to pronounce Hippoglossus hippoglossus when they are reading the specials and it will be hilarious. Then you can make fun of them from the safety of your station behind the grill.

March is the beginning of Halibut season and we have the east coasters from Nova Scotia here in our warehouse. Soon to debut are the west coasters. Keep your eyes peeled for them this spring.