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!!!

John Dory and Monk Cheeks 1/18/11

Consider the Dory.

If you are like me, you are living in a fantasy world. Sometimes I like to escape from New York City's "wintry mix" in my mind's eye. I fly across the USA and over the Pacific Ocean to a summery island chain I like to call NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand is well known for its Hobbits. It is also an exotic island paradise where sheep outnumber people and everyone has a wacky accent. Our John Dory (complete with it's famous mark of St. Peter, so you know it's the good stuff) hail from New Zealand, and they are prize winners!!

Monk cheeks are medallions.

If your clients are squeamish about eating a cheek or two, call these babies "medallions" and get on with your life.
According to NOAA fish watch, the monk are some of the most dominant piscivores (fish eaters) in the ecosystem. At full speed, they are consuming 20-50% of mackerel and herring landings. They are also consuming MORE than the landings of skate and hake. WA-WA-WEE-WA, all of this, right from under our noses!! Scientists have even found smaller monks inside of the stomachs of large breeding female monk. What in tarnation is up with that? Cannibals! Get revenge on a greedy monk: Buy monk cheeks at Pierless.

MUY IMPORTANTE: Don't forget about razor clams this week, full moon equals a good harvest.

John Dory, Beausoliel Oysters, Pemaquid Oysters11/16/10

John Dory Story of Glory:

"Zeus Faber" was an ambitious John Dory that lived off the coast of New Zealand. He was always easily distinguishable with his minute sharp scales and a large black dot on the side of its head. All of the other fish made fun of Zeus because of his pathetic swimming capabilities and his funny scientifical name.  The only thing he really had going for him was his olive green camouflage coloring, sharp spiny fins for defense against predators and long expandable snout used to capture his prey. One day Zeus was meandering around his favorite reef munching on sardines, cuttlefish and the occasional squid when BAM! He was caught, packed into a box on ice and shipped off to New York City. When he arrived he was pronounced dead as a doornail, in a state of rigor mortis.  From fish heaven his soul peered down upon his lifeless mortal cadaver. Instead of feeling depressed about leaving this world, he was thoroughly psyched about having ended up at the market. At first he was a little worried that whoever tried to fillet and cook his delicate flesh would screw up, forever foiling his fish legacy. However, upon reminding himself that all chefs who buy his species are highly capable of such a feat, he calmed down. Finally he could "rest in peace" knowing that he would be forever canonized as a prized and beloved morsel. Breaded and lightly seared, plated next to diver scallops and organic asparagus, his body ended its stint on this earth. He was then served to an overworked and underpaid female attorney on the Upper East Side attending a slightly awkward first date with a dude she met on Match.com.


Pemaquid Oysters: Another brilliant oyster from the deepest holes of the Damariscotta River, Maine.
This briny and lemony delight of an oyster is sure to turn heads this season as it struts its stuff down the runway. Have you been looking for a exciting East Coast oyster that will leave your patrons saying "HUZZAH!"?  Well, here it is.

Beausoliel Oysters: New Brunswick, Canada
The so-called "pinnacle of perfection" among oysters. This East Coast bi-valve can't really be blamed for constantly one-upping its brethren. Chicks dig the perfectly formed, adorable little shell of the beausoliel. The firm, not-too-briny and not-too-sweet meat of this oyster tastes so balanced and harmonious that after only one, you will find yourself living in a world of underwater nirvana.

Crustaceans and Mollusks from New Zealand - Striped Bass and Lobsters

Let us discuss an assortment of specialty crustaceans and mollusks from New Zealand.



                                                                let the good times roll...


These products include some of the most delicious diamond clams and sweetest picked kona crab meat I have ever tasted.  A fabulous substitute for the standard cockles and manila clams you have been serving, these products from kiwi-land might be the zest your menu needs.

Find out more about what other exotic clams we are eating and whether or not we have the crabs. Oh yeah, and get your mind out of the gutter.
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 STRIPERS: Lean, mean and green.
The amount of female striped bass that can reproduce (female spawning stock biomass) was estimated at 55 million pounds in 2004. This estimate is well above the recommended biomass threshold of 30.9 million pounds and the target biomass of 38.6 million pounds. Stripers are not overfished.  In fact, many advocates for the Connecticut lobster fishery are saying that the striped bass are to blame for the dwindling lobster population in CT waters. These advocates are even using this as a reason for why the government should not impose a fishing moratorium on lobster.

Save a lobster, eat a striper.

Line caught fish are better for the environment. Line fishing minimizes by-catch. Nothing funny about that now is there?