Conger Monger.

Back in Chapter 9.X.IIVXXX of yesteryear's News from the Yard, I describe the elusive catadromous eel and it's disgusting larval children, otherwise known as elvers... 

Locally Caught Conger Eel: 
That doesn't look so disgusting now, does it?

Like a crazy, suit-wearing bum, off the wagon and preaching apocalypse in the streets, I'm back on the scene spreading the word of eel. The MIGHTY CONGER is a non-gross, underutilized species found in abundance right here in our own waters!

Conger Fillet

GOOD ADVICE

From the Top in Order: Unagi, Rice, iPhone4

It is considered NORMAL to eat CONGER in fancy-pants Europe and Argentina! 

Boca Junior Cheerleaders y el Gran Bistec:
ARGENTINA KNOWS WHAT'S UP.

Conger is mild and sweet. It pairs nicely with suttle flavors. If you are still stumped, substitute conger in any mackerel recipe for glorious results!

Here is a clue:
 Eels take very well to stewing.

Did I hear somebody say CONGER isn't mainstream enough for the their customers? Rachael Ray broils her own to make homemade unagi. Lets face it,  b 

y the time Ray-Dawgs cooks an under-utilized species on national television, the proverbial ship has sailed.

A ship that stays in the harbor is safe, 
but that isn't what ships are made for.

Fish Farm in a Garbage Can.

Up in the South Bronx lives an ambitious couple of ex-bankers who are farming what they have come to call Bronx Best Blue Tilapia, right in their own garbage cans!

Red, yellow, green: TILAPIA
Garbage cans, Rasta MAN!

Christopher Toole and girlfriend Anya Pozdeeva started said fish farm inside their apartment in Riverdale, NY in 2010 but had to re-locate when neighbors became suspicious about what the hell was going on up there on the 14th floor. Now located near Hunts Point, the couple invites Bronx school children to come and help raise fish and farm mint as well as basil using fish waste. The kids even get to take their bounty home to eat.

Swim little tilapias!

The Bronx Best Blue Tilapia program is raising awareness about eating healthy and knowing where your food comes from in a part of NYC where this mindset is sadly lacking. Hopefully in time this project will become huge and will employ and feed many South Bronx residents in need!!

South Bronx, NYC aka Fish Farm City!

Another fish farm success story is that of Meir Lazar in the suburbs of Baltimore, MD. He is growing up to 100lbs of tilapia per year and all of the herbs and veggies he and his family can eat via hydroponics from the tanks. He wants to show the world that any old fool can pull something like this off.

Meir is a man of the apocalyptic mindset.
Big Ups to Meir the Tilapia Pioneer!

SCOMBER SCOMBRUS - Atlantic Mackerel

The year flashes before our eyes and another round of impossible resolutions invade our thoughts. I'm gonna work less than 80 hours a week, I'm gonna stop eating lemon merengue bon-bons at 4am,  I'm gonna stop biting my co-workers when they piss me off... 

Strive to be more like Peg Bundy in 2012.

These are impossible resolutions! Get over it and resolve to accomplish something you can really stick with this year:

Include more sustainable seafood species in your menu.

SO, what fishery is local, in season and not desecrating the environment?

THE EASTERN ATLANTIC MACKEREL FISHERY OF COURSE!

 They shine like silver and are stiff as a board when they are fresh. 

Not only are the Atlantic Mackerels NOT being overfished, their population estimates are currently 267% OVER target level. For those of you who suck at math, allow me to clarify: That is A SHITLOAD!

According to my calculations, it's a shitload.

These incredible Mackerels are usually caught with mid-water trawl gear. The nets used to harvest macks do not touch the ocean floor and hence are not MURDER-Y to beloved underwater habitats that many other fish species call home. 

Boston Macks are cheap and easy, making them Fish-Babe approved. You can serve 'em raw or cook 'em whole (about 3-4 macks per #). 

If you get bored, put these suckers into your pipe and smoke 'em! 

Literally. Smoke the Mackerel, it's delicious.

Smoke Mack with your Mother.

Boston Mackerels are absurdly high in omega-3's, they also contain so much vitamin B12 it's stupid.

Mackerels provide us with significant levels of Phosphatidylserine, a wicked important brain food that can have positive effects on both ADHD and Alzheimers patients. I should take my own advice and eat more macky-mack...NOW WHERE WAS I?

Oh yeah, Mackerels... Now buy 'em and fry 'em. 

Good luck and may the cash flow like the beer in 2012!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Governors Island Harbor School RULES!!!

The Harbor School seems to me like the NYC salty seafaring equivalent of the Jack Black movie "School of Rock." The inner city students who are studying and working at this hands-on public NYC high-school learn maritime skills such as boat-building, marine biology and aquaculture. They become scuba certified and boat safety certified. They breed fish and they manage a growing oyster farm of 600,000 oysters. Within 20 years they plan to purify all of NYC Harbor with this awesome bi-valve farm they got goin' on!  These juggernaut kids are INVOLVED in their own future and the future of their natural local environment. Are you as impressed as I am? It only gets better. The graduation rate from this high school is a whopping 74% and each student is required to obtain an acceptance letter from a college in order to graduate. Today I had the absolute pleasure of visiting the Harbor School. I spent the day with these wicked amazing and dedicated students, the schools founding father Murray Fisher and a few other interesting fish lovers such as David Isenberg of Woods Hole and NY Times Dot Earth blogger Andy Revkin. For me the Harbor School is an urban utopia.

STAY TUNED FOR A SHORT GTFB VIDEO OF THESE SUPER STUDENTS IN ACTION!

Cesar, Tatiana and I in the aquaculture room.

Baby oysters growing in their tanks.

Students driving a research boat.
The boats are used for work such as the oyster farm and the scuba research.

Algae: They grow their own!

The Ugly Truth About the Seafood You Eat.

In conversation with a fish eating cohort the other day we exchanged our FEAR of consuming fresh seafood products found in seemingly "normal" places you would find seafood to purchase, like a grocery store or a restaurant. The meagre amount of inspection on seafood in the United States (less than 2% according to this fascinating yet depressing article by NPR Salt) lends itself to an absurd amount of leeway for corruption and misinformation to seep into the system.

Many of us are trying hard to eat healthier, we buy organic. We want to detoxify our bodies in this modern world full of free radicals and to be frank, other weird shit of that nature. We make a conscience effort to eat less red meat, and when we do we want to know where it comes from and how it is raised. We are trying to eat locally, doing the very best we can to do so and it isn't easy.

When it comes to seafood there are even more variables. Not only do we want to know whether the fish is wild or farm raised but we also want to know where it comes from, and whether or not it is what we call "sustainable."

In countless articles regarding human antibiotics, mood stabilizers, prescription hormones and other drugs being found in our drinking water, the bad news perpetuates. We are learning that there are minnows in the Mid West with small heads and low testosterone levels and there are Long Island Fluke with high estrogen levels that seems to come from birth control pills flushed into the NYC water system. Just google "antibiotics in tap water" and you will see the countless articles dating back as far as five or six years in regards to this issue.

In the book CLEAN by Dr. Alejandro Junger he speaks of a salmon farm where the brood stock was being fed recalled dog food. Imagine, a food not fit for your dog is being used to sustain the life of fish that you will eventually eat? That is just wrong, WRONG!

I am not trying to freak you out, but I don't blame you if you are getting there. I myself am alarmed and I am AFRAID to eat seafood that I find here in the New York City. There is no sign on the fillets you see at the market that says, "dog food fed salmon" or "estrogen rich flounder." Environmental groups like Monterrey Bay Aquarium have applications for your mobile device that are supposed to tell you what fish you should eat and which fish you shouldn't. These types of applications fall SO short of what they "intend" to accomplish. Monk is bad and Farmed Salmon is good? What if that farmed salmon was genetically modified in Chile, some of the brood stock has escaped into the Pacific and is weakening what is left of the wild salmon gene pool? What if that monk was caught in season off of Long Island by a dayboat, by local fishermen who have been continuing this tradition for generations? Then is it bad to eat monk and good to eat farmed salmon? I dare say not.

What if I told you that less than 10% of shrimp consumed in the United States comes from abroad? Doesn't make much sense at all when many restaurants you go into advertise fresh Carolina shrimp on the menu. It may not even be their fault, maybe the problem comes from the purveyor they are dealing with or the purveyor that their purveyor is dealing with. The truth is that each individual piece of seafood seems to pass through so many hands before it lands on your plate that is is nearly impossible to track down its true origins.

My advice to you is to buy local and buy in season. Try to buy from purveyors or better yet FISHERMEN that you trust, otherwise don't eat it. I know it sounds harsh, but that is what I am doing. I hope that soon you will have better seafood purchasing options to chose from. Also, do yourself a favor and read Four Fish by Paul Greenberg this book gives a fair and honest account of the seafood industry today, it is also very well written and super informative.

Smiling fish is happy fish.

Cape Cod Art - Small town, BIG talent.

This afternoon I dropped into a local show at the Falmouth Artist Guild on Cape Cod, MA.

Wendy Pratt-Bagley whose home is on the incredibly beautiful Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Woods Hole is a highly skillful felter and weaver whose work was being displayed at this show. On the island where she and her family live, sheep outnumber people and horses outnumber cars!

Take a gander at her newest masterpiece, made entirely from the wool of Elizabeth Island sheep:

This three dimensional rendering of  lily pads was made through a process of dyeing and blending felt.
This piece is for sale, let me know if you are interested: gstommel@gmail.com

Another local artist named Sue Moore created this fabulous Pelican Quilt. Sorry but this bird ain't for sale.

Is that a little fishy you got there Mr. Pelican? Don't be a dick, share with the sandpipers.

This seasonal leaf realization made quite an impression on some of the ladies at the show. How was it made?! They couldn't figure it out, which totally added it to its allure. OOOoooooohhh AAaaahhhhhh.

"Another Insignificant Loss" by Joyce Utting Schutten.
Dear Joyce, This is not insignificant, it is marvelous. Give yourself a little more cred.

This piece right below here screams "CAPE COD." It is for sale and I would consider it an affordable gift for the seashell lover in your life. Everyone knows at least one seashell lover so there is no freaking excuse not to by this god damned thing.

Affordable Art. Clearly these artists aren't from New York! Don't be ridiculous, take advantage of the decent prices.
Gorgeous seashell thingy by June Osgood.

Last and certainly not least, I dedicated the piece below to my mother, Sabrina the Crazy Italian Chicken Lady. I didn't catch the name of this artist but I am pretty sure this honker is NOT for sale. Enjoy with your eyes here and now.

Like I always say, live in the moment. Right now "the moment" is a chicken quilt.

I hope you all enjoyed my online bazaar. Seriously, if you want to buy some of these things let me know and I will put you in touch with the arteeeeests.

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.

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

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!

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.

Nantucket Bay Scallops, Hama Hama Oysters, Monkfish 11/09/10

Nantucket Bay Scallops in House.

Harvest season has officially begun for this native delicacy. Don't wait until it's too cold out to get your fill. Once air temperatures hit freezing the animals go into shock when they are removed from the sea. I love the Cape and Islands so much I might shed a tear, or try to memorize the first 20 pages of Moby Dick tonight when I get home. Read my poem:

The King of Nantucket

By Gabe Stommel

Friends he has a plenty;
Yacht club privileges are many.
Won't find him at the Chicken Box.
Knows where to dig for clam crops.
Accounts for every flower and fauna
Making his patronage to the Pacha Mama.
Bobbing and diving amidst the surf
Reigning over his sovereign turf.
From Madaket to Third Point, hear his roar
A sky of phosphorescence to explore.
Humanity perched atop his shoulder
Every day its cries sound bolder.
Seemingly his greatest dread
Fulfilling legends of the dead.
And he can't help but stop and think
Just in time to lift his drink
And raise his glass to history told
From the darkest corners of the ship's strong hold.
His ancestors whispering in his ear
Reminding him of prophecies near.
They tell him "Don't forget your roots!"
You still have time to fill those boots.
Now take a breath and watch the waves
Say a prayer for the good old days.
From the finest island in the sea,
He's real Nantucket Royalty.




Either way your customers know it's that time of year. Go to the market or go get a rake, some waders and a plane ticket to Nantucket.
http://www.flycapeair.com/ -> flights JFK to ACK
http://www.cabelas.com/ -> scalloping gear
Also, let's not forget the simple pleasures of the Holiday season: Nantay Bays are the best kind of scallops ever to wrap in bacon. 


In Other News: 

Although I like to consider myself a staunch North Easterner I will curmudgeonly admit that a couple of west coast oysters have caught my attention recently.

Barron Points: These oysters are sweet enough to make the remaining Kennedys want to try thier luck out west. Just Kidding! Who would ever leave this?

The Barron Point Oyster hails from Little Skookum Inlet, Washington State. The water here is not too salty, resulting in a mildly salty and sweet fatty oyster to be enjoyed by all! They are "Intertidally Grown" oysters raised in a low density environment both in grow out bags and in the sand on the beach. When you purchase these hearty bi-valves you are supporting a small family run operation.

Hama Hama: I once ate a raw, foot-long Hama Hama in one gulp. It was crazy but so worth it because now I have a segway into my Hama Hama spiel. Lucky for you and your customers, the ones we send you are not that big.
Hama Hama's are thick shelled, beach-grown oysters raised at the mouth of the Hama Hama River in Hood Canal, Washington State. They are grown from a mixture of hatchery raised and naturally collected spat that is seeded on the farm's beds. They take about two years to reach market size.  The slow growth factor adds to their amazing flavor: delicate with a mild, fruity aftertaste and only mildly salty.

CORRECTION: 

If I managed to befuddle you on the sustainability of Monkfish during last week's email, I apologize. The Monk is NOT being overfished.  Click on this link for proof:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/monkfish.htm
Also, FYI this is a great website to procure information regarding the sustainability of different fish species. Over and Out.