DECEMBER 7, 2020

 HELLO EVERYBODY!!!!!!

Well, first of all. you guys are all nuts. There. I said it. That olive oil sold out in 21 minutes!! Absolutely insane!! Tom and his son, Matt, are over the moon to know that the community is having a little taste of their family oil. I know a lot of people missed out. I know. I'm sorry but we really had no idea how it was going to sell. If we did, we would've sold smaller portions and limited to one per person. Live and learn.

On the complimentary side of things, your cooking skills have just been improving so rapidly. Many months ago, many of you were nervous to cook a piece of fish or scallops at home. Now, though, you look like pros. I mean that. I will say again what I said back in early September. At the end of every year, we look back to name a restaurant of the year. A place that attracted our curiosity and redefined the way we look at food. There has been Zahav and Vernick and Bibou and Suraya and so many more. Well, this year, I confidently and firmly declare the Restaurant of the Year to be...(drum roll please...) ..Chez Vous. Uh, that's French for Your Home. Sounds more posh in French, non? What many of you did with fresh Albacore or Black bass fillets or bay scallops was just as nice as anything going on in any restaurant in the city. Obviously, restaurants are choking right now, sadly, but you all have filled the void beautifully in the meantime. Give yourselves a nice round of applause. Well deserved. Truly.

Speaking of restaurants struggling, My heart really goes out to them. That business ain't easy even in good times. I know. I was in it for 25 years and wholesaled seafood to them for the last five. So, this month, we are going to through some shade to some of our friends out there. We are going to start with Bibou and Rouge this week. Pierre Calmels has not only been a good friend but happens to be one of the most respected chefs in this city. He has transformed his little exclusive BYOB into a retail shop of French goodies (boutiquebibou.com). Pierre prepared some escargots in garlic butter for us a couple of months ago and it was very popular. However, we started to think that you guys just buying something and tossing it in the oven to heat wouldn't be that much fun anymore. So, this time, we are going to sell you a can with 2 dozen French Snails. We will also be selling his Beurre Persille, or parsley butter with garlic and shallots in an 8oz log that he has prepared himself. Aaannnnnd, for those who were pissed that the escargots last time didn't come with the shell, well, you can also buy shells and stuff it, ahem, I mean them. Here are a couple of recipes that will be posted to smallworldseafood.com.

For the whole shebang,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yumpv1CmKbY&list=LL&index=5

For a simpler version,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RunhNujBvbg&list=LL&index=4

The shelf life on the snails in the can is 3 years, by the way, so you can prepare it at a later date. The butter can go on anything too. For broiled fish or even to top a seared steak. 

The fish this week will be Striped Bass fillet and Monkfish fillets. We are getting into the that time of the year when the waters are getting colder and the fish are getting fatter and , therefore, more flavorful. Peruvian bay scallops are still around. Clams are the shellfish of the week. Fresh Jumbo lump crabmeat is still around and Pink Moons are the oysters du jour. 

The last thing we will be offering this week is fish stock. Many of you have been asking about getting fishbones to make your own. I think that's great and speaks to your culinary development. However, it can be a pain in the ass to make a small quantity for home. Why not get a restaurant to produce some for us, non? My friends at Rouge on Rittenhouse Square will be making some for us. They are made from fluke bones along with some other aromatics. No shellfish. Many of you have never cooked with fish stock. You use is just like chicken stock but with seafood. A little bit can add so much depth or umami. Now, for those who have been buying for a while, I know that you have a freezer full of misfits and orphans in there. Or use monkfish, shrimp, clams, cod or whatever. What better way to use them up that to jazz up this wonderful dish on a cold night. Chung in Fairmount is our inspiration for the recipe though you can also make a bouillabaisse or fisherman's stew and top it off with that puff pastry you were wondering what to do with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCjEQrZGan8&list=LL&index=1

And that's it from me. I think we are going to have fun with food this month. Don't forget that the week of Christmas and new Years, we will be sending out an order form Monday and delivering Tuesday. Just those two weeks. Black bass last week, striped bass this week. You know, it's true. It's really all about the bass. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLnZ1NQm2uk&list=LL&index=13

Look out for the order form this Wednesday at 11am

Peace,

Robert Amar

Small World Seafood

Owner