JULY 13, 2020

HELLO EVERYONE!!

Boy, has it been hot!! Sometimes, it makes it hard to think clearly. It's times like these, especially after the 4th, that my mind drifts off to dreamy places. I was sitting on the inlet beach yesterday in Brigantine really early in the morning when no one was around but a few paddle boarders. I was thinking that this would normally be the time that I would be off with my family in Europe to visit family and road tripping to Italy, Croatia or somewhere different. Travelling was always a big part of my wife and i's life. Looking forward to our next 4 day trip to Lisbon or Mexico City or Charleston kept us going. So it's been hard to just stay put.

I am always thinking about how it is that, as human beings, we try to find innovative ways to re-create memories and good feelings. Lord knows we need to FEEL good feelings. For my part, I find that I am cooking my way into happiness. I am preparing dishes that I had abroad or dishes that I had at some of my favorite restaurants. I am trying to reconnect to a feeling I had in my past.  I may also be trying, unconsciously, to relive some moments that part of me fears may never come back. 

But you know what? I am not alone. I see what you are all cooking and I try to imagine what that dish meant to you. I know it's not only the pleasure of following a recipe. In some ways, it is the healing of a scar that  we all have. You are preparing a dish that pleases your unconscious. And the amazing thing is that we are all doing this together. I realized that yesterday on that beach and felt so connected. For that, I thank you all.

Now on to fish. The heat has other effects than making me loopy. The waters get warm. The fish can't cool down. The trucks can have problems on steaming highways down south. A good example of this was the Jersey scallops that were no good last Thursday. Warm waters, warm boats equals bad scallops. We tries to refund everyone. It does take a few days for Square to refund you. Funny how they are so quick to take the money out and slow to replace it. I had af riend like that back in high school...

Well, there is only one solution to that. Go North!!

So this week, we are going to bring back lobster meat again. Cooked claw and knuckle meat perfect for lobster rolls. We are going to do swordfish for the first time. These beauties come from Canada so really cold waters and meaty fish. We are sourcing scallops from Nantucket instead of Jersey (sorry friend) and we will also feature Oysters from Wellfleet, Mass. 

The other big thing we are going to do is slide out from our farmed salmon and start dipping into the wild instead. So this week, we will star fresh wild sockeye salmon from Alaska! I will discuss the salmon world more thoroughly on Wednesday but suffice it to say that these smaller firmer members of the salmon family are absolutely delicious. Here is a great simple recipe for the grill. You would be doing it with portioned fillets but you get the idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62mtB5aSsY

Anyway, that's it from me. Please look in your spam folders on Wednesday at 11am if you don't think you received the email.

Truly,

Robert Amar
Small World Seafood
Owner