SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

 HELLO EVERYBODY!!!

Well, last week was fun! Lots of people grilling, lots of people marinating sablefish, lots of people eating lots of smoked fish! The pics of your food is simply inspiring. We have a great Instagram page @smallworldseafood with loads of pics. If you are trying to get ideas for what to do with your seafood, check out what the neighbors are doing. 

Which brings me to a thought that hit me last week. I was talking to a friend about what was going on with the restaurant business, sad as that is, and reflected on how some rituals have been disrupted. You see, after Labor Day, those coming back from vacations and busy summers would look back into the city and ask, "What did we miss?"

We would start looking forward to theater season, blockbuster movie season, indie movie season, Eagles season (I don;t want to talk about it..) but we would also try to catch up on what was hot in the city. What was the hit restaurant that we needed to check out? We've had the Vernick's and Suraya's and Forsythia's that got us all excited....except this year. Things were going to be different. And they were.

Well, it occurred to me, in conversation, that we weren't looking in the right place. You see, traditional restaurants were not where to look. It smashed into my brain that culinary excellence didn't really stop because restaurants shut down. It moved. 

So, in the spirit of maintaining some of our annual rituals, I will declare the restaurant of the summer. Drum roll please.........

YOUR KITCHEN!!!!

One of the amazing things about providing you all with seafood has been an insight into your homes. Many of you have never cooked so much variety of seafood in your own homes. You are shucking oysters at home. You are cooking skatewing, halibut, swordfish, tons of scallops, mussels, clams, shrimp, crabcakes, etc. YOU are the original culinary expression of 2020!! You've taken risks with what to cook and learned how to cook it. You've been fearless and to someone who has spent most of his adult life in the restaurant industry, nothing defines a new hit restaurant like the courage to be fearless. 

So, Mr. Laban, if you are reading this, please consider the home kitchen as the Restaurant of the Year. No one in the restaurant business this year has come close to the variety and innovation we are witnessing not to mention the quality This could be a game changer when restaurants do regain their footing. They will be facing a MUCH more sophisticated culinary audience and I think that is good. 

On the seafood side of things, I have no idea what we will be featuring this week but I am working on a few things. One thing we are working on, so you know, is to try to cross-pollinate with some other small local businesses like us who are also putting community at the top of their priority list. So, we will try to feature products a few times a month. This week, for example, we will feature Third Wheel Cheese Co out of West Philly. Ann, who owns this little company supplied local and regional cheeses to restaurants across the city. She is doing something similar to us but without the delivery. In an effort to promote her and thank her for what she continues to do, we will be featuring a selection of 4 cheeses (4oz each) she is curating for your home. The price will be $30 and will feature a nice variety of cheeses. I will identify them on Wednesday but you are more than welcome to check out what she is doing on her website, thirdwheelcheeseco.com. We like Ann and we think you will like her too.

Anyway, I've been blah-blahing a little much here. Sorry about that. I just want to say how grateful we feel that you guys show up to pick up fish with a smile on your faces. We think anyway. It's hard to tell with the mask. You are either smiling or scowling but I prefer to think you are smiling. That's just me.

Look out for the  order form on Wednesday at 11am.

Best, 

Robert Amar

Small World Seafood

Owner