MAY 11, 2021

 HELLO EVERBODY!!!!

Well, what an amazing weekend of seafood and babka and cheese!! Such great meals prepared for Mother's day brunch and dinner and all weekend, really!. Surf and Turfs, swordfish, Arctic char! And so many people baking babka and rugelach at home (thanks Shevy!), Philadelphia must have smelled like one big chocolate bomb yesterday!! And the cheese! Delicious!!

This week, things aren't so different from the past few with supply shortages and soaring demand along with labor issues and logistic problems. But, every week, we seem to survive the rocky waters as we navigate through to get you great selections for the week.

Atlantic salmon is still a mess with so many areas of the country opening back up and a shortage of supply. When everyone is fighting for fish, opportunists come in and try to shell out crappy product. The shortage is there because it was impossible to predict when demand would come back and, hey, the fish gotta grow and there ain't enough. When things get crazy like this, it can be a little like tomatoes in January. Expensive and not very nice. Sooooo, we are going to continue on our family visit trip as we leave the Char cousins and go and see Steelhead Trout next. Also known as Salmon trout, these fish are the very same as Rainbow trout found in rivers but when they head to sea, they grow large and we call them Steelheads. These particular fish we are getting are farm raised in the cold and pristine waters around Scotland. Considered one of the finest farmers of this variety, they are raised sustainably and are MSC certified. They look like salmon, are a little fattier than salmon but taste more like trout. How cool is that? Plus they are sushi grade, too, so have fun with pokes. 

We are not quite sure what else we will offer yet but it seems like we may be doing some soft shell crabs! No promises yet but it is likely. We will have more info on Thursday as far as  recipes and such if they come in. Cross your fingers..

Mussels are in this week, oysters are Acadian Pearls. Pretty little things and we haven't figured out another fish selection yet. Working on it.

Lastly, I would like to make a soft ask of you if you will allow me to. This past weekend was a celebration and honoring of mothers everywhere. We thanked them for their nurturing and care. This week, I ask you to pay small attention to a group that also needs some care and attention. 

As the economy begins to bounce back, people are beginning to feel like spending again. That's a good thing. But, there is still a whole lot of people out there who don't have the means to benefit from that. They are poor and in need of help in a dignified way. We don't talk about it much because we are humbled that we are in a position where we can even help but every week for the past many months, we donate fish to an organization called People's Kitchen in South Philly.

This group was established by Christina Martinez and her husband Ben Miller, owners of the restaurant, South Philly Barbacoa. They attract chefs from around the city that volunteer their time each once a week and manage a crew of culinary students that learn on the job. Their mission is not only to provide food for those in need but to do so in a way that offers them dignity and respect. The food is top notch. The ingredients are great quality and the preparations are culturally relevant. When we donate fish, we give them the same fish YOU get. Haddock, salmon, branzino, monkfish, halibut. Because they have not, should not mean they get less if we can help it.

So this week, we are going to pass around the hat, so to speak. We will have a $2 button on the order form or you can buy a tote bag and $2 from that will go to them. If you would like to donate more and help them out in a larger way, go to the link below and you can become a sustaining member by donating as little as $5 a month. Every little bit helps. They don't need much but they are only 10% funded at this point in their campaign with 51 days left. Now, no shame if you do not give here. I am conscious of the fact that people have priorities when they decide who to give to. So no pressure from us, believe me. I am just drawing your attention to this wonderful host of angels if nothing else. To these good people, we bow our heads..

https://215pa.wedid.it/campaigns/8763-people-s-kitchen

Aaaanyway, I hope you are all still glowing from a wonderful weekend. Look out for the order form this Thursday at 9am.

 I may not say it enough but thank you all for your support.

Peace

Robert Amar

Small World Seafood