Lobsters on the Fly

Scallop carbonara

2012-01-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

We have a boatload of scallops in our house. Because, why not? It's scallop season. So, sometime a couple of days ago I realized that scallops would go amazingly with carbonara. Sealing the fate of recreating this recipe, I realized that I had all the ingredients but two; bacon and pasta. No big deal. It's not like some recipes when you realize that you don't have saffron, asafoetida powder, and dragon tears.


Ingredients: bacon, eggs, pasta, scallops, peas, cheese, butter, salt, pepper, & oil.

I got my carbonara going by cooking the noodles. They were going to take the longest and required the least amount of attention. Don't forget to salt the water! I heated up all of the peas because we eat a lot of peas in our house and even though I wasn't going to use them all in the recipe I knew they would eventually get eaten. Then I prepared the pan for the scallops. I use extra virgin olive oil most of the time. It's just a good all-around olive oil. It's smoking point is a little bit lower than other olive oils but to increase the smoking point just add a little bit of butter. The oil of choice this time? Cinque Terre's extra virgin olive oil. We bought some last time we were there. What can I say? I'm a sucker for bottled lipids and sauces.


The evoo from Cinque Terre is very light. Good for cooking and dressings.

While the oil heated up for the scallops I threw the bacon in a pan. I cut it up into cubes before I threw it in the pan because that's how I wanted it in my pasta.

Before.

After.

And the scallops...

Sure scallops are from the salty sea but you should still salt them. Salt does not create flavor it enhances it. And add a little pepper too.

I know where my scallops came from...

Scallops do not take very long to cook at all. So as the pasta was boiling and the bacon was sizzling I seared them on both sides. Maybe a minute or two on each side?

Time to get the sauce ready. I used two eggs. If you're making less, then use less. I cracked one egg at a time into a small glass bowl. You should always do this because if you crack an egg and a shell gets into the mix it's a pain in the ass to get out. One egg a time is manageable for shell removal. Then I poured the eggs in a plastic bowl to whisk. I whisked my eggs in a plastic bowl (BPa free, obvi) because I have an irrational fear of breaking glass with a fork and then eating it. No judgement. I added about a cup of Parmesan cheese to the egg mixture and mixed together.

About this time the pasta was fishing up so I took a ladle of the pasta water to add to the whisked egg. I poured the water into the small glass bowl because it was easier to pour into the plastic bowl-- because you have to TEMPER THE EGGS. If you just pour the hot water into the egg mixture the eggs will scramble. So, I used about a cup of the pasta water, whisked quickly, poured slowly. Boom.

Pasta water has a lot of flavor and is a great thickening agent for pasta sauces.

Time to assemble! Add egg mixture to pasta. Toss to coat. Bacon. About 1 cup of peas. Toss. Scallops. And... scene.

The perfect bite...

Gluten free? Skip the pasta and use the scallops as your vessel. Who needs all those boring carbs taking up yummy scallop space anyway?

Happy holidays!

2011-12-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Scallops!

2011-12-21T04:15:00.000-08:00

Scallop season started last week!
Make sure to pick up some scallops for you holiday festivities... and know what you are getting!
Our good friend Togue Brawn of Maine Dayboat Scallops Direct wrote a piece for us (Everything you need to know about scallops.) back in July so you can know exactly what questions to ask and what you should be looking for. Go scallops!

Who are you and where do you come from!?

2011-10-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

View Survey

Fish Friday... better late than never.

2011-10-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy, busy. That about sums up how things are around here.

So, I thought I would share my no-fail, easy-peasy, super-quick fish recipe that I used myself just last night. I got home a little late and Herm and our daughter had to head out quickly to get to the Black Cat Ball at our community's school. Dinner was ready in about 20 minutes.

Butter, lemon, garlic, panko bread crumbs. Done.
I melted a stick of butter (Kate's of course), squeezed the juice of one lemon, and smashed up one clove of garlic. Even the measuring is easy. I placed the fillet of pollock (one or two fillets will do!) in a baking dish, set the heat on broil, poured the buttery liquid on top, and put the fish in the oven. After about 7 minutes I took the fish out and sprinkled the bread crumbs on top, placed it back in the oven, made some Annie's Mac-n-cheese, and about 10 minutes later the fish was done! Delicious. Due to the fact that we were hungry and somewhat in a rush I did not take a picture. But, thanks to Google images, this is kinda what it looked like:

Food Day: Show Us Your Seafood!

2011-10-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

Today is Food Day! Show Us Your Seafood!! In honor of Food Day, we want to see some of your favorite seafood. Post some pictures of your favorite seafood or of you catching some of your favorite fish. Share some of your favorite recipes and cooking techniques and share the seafood love!

Leave something in the comments, share with us on Facebook, or shoot us an e-mail!

Happy Food Day!
Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life—parents, teachers, and students; health professionals, community organizers, and local officials; chefs, school lunch providers, and eaters of all stripes—to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. We will work with people around the country to create thousands of events in homes, schools, churches, farmers markets, city halls, and state capitals.

Fish Friday!

2011-10-21T03:39:00.000-07:00

Happy fish Friday! I know it's going to be happy for us... We're off to the Lobster Chef of the Year competition at the Harvest on the Harbor!

Today's recipe comes from a reader of Lobsters on the Fly. Martin S. e-mailed us this recipe for baked stuffed lobster and he claims the stuffing is so good that you'll actually push the lobster aside.

Also...
Monday is Food Day! Lobsters on the Fly is holding an on-line event: Show Us Your Seafood! Share your photos of your favorite seafood recipes and let everyone know that seafood is a part of food day too! You can e-mail us your pictures or post them on our Facebook page.

Baked Stuffed Lobster from Martin S.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pound lobster live n' kicking
1-1/2 cups unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 lb stick of butter or margerine
2 Tablespoons freshly diced parsley
1 small onion diced small
1 -2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of salt n pepper

Twist off both claws and set aside.
Wash and split the lobster on the under side from its head to tail
making sure you don't penatrate the outer shell. Clean the inside
under fresh running water.
Seperate and keep the tamale(the green tubular substance), rinse it an
put aside.
Discard all remaining waste.
Place lobster split side up in baking pan with claws along side.

Prepare stuffing as follows:
Melt 1/2 to 3/4 of the butter adding the Worcestershire sauce.
In a bowl combine the bread crumbs,lobster tamale,diced onion, parsley
and a dash of salt and pepper. Add the melted butter and
worcestershire sauce and mix everything thoroughly until mixture is
evenly combined and moist.
Fill the entire lobster with the stuffing using a spoon.
Bake the lobster in a pre-heated 360 degree heated oven for 20 minutes
or untill the stuffing begins to brown.
Serve hot and garnish with fresh parsley , a lemon slice and remainder
of butter melted.
Enjoy.

Fish Friday! Lobster for... breakfast!?

2011-10-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

In honor of this amazing image from the talented Andrew Cook of Lobstering is an Art, let's talk breakfast!

My favorite seafood for breakfast is smoked salmon with cream cheese, a bagel (lightly toasted), some capers, little bit of dill, maybe some red onions, ya' know, lox. Fuck Wheaties, THAT is the breakfast of champions. Low in fat, high in protein, just the right amount of carbs, eat lox and you're ready for the day.

I don't like sweet stuff much and for some reason so many breakfast items are of a sweet variety. Remember that post about our trip to Grace when I thought about ordering another appetizer instead of dessert? Hooray to lox for being different and better than all of the other breakfast foods out there!

I'm giving a shout out to the good people over at Gilmore's seafood in Bath today. They are having a few specials on lobster, crab cakes, and haddock! So grab some of that and make some of this:

Oeuf Sur Le Plat

Grease an oven proof dish with a little bit of butter.
Layer a few slices of bacon and haddock. (Usually smoked haddock is used, but it doesn't really matter.)
Cook the fish and bacon in the oven- about 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. You'll be able to smell when it's done.
Take the bacon and fish out of the oven. Crack two eggs in the center of the dish. (Note: break the eggs one at a time into a small bowl first and then add to the dish.)
Put the dish back into the oven until the eggs are cooked- about ten minutes. (You want the yolks to remain runny.)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Happy Fish Friday!

2011-10-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

It's been getting pretty cold around here so it's a perfect time to be making chowders and soups! Here are a few recipes from the super cool Bailey Island Cookbook. I sort of cheated and just scanned the page. Lucky you, three recipes.

IMG_0001

Fish (Tacos!) Friday

2011-09-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the Common Ground Fair and I ventured up to Unity to discuss pollock, monkfish, shrimp, and oysters alongside the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the Island Institute. While we were there we all chowed on some yummy fish tacos full of fresh fish provided by Port Clyde Fresh Catch.

Here is a fish tacos recipe for you!

I would probably buy some tortillas. At the fair the tortillas were home made and delicious but I would prefer to focus on the fish than the wrap.

This would be a great recipe for leftover fish. Say if you had some leftover pollock from the night before. Just use a fork to flake it up in a bowl.

Ingredients:

Leftover fish (some form of whitefish would probably work best but I imagine you could use any fish. Go crazy and try crab or lobster too!)
Avocado
Coleslaw (homemade or store bought is fine)
Onion, diced

Prepare fish or, as aforementioned, I would use this as a leftovers recipe. Flake up the fish with a fork. Simply layer the fish, sliced avocado, coleslaw, and diced onion on the tortilla.

If you don't like coleslaw you could also just use shredded cabbage sans mayo. In that case I would use some form of salsa (probably a fruit salsa) on top for some moisture.

Enjoy!

Fish Friday... or is it?!

2011-09-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this on Thursday you may be saying to yourself: "Hey there Lobsters on the Fly, it's Thursday. Don't get me all excited thinking that it's Friday and that I am going to head on over to Happy Hour when I get out of work today." Well folks, I'm busy tomorrow and rather than disappoint everyone and not post at all on Friday- I thought I would post early. So that we are all on the same page, it is Thursday, not Friday, but this post has Friday in the title.

I will be at the Common Ground Fair tomorrow! From 1:00-2:00 I will be in the Rail Car Speakers Tent:

Join Amanda LaBelle and Annie Brown of the Island Institute, Sam Grimley of Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Monique Coombs of Lobsters on the Fly for an informative discussion about some of Maine's best (and underutilized) seafoods. We will discuss the biology, fishing regulations, history and provide recipes (by Cafe Miranda's Chef Kerry!) for each species. (Maine shrimp, oysters, monkfish and pollock are on the docket.)

And to make it official there was even an event created on Facebook!

I'm quite familiar with and have even cooked with pollock, monkfish, and shrimp. I've eaten my fair share of oysters, including an amazing oyster dish at Cinque Terre (Winterpoint Oysters served raw with Pomegranate mignonette or crispy with black currant agrodolce) but my actual knowledge of oysters is limited. They are amazing and there are quite a few different kinds of them- and I have been learning all about them this week in preparation for tomorrow.

So, Cinque Terre offers an amazing oyster dish, I'm talking about oysters tomorrow at the Common Ground Fair, and it's the Pemaquid Oyster Festival on Sunday. Hooray, it's an amazing oyster trifecta!

And on that note, our recipe that includes oysters. It's a Chuck Hughes recipe that may blow your mind and I know I use his recipes a lot but I find his recipes accessible and full of seafood. Like this one for example, his famous Turducken. Not only is it a chicken inside of a duck inside of a turkey, but that chicken is full of stuffing that contains.... OYSTERS (gasps, ooohhhs, aaaahhs)!

Chuck Hughes' Legendary Turducken stuffing w/ oysters

You can find the recipe on the Cooking Channel site. Funny story. Remember how I said I thought Chuck's recipes were accessible? Well, this one sounds complicated even to me. But, hey, there are oysters in the stuffing.

So, here's another, more accessible oyster stuffing recipe minus the turducken from Epicurious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 loaves Italian or French bread (1 lb total), cut into 3/4-inch cubes (12 cups)
1/2 lb sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil (if needed)
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage, crumbled
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
18 oysters, shucked, drained, and chopped (3/4 cup)
2 1/4 cups turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Spread bread cubes in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes total. Cool bread in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet.

If bacon renders less than 1/4 cup fat, add enough oil to skillet to total 1/4 cup fat. Cook onions, celery, thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper in fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread cubes, then stir in bacon, parsley, butter, and oysters. Drizzle with stock, then season with salt and pepper and toss well.

Transfer stuffing to a buttered 3- to 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

Cooks' note: Stuffing can be assembled (without oysters and not baked) 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and stir in oysters before baking.

Fish Friday!

2011-09-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm on time! Can you believe it?

This week's recipe is a yummy lobster salad recipe that is so easy and so good it will blow your mind. I made this recipe earlier in the week and then decided to use it in my cooking class last night. My class was at Now You're Cooking in Bath and it was actually about pollock but there's nothing like bringing lobsters in to win over your students.

So, here's the recipe and a few shots from my class!

Lobster salad on cukes!

1/2 cup of mayo
1/4 cup of sweet red pepper, diced
some lobster (as much or as little as you'd like!)
cuke or two

Mix the mayo, lobster, and red pepper in small bowl. Really you can use as little or as much of each ingredient as you'd like. Slice the cuke and dollop the mixture onto each slice. Ta da! Or, as my nephew says, "Ta na!"

We used our sweet pepper from our CSA share with some lobster that was just plucked from the water and it was amazing. You might think that the pepper would be too strong with the lobster but then you would be wrong. They enhanced the flavors of each other. The tender meat and crunch of the pepper- perfect.

Fish Friday... on Wednesday... and stuff.

2011-09-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

Thresher shark! I am doing this recipe in celebration of shark and because I am disappointed in the Food Network. During shark week this summer the Food Network took all of their shark recipes off of their site and promised never to cook shark on one of their shows again.

That was the beginning of my post that I started last week with every intention of finishing it and posting it on-time, on Friday. Alas, it is now ~~Monday~~ ~~Tuesday~~ Wednesday and here I sit. I wanted to make this amazing point of why it is OK to eat some sharks every once in a while. Whether or not I make an amazing point is yet to be seen but hopefully, I at least give you something to think about.

Most sharks have about the same regulations. First of all, did you know that shark is rather good for you? It is high in protein, low in fat, and contains niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorous, and selenium. Sharks are often bycatch on boats seeking fish like tuna and swordfish. The long-line boats that catch these fish have very strict regulations to follow: the length of their lines, posting handling information on the boat, and they are also required to stop fishing and move 1 nautical mile if they encounter a protected species. In some areas pelagic longliners must also contact NOAA Fisheries at least 48 hours prior to a trip and carry observers if requested. Some areas also restrict what types of hooks fishermen use in order to limit the types of species that get hooked. In Maine, sharks are often caught recreationally- and to do so you must have a specific permit and use specific gear.

Carefully measuring a thresher shark to ensure it meets the right size. Fishermen often measure the fish on the water and then again when they come into the docks.

That being said, what it makes it OK to eat shark? Because the US fisheries are highly regulated and are doing the most to prevent over-fishing than any other area. American seafood (preferably Maine seafood!) is going to be your best option. Always. When shark is available, try it. Just like when you are eating any other real food- enjoy the process of preparing it and eating it, and learn the story behind it.

Here is a great article: For Healthy, Sustainable Fish: Buy American

Fortunately, when it comes to fish, there’s a simple answer that will help spur the economy and lead to more sustainable dining. It’ll be better for your health, too. Put down your seafood wallet card for a minute and pay attention. Here it comes, in two words. Ready?

BUY AMERICAN.

The simple fact is, despite the seemingly endless barrage of doom-and-gloom stories about the future of fisheries, the United States leads the world in ending overfishing and managing our resource sustainably. This year, a regulation took effect that will ensure every fish sold by a U.S. commercial fisherman is managed with scientifically justified catch limits. In layman’s terms, this means overfishing is now illegal.

Agreed. So, I say, put down those seafood guides and shake hands with a local fisherman!

Though this fish may look small it weighed in at 268.4 lbs.

You can see the thresher shark's amazing tail.


I seem to have misplaced my pictures of the cooked shark but here are some shots of the steaks.

And last but not least, the recipe.

Soy and ginger marinated thresher shark

2-3 thresher shark steaks
1 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 limes, juiced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons parsley

Mix all of the ingredients (but the shark) together in a bowl. Marinade the shark in the mixture for at least an hour. Heat broiler to high. Cook the shark in the broiler for about 5 minutes on each side.

And I've been waiting to use a recipe that calls for ginger so I could share this picture.

It looks like a lobster! Yes?

New England States Schedule Hearings on Northern Shrimp Draft Amendment 2

2011-09-09T04:31:00.000-07:00

Public Comment Accepted Until October 3

Arlington, VA – Atlantic coastal states from Maine through Massachusetts have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Draft Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Northern Shrimp. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings follow:

Maine Department of Marine Resources
September 13, 2011; 6 pm
Casco Bay Ferry Terminal Conference Room
56 Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553

September 15, 2011; 6 pm
Rockland High School
400 Broadway
Rockland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553

September 19, 2011; 6 pm
Ellsworth City Hall Auditorium
1 City Hall Plaza
Ellsworth, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553

New Hampshire Fish and Game
September 14, 2011; 7 pm
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
September 13, 2011; 6 pm
Annisquam River Station
30 Emerson Avenue
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Contact: Nichola Meserve at 617.626.1531

The Draft Amendment proposes a suite of management options that the Section may use to provide greater flexibility in managing the fishery and maximizing its overall benefits. These include clarification of fishing mortality reference points, timely and comprehensive reporting system, trip limits, trap limits, days out, area management, seasonal quotas, and harvest set asides.

Since the adoption of Amendment 1 in 2004, knowledge of the northern shrimp biology, population dynamics, and fishery has improved. While the management of northern shrimp has resulted in a rebuilt stock and increased fishing opportunity, Amendment 1 only provides two options for managing the fishery – season length and gear limitations. Early season closures occurred in the 2010 and 2011 fishing seasons because landing rates were far greater than anticipated. Furthermore, untimely reporting resulted in short notice of the season closures and an over-harvest of the target total allowable catch by 14% in 2010 and 48 % in 2011. The measures proposed in Draft Amendment 2 are intended to address these issues.

Upon completion of Amendment 2, the Section will initiate consideration of a limited entry program through the adaptive management addendum process. The Public Information Document (PID) for this Amendment initially notified the public of the Section's intent to consider development of a limited entry program. Based on public comment received on the PID and the Section’s concern regarding continuing effort increases in this fishery, the Section established a control date of June 7, 2011. The intention of the control date is to notify potential new entrants to the fishery that there is a strong possibility they will be treated differently from participants in the fishery prior to the control date. The Section may use historic landings and/or participation criteria for current and past participants as the limited entry system is established.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Amendment by either attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of the Draft Amendment can be obtained via the Commission’s website (www.asmfc.org) under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at 703.842.0740. The public comment deadline has been extended to 5:00 PM (EST) on October 3, 2011 and should be forwarded to Michael Waine, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mwaine@asmfc.org (Subject line: Northern Shrimp Amendment 2).

###

Seafood events around Maine

2011-09-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

We are currently working to get a list of ALL of the seafood events happening around Maine throughout the year. Here is what we have so far. If you know of other events, contests or happenings, please let us know so that we can add it to the list. When we have compiled a complete list we will add it to a permanent link on the Maine Seafood Marketing Network website, which is under construction!

Eastport Pirate Fest
Boothbay Fishermen's Festival
Stonington Island Fishermen's Wives - Fishermen's day
Portland MS Harborfest
Kennebec celebration which includes a highlight on an alewife run.
North Haven Community Days
North Haven Oyster Festival
Pemaquid Oyster Festival, Damariscotta
Maine Fishermen's Forum
Harvest on the Harbor
Eastport Salmon Festival
Downeast Smelt Fry (in Columbia Falls in April)
Yarmouth Clam Festival (July)
Lobster Festival (Rockland, August)

Fish Friday!

2011-09-02T06:02:00.000-07:00

By the way- I don't mean to do Fish Friday! because of anything religious, obviously, but rather because Friday starts with an F and fish starts with an F. Wicked clever.

I'm going to continue to dazzle you now with my cleverness... Labor Day Lobster!
Labor Day is often filled with barbecues, friends, family and marks the end of summer... and the beginning of football season! Also ladies, no more white! As for the true origins of Labor Day... something about Toronto, a labor union in New York and a parade. Seriously, I looked it up and I'm still not totally sure.

First, a little video from one of my fave chefs, Chuck Hughes, about how to clean a lobster. He is also demonstrating how to clean what looks like snow crabs-- which are a little easier to clean than the 90 rock/peekytoo crabs we cleaned last week!

So, now that your lobster is clean feel free to dip it in some butter or mix it with a little mayo and put it in a New England style bun for a delicious lobster roll. Or you can try out this recipe from Bobby Flay that sounds pretty yummy.

Ingredients

2 (1 1/2-pound) lobsters, par-boiled and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauch
1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped watercress
4 lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

Heat grill to medium. Place lobsters on the grill, cut side down, and cook until slightly charred and just cooked through. Remove meat and coarsely chop.

Whisk together lime juice, honey, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tarragon, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the grilled lobster meat, avocado, and watercress. Serve in martini glasses and garnish with a lime wedge.

LOF Notes

1. I wouldn't worry about par-boiling the lobsters. Just split the tail open and throw it on the grill. If you don't want to do that just steam the lobsters and chop up the meat.
2. I wouldn't serve this in a martini glass at a barbecue. I wouldn't serve this in a martini glass anywhere.

TraceME

2011-09-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

Lobsters on the Fly is launching a pilot program for seafood distribution called Trace ME.

Boats currently participating in this project are:

F/V Nancy J, Portland, Maine
Frank Strout of the Nancy J. has spent his life fishing along the coast of Maine. As a kid, he started hand hauling traps out of a 17ft Boston Whaler along the rocky shores off Cape Elizabeth. After discovering the lifestyle of a Maine fisherman and the excitement of the sea, his childhood summer job quickly developed into a full time year round Job. Frank currently runs the 36 foot Nancy J. docked in Portland, Maine and still spends every season out on the water catching lobsters.

F/V Jocelyne K, Bailey Island, Maine

Irene moved a 65-foot steel boat

2011-08-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning before the storm. Not too crazy!


The arrow is pointing to the Bearcat, a 65-foot steel boat.

Lowell's Cove had some seaweed in the road this morning.

Mackerel Cove had the Bearcat on the beach this morning.


These are the boats she had to go through to get to the beach.

Thankfully when you look at the cove this way you can see a path! Only a few bent bow rails and scratches. Could have been much worse! Thanks to some quick thinking, phone calls and fishermen ingenuity everyone (but the Bearcat) is ready to go back out fishing!

Fish Friday (on Saturday!) Crab!

2011-08-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

I'm a day late with our Fish Friday recipe and it's not because I forgot... it's because I didn't have any time to sit down and post pictures. Things are busy around here getting ready for my daughter to start school next week, preparing for some LOF events and, of course, hurricane Irene! We're bringing in the summer lawn furniture and making sure the boat and all of Herm's traps are as protected as they can be from the strong winds. He just repainted it and made some repairs so we don't want anything to happen to it!

This Fish Friday we are celebrating crabs. And because of time and because it is really the best thing to do with crabs- our recipe is crab rolls!

You will need: bread, mayo, crab. Done. No spices, no garnishes.
We like Hellman's mayo but whatever kind you prefer is fine. The trick when making a crab meat roll, or even a lobster roll, is to pat the meat dry. If you don't pat the meat dry the mayo and mixture can end up watery and then your bread gets soggy. Also, for my crab meat roll, I didn't use a roll at all but rather homemade bread. Because that's how I roll. (I couldn't help myself with that one.) I still butter and brown the bread in a pan over med-low heat. Mix the dried off crab meat with some mayo and voila!

Uncooked crabs flexing their guns and giving me the eye.

How to cook 90 crabs: big pot, tank of propane, burner, about 4 inches of water, steam until done.

Sucker people into helping you pick them out. We had 90 crabs and 4 people. Two people might have eaten more than they picked. The other two worked for about 4 hours. Suckers.

Create a system. First we rip all of the legs off of the bodies, then the big claws are cleaned, then the little legs and then the bodies.

These are all the little leggies.

We heart crabs!

Bait tray full of crab shells!

Mix crab meat and mayo.


Assemble into a sandwich. I ate mine with some yummy heirloom tomatoes from the farm and some Cape Cod potato chips. And I obviously did not skimp on the crab meat in my sandwich.

Fish Friday!

2011-08-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

The vegans have "Meatless Monday" so I thought, for those of us who adore fish, that we could have Friday... Fish Friday that is! So from now on, every Friday provided I remember, I will post a recipe.

This week's recipe comes from Barton Seaver's newest cookbook, For Cod and Country. I like this cookbook a lot. There are beautiful pictures, lots of information and accessible recipes. There are also veggie recipes included that make great sides to a lot of the fish recipes. Seaver also includes information on buying seafood and types of fish. Though, I don't agree with everything he says, he does make some great points and attempts to represent both sides of an argument, for example his section on Aquaculture: The Cases For and Against Farm-Raised Seafood.

I made the Roasted Eggplant Puree and Halibut with Ginger-Raisin Crust (sans halibut, avec Pollock!). The roasted eggplant came out a little too smoky for me- but I think I might have cooked it a little too long. We have a plethora of Pollock in our freezer so even though the ginger-raisin crust is meant to be paired with a more flavorful fish- I decided to try it out on the pollock. That's the thing with fish, you can't be afraid to try new flavor combinations and cooking methods. So, below is my adapted recipe!

Pollock with Citrus-Ginger-Raisin Crust

Preheat the oven to 300

2 1/2 Tablespoons of butter
1/4 Cup of raisins (chopped up)
4 Tablespoons of panko
1 Tablespoon of ginger (fresh, grated)
4-6 Tablespoons of orange juice
Two pollock fillets

Seaver says to mix everything in a bowl but I used my food processor because I couldn't quite get my raisins to make a paste by chopping them. So, I threw the butter and raisins in the mix first. Then I added the panko and ginger. (I might use a little less ginger next time because that was the ingredient that tasted the strongest.) As everything began mixing I slowly added the OJ until the ingredients really began to look pasty.

After the paste was made I prepared the fish. Which just means I pat it dry. That's key when cooking any meat or fish. PAT IT DRY! Patting off any excess water helps whatever sauce or seasoning you are using to stick- and helps in the browning process. I cut each fillet into two pieces and arranged them in a glass dish that had been sprayed with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. (I use the Misto and I love it.) I used a spoon to scoop out the paste from the food processor and put about two spoonfuls on each fillet. Spread the paste so it covers each piece.

Cook the fish for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it because over-cooked fish is dry. When the fish starts to look a little flaky, it's done. It should still look a little moist and flake apart easily.

I would serve this with a big salad or some spinach. Something that can pair well with the citrus-y flavor!

What do Otto Pizza, Grace and butterfish have in common?

2011-08-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

Not much. I just went to Otto Pizza, then to Grace and there was butterfish on the menu.

My husband and I left the islands last night, that's right, we went over the bridge, and headed into Portland for some great company and yummy pizza at Otto Pizza. We had FOUR pizzas including the butternut squash, cranberry and ricotta pizza that literally took my breath away it was so good. Sweet squash, tart cranberries, creamy ricotta, just the right amount of heat from the pepper. YUM. My one complaint at Otto Pizza is that they don't offer martinis, but I pretty much complain about that anywhere, McDonald's, the movies, grocery stores...

Grace Restaurant in Portland offers amazing drinks so we headed there after Otto. Desserts and drinks were had by all. I had a Healing Waters that totally healed my craving for Cold River Vodka. Even though we weren't having dinner there I grabbed the app & entree menu so I could plan my meal for the next time I visited Grace. And on the menu I saw... BUTTERFISH! Which, at first made me laugh because we sometimes use butterfish for bait, but then I thought, hey, this fish has BUTTER right in the name, I bet it's damn good.

Butterfish has a rich taste, hence the name, and a darker meat. The key to cooking butterfish, as with most fish, is to not overcook it. So, though I did not decide to eat dinner instead of dessert at Grace, I was excited to see it on the menu and I give thanks to the chef for using an under-utilized, in-season, outside of the norm, not boring, delicious fish. (Sidebar: I like savory more than sweet so it did cross my mind to have an appetizer for dessert.)

BUTTERFISH /25
Lemongrass Scented Yellow Tomato Puree/ Backyard Farms Cocktail Tomatoes/ Potato Salad/ Sorel/ Arugula

I find it difficult sometimes to talk about fish because I don't want people to end up feeling guilty or burdened with information about which fish is the best fish, sustainability, blah blah blah. I feel that this ends up happening with certain seafood guides and information conveyed in the media. Bluefin tuna extinction? Bullshit. Don't eat shark! Bullshit. Lobsters on the Fly's goal is NOT to discuss the most sustainable fishing practices, it is NOT to point out the greenest boats and most plentiful species- our goal is to give the consumers the right questions and places in order to find the best seafood in their location. In Maine, we are lucky to have sources right here. So, it's GREAT to go to Grace and find something like Butterfish, not be overwhelmed with the information on why they chose to have that fish, but just know that the chef chose it because it is local, fresh, seasonal and delicious.

What the hake?

2011-07-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hake is a mild-flavored member of the cod family. Many cod recipes can be substituted with hake (or other white fish). Disclaimer: I have not made this recipe YET. I'm pretty excited about it though so I had to share it. Also, notice it utilizes cabbage and peas- both are IN SEASON here in Maine right now!

Want some hake? Check out the following places:

You'll need:

1/2 head cabbage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup peas- I'm going to use a handful or two of fresh snow peas.
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 lemon juice (less if you use fresh)
4-6 fillets of hake (or cod or pollock)

Directions:

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage, the pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and sauté until soft and golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the peas and cook another minute. Remove from skillet to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and remaining salt to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Place the hake in the pan and poach, covered, until opaque, about 4 minutes total, flipping carefully once. Transfer the cabbage and fish to plates.
Boil the poaching liquid over high heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Spoon over the cabbage and fish before serving.

(adapted from Real Simple.com)

Everything you need to know about scallops

2011-07-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

By Togue Brawn
Togue Brawn recently left the Maine Department of Marine Resources, where she worked for four years to strengthen and improve Maine's scallop management program. This winter, she will be launching a new company designed to increase the popularity and appreciation of Maine scallops by bringing them directly from harvesters to restaurateurs. In the meantime, she is doing consulting work in fisheries research, facilitation and policy, and also works at J's Oyster on Portland's waterfront.

You may have heard of the "Northeast scallop fishery", which has expanded dramatically in the past two decades thanks to the use of conservation closures. The closures were originally put in place to protect federal groundfish stocks. Although the results for groundfish were mixed and often debatable, the closures led to a huge increase in the scallop population, which currently supports the highest-value fishery in the Northeast.

(For more information see http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atl_sea_scallop.htm)

Maine fishermen also fish for scallops in state waters, although the Maine fishery is somewhat different. Maine scallops have been harvested commercially since the late 1800's. The traditional and most common form of harvest is by drag or dredge, and dragged scallops comprise the vast majority of today's harvest. In the 1970's, a dive fishery developed, which continues to this day in several areas of the coast. You may have seen "Maine diver scallops" on the menu at fancy restaurants. Maine diver scallops fetch a high price, because many believe they are harvested in a more sustainable manner. The argument goes that because divers can be very selective, only the largest scallops are harvested, leaving others to grow and reproduce. Also, diving does not involve dragging a large heavy chunk of metal across the ocean floor. However, as with most things in fisheries management, it's not that simple....

While divers are able to harvest selectively, they're also able to access areas that drags can’t' reach. For instance, raised rocky areas are off limits to draggers due to the damage they'd do to the dredge gear. As a result, these "rock piles" provide a sort of scallop sanctuary, and can host dense concentrations of large scallops. Because fecundity increases with both the size of the individual scallop and the concentration of scallops in an area, many believe these clusters, scattered along Maine's rocky coast, provided a broodstock sanctuary that replenished all of Maine's scallop population. Many draggers assert Maine's scallop fishery declined dramatically when the number of divers harvesting scallops exploded due to the "gold rush" and subsequent decline of Maine's sea urchin fishery (see http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/seaurchin/index.htm). They assert that the excess divers found all the broodstock piles and wiped them out, leaving nothing to replenish the resource.

This issue is further complicated by the fact that many of the scallops listed as "Maine diver scallops" aren't actually from Maine, and likely aren't harvested by divers. Because of the relative cache and therefore higher price they command, some unscrupulous dealers will label their product as Maine diver, regardless of its provenance.

To be fair, divers point out that draggers harvest all sizes of scallops, and can "obliterate" the bottom with their drags. Both divers' and draggers' arguments have merit, but neither one of them tells a complete story. Drag gear will always be unable to harvest some scallops, and divers will always be unable to harvest some scallops, such as those in very deep water or areas of strong tidal current. But when these gears are combined, they can completely remove all scallops from an area. Many believe that's what happened in the early 2000's, when Maine's scallop fishery essentially collapsed (see http://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/documents/scallop.graph_000.pdf).

The Maine Department of Marine Resources has made significant efforts in recent years to manage its state water scallop fishery more responsibly. Rather than blaming draggers or divers, they've sought to implement changes that focus on the resource itself and affect all harvesters. In the past four years, the season has been reduced from 132 to 70 days, a daily limit has been implemented, entry to the fishery has been limited, fines for penalties have been increased, and a series of large conservation closures has been implemented (see http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/scallops/index.htm for these and other changes).

So where does that leave the responsible consumer? Well, if you want to eat locally harvested scallops in Maine, there are a few things you should know:

1.) Maine's scallop fishery is a small boat, winter fishery. The vast majority of the scallops are landed on the same day they're harvested. This contrasts greatly with the federal waters fishery, where the scallops are often a week old by the time they hit the dock.

2.) REPEAT: Maine's scallop fishery is a winter fishery. If something is labeled as a "Fresh Maine Scallop" any time from April through November, it's almost certainly untrue (a small exception exists for scallops caught in the federal waters off Maine's coast, but this is very uncommon). If they're labeled "Fresh Maine Diver Scallops" in any month other than December, January, February or March, they're not labeled correctly.

3.) Scallops from Maine's state water fishery are harvested by small, day boat fishermen who rely on scalloping to help them get through the winter. The majority of Maine scallops are harvested by Hancock and Washington County fishermen, in some of the most economically depressed areas of the state. This contrasts greatly to federal water fishery, where many (but certainly not all) fishing enterprises are run by corporations.

4.) The state of Maine has made huge progress in the past four years to improve the management of its state water resource. Whether these efforts will produce a long-term sustainable fishery remains to be seen, but it is certain that fishermen are making sacrifices and managers are taking a hard line to work towards that goal.

So, in a nutshell... IT'S COMPLICATED! But Maine scallops are likely to be fresher when in season than those from the offshore fishery, and they're also harvested by the small, family enterprises we tend to favor. So the best thing to do is to eat as many Maine scallops as you can between mid-December and mid-March, and don't worry about whether they were caught by a diver or a dragger. If you're eating a Maine scallop, you're doing something good.

Fourth of July fish feast... and kolhrabi

2011-07-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July! Hope everyone had a lovely holiday and was able to enjoy the fireworks and some yummy local foods. We actually had our fish feast the night before the fourth, also known as the third, and had more traditional burgers and chicken on the day of. Here on the island we have an extended holiday weekend because the fireworks at Cook's Restaurant are on the day after the fourth, also known as the fifth.

I sent Herman to a local fish place in Harpswell, Gurnet's Trading, for some fish and by the time he came home he was ramped up to make the feast he was thinking about while purchasing all of the fish: haddock, scallops, shrimp and lobster. We actually had some lobster stashed on Herm's mooring for such an occasion- his boat is out of the water and this is usually the time when we're going, "You know what I feel like? Lobster." (And the shrimp and scallops were both caught during the appropriate season and later frozen. Make sure you know what season is appropriate for fish and ask whether or not it has been later frozen. If they say no- chances are it's not local or they are lying!)

I think Herman might have been getting a little annoyed because I kept asking him to move his hands and get out of my way so I could take some pictures. He would tell me to get out of his way so he could make dinner... and that's why I don't have any pictures of the shrimp or better ones of the fish.

Herm decided to put some crackers and all of the seafood (sans haddock) in the food processor to make a stuffing. Then he rolled the fish with the stuffing. He made A LOT of stuffing though, so it looked a little more like the fish was laying on top of a mound of crushed crackers and seafood. That's not a bad thing.

Lobster in the food processor. The trick is not to process too much- just pulse a few times. No one wants seafood and cracker pate. Or do they?

Yes, that's butter.

The one thing we didn't do and that might have made this dish just a bit snazzier is a sauce. We actually have a couple of pieces leftover so we are going to try a Bearnaise and a Hollandaise. I'll let you know how it goes.

We had two full dishes and thankfully a friend over for dinner.


I had to include a cute little boy enjoying some lobster!

I served our fish with kohlrabi which may not be the best pairing but I wanted to use it up and it is so yummy. I never thought I would be saying, "I hope I get more kohlrabi in my CSA this week!" Also, coolest thing ever when we went to pick up our share this week. I asked Joss if she wanted more turnips or kohlrabi and she stopped to think about it! Take that doctor who told me I should be giving my kids more milk. My kids eat kohlrabi and turnips, do yours? (Side note: Our doctor made me feel bad about not giving my kids more milk after I just got done telling her about how much they appreciate our farm share and have an understanding of buying locally and trying new foods at an early age. Tell the people eating cheese balls and Doritos to give their kids more milk.)

Kohlrabi is first and foremost absolutely beautiful.

It is also so easy to prepare. I rip the stems off, peel the dark purple flesh, do a quick julienne and throw it a pan with just a little oil, butter and salt. When it starts to color I add some Parmesan cheese and give it a couple more tosses. It stays so crunchy and has an earthy taste without being bitter. So good! I also served some of my kale and chard pesto over it and that was great! I'll post some more recipes for what I've been doing with the plethora of kale and chard- and how you can pair it with some in-season fish.

Letter to the editor

2011-06-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, some of you saw the letter to the editor I submitted to the Portland Press Herald and Times Record. Here are the links and the letter!

Brunswick Times Record
Portland Press Herald

According to a recent report by the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, our New England fishing fleet is consolidating in one direction: away from the small-scale fishery and toward the large-scale industrialized fishery. Consolidation does not reduce the amount of fish caught, but will change the face of who does the fishing. At present, little to no protections exist that ensure who fishes will remain diverse — nor are there any measures to prevent monopolization of limited rights to fish.

The fishermen of New England have much in common with our small family farmers. However, voices reaching from the sea sometimes sound more distant than those of land-based neighboring farmers. Recent changes occurring in the Northeast fishery have brought about a dramatic transition in who is participating in the fishery. The issues are not simple, but as conscientious community members we can begin by listening to, and supporting, the voices of family fishermen who are watching their livelihoods disappear.

Currently in New England, three corporate entities control nearly 40 percent of one fish stock. Those of us concerned with the security of our food systems fear uncontrolled consolidation in the fishing industry — the result of which will include the degradation of our resources, and the loss of the independent small boat fishermen. The loss of these boats will have a domino effect on shoreside businesses.

Decisions made by the New England Fishery Management Council impact not only fishermen but also those who live, work, and eat in communities everywhere. We must raise our voices in support of the small-scale family fishermen and ask NEFMC to ensure that protections exist to foster a diverse fishery.

Ultimately, maintaining a diverse fleet is one of NEFMC’s own objectives. To learn more, visit www.namanet.org and see the report titled “Maintain Fleet Diversity in the New England Groundfish Fishery.”

I never thought I would be so excited about...

2011-06-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

Chard and kale pesto! I had quite a bit of kale and chard leftover in my CSA share last week and yesterday I had to pick up more! I was reading the Crystal Spring Farm's newsletter when I came across the word pesto. I LOVE pesto and I couldn't believe I hadn't thought to make a pesto out of those lovely greens yet. Can I say pesto one more time? Pesto! I'm going to say that instead of presto! from now on. Not that I frequently yell, "Presto!" Anyway, I made a plan to make it as soon as I got home but I was too excited and made it right then. It came out so YUMMY and PRETTY!

Here is where I started. Greens (check). Parmesan cheese (check). I don't know exactly how much but what you see in that picture is about what I used.

The beautiful green color and absolute freshness of all the greens is so inspiring!

Parmesan cheese is pretty fantastic and inspiring as well.

The main ingredients in a pesto are the veggies/herbs, cheese and olive oil. I also use salt and pepper and I am including a picture of my salt box and Vic Firth pepper mill because they are two of my favorite things in the kitchen. Those and my Microplane. And my immersion blender. And the dehydrator. I have more favorites but we'll leave it at my top five.

In case you were wondering, and I know you were, I fill my pepper mill with a local company's pepper, Gryffon Ridge Spice Merchants. Their quality and selection is outstanding and their prices are more than reasonable.

This is what the pesto looks like mid-process. I tear the greens and put them in the food processor with some olive and Parmesan cheese. Because the greens are so plentiful I have to do it in batches. When it is all done I throw it all back in the food processor to give it one more chop and mix.

These are the olive oils that I use. I use the standard EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) pictured at right to mix the pesto. When it's done I drizzle the fancier stuff on the left over the top. Dafni is a Maine made product that can be found on-line and at farmers markets. I actually found Dafni at the Brunswick winter farmers market when my daughter insisted on trying most of their oils so she could eat all of their bread. They were so smooth and tasty that I now I have a bottle on hand all of the time for dipping and drizzling!

After I tasted the pesto I realized it was missing something. My good friend, garlic. So, I added about one clove.

And this is what it ended up looking like!

Presto! It's pesto!

I am lucky to have a taste-tester in the house. I have to give my daughter credit because she does such a good job trying new foods.... and new recipes. And though she is making a horrible face she actually said the pesto was OK. My sister-in-law, friend and self thought it was absolutely delicious. It's also about 7:30am in this picture and that might be a little early, even for pesto.

So, there you have it! The kale and chard pesto recipe via photos!

The recipe is basically:

kale & chard (you can also add spinach) torn into pieces and put in the food processor

Parmersan cheese & olive oil

salt and pepper (to taste)

garlic (about a clove)

drizzle some EVOO or fresh squeeze lemon on top!

This is really great as a spread on anything... fish, bread, chicken! Enjoy!

This is me blogging.

2011-06-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

I swear I still run this blog. I have been a little busy trying to put together a website for Lobsters on the Fly- hence the changes on the blog. I've also been writing a couple of articles for some papers, attending some fabulous sustainable food conferences, interviewing some herring fishermen, thinking about fish, eating some fish, fishing. You get the idea.

Herman's boat is out of the water getting some much needed repairs on the deck. He is also installing a water locker, also known as a toilet, which will make the boat races this year all the better! It's going to be a busy summer for us but I'm excited for some fun times with family and friends and achieving some of the long-worked on goals for Lobsters on the Fly. What are those goals? I can't tell you! I'm a fisherman's wife- I know better than to jinx things!

So, check back soon. When the website is completed I'm going to utilize the blog for sharing recipes and pictures and tidbits about local food... maybe a CSF challenge?

Seafood Festival seeks lobster-roll eating contestants | SeacoastOnline.com

2011-06-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Seafood Festival seeks lobster-roll eating contestants | SeacoastOnline.com

R.I. fishermen look for ways to market local catch | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

2011-05-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

R.I. fishermen look for ways to market local catch | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

Looking forward to seeing what they come up with!

Most of the fish caught in Rhode Island’s waters is sold out of state, or even out of the country. Very little of the catch shows up in local restaurants, markets or on dinner plates.

Rhode Island fishermen think that’s a missed opportunity, both for them and for consumers who want to eat fresh, locally caught fish.

The future of Lobsters on the Fly

2011-05-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

We will be moving soon! To a REAL website! On the website you will be able to find all of the information about my upcoming events: more cooking classes, the Big Green Bus, seafood throwdowns, local food events, contests and more information about upcoming Maine Seafood Marketing Network meetings. And pictures, island living, healthy seafood tips and recipes too! (I don't have time to keep updating a blog and I think I will be able to include more information on a website.)

Over the past month or so I have found myself getting a little frustrated with work. I realized that I needed to refocus-- what are my goals with Lobsters on the Fly? Why did I start this? What am I frustrated about and at whom? When you are passionate about something (like I am about food- of the local and seafood sorts) it is hard not to try and get your hands in everything! So I took a step back and looked at what I was doing and readjusted my path. Well, not readjusted it, just got back on it.

Lobsters on the Fly is a grassroots marketing iniatitive for Maine's seafood industry- working to promote our local seafood and support the fishermen who catch it. (Or something like that... I'm still working on the specific tagline.)

Maine needs more large scale marketing efforts for our seafood but there are others out there working on that and I support them. I like our local food movement so that's where I am going to stay for now. (I hope that didn't sound negative- I just want to focus my efforts on the local food movement because it's important to me and there is a need there as well!)

So stay tuned for a new site... I've got some pretty cool stuff in the works, but like the fisherman's wife I am, I don't want to talk about it yet because I don't want to jinx it.

For now, back to some recipes!

I am VERY LUCKY to have the Island Cooking book and I am actually afraid that some fellow Orr's/Bailey Islanders might see that I have it and come try to "borrow" it! It is an especially cool book because the last 20 or so pages in the back have household tips!

#414 Make an inexpensive glasses case, especially great for today's sunglasses, from a square potholder. Just fold in half and sew the bottom and side.

#415 Do not discard worn pillow slips. Cut a small hole in the seamed end and slip it over a hanger as protection for clothes.

And a recipe from the cookbook. This one is from a favorite of mine who is no longer with us but is still thought of and missed very much by everyone.

Curried Shimp, Harriet Huff
I know the shrimp season is over but if you had listened to me before you probably have some in the freezer with a little milk.

(preheat oven to 425)

2 C. shrimp
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 C milk
2 T butter
1/2 tsp curry powder
3 T ketchup
2 C boiled rice
dash of salt and pepper
2 T sherry

Combine all ingredients. Put into greased 2 quart casserole.
Top with buttered crumbs. Bake 20-30 minutes.

Shortening the Line | Slow Food International - Good, Clean and Fair food.

2011-05-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

Shortening the Line | Slow Food International - Good, Clean and Fair food.

Maine Seafood Marketing Network

2011-05-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

If you don't wake up in the morning with a burning desire to do things, you don't have enough goals. Lou Holtz

Last week was the first Maine Seafood Marketing Network meeting and it went very well. Honestly, I was a bit nervous at first. A couple of reasons- anytime you organize a meeting you hope that you remembered everyone, everyone wants to be there, the agenda doesn't suck and you haven't forgotten anything. I made sure to have lots of food because then at least no one would go away hungry! As a matter of fact I was sending people out the door with sandwiches because I got a little too much! Let's call it the French in me that wants to make sure everyone is well-fed.

There was a good variety of people there from Maine Sea Grant, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Island Institute, Maine Aquaculture Association, Browne Trading Company, Maine Lobstermen's Association, Lobster Promotion Council and OneMaine. After brief introductions our discussions began about the need for a networking group such as this one, how to make it successful and concerns in our industry around marketing- and how to market our seafood. One issue that is often discussed is where should all the seafood marketing go and how should it get there? There are basically two scales of marketing- large and small (basically, out-of-state and local). Which should we focus on or how can we can incorporate both? These questions come up all the time amongst all of the organizations working in anyway to market Maine's seafood- and food!

Let me jump around for a minute...

I was working on an article this week about Elinor Ostrom's Institutional Analysis and Development framework. Smarty pants sounding, right? Anyway, I was examining how collective action could influence Maine seafood industry. I won't get into the whole theory around collective action- but it is basically what it sounds like- the pursuit of a goal or set of goals by more than one person. The Maine Seafood Marketing Network is a collective action. We are trying to achieve a set of goals- namely market Maine's seafood more- as a group. No one is going to quit their day job and focus all of their time on group but hopefully we can all work together and pool our resources to come up with some great goals.

I'm looking forward to our future meetings and expanding the network. By having a successful networking group working on a common goal for the industry- we can provide some great results.

It's that time of year

2011-04-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

It's spring time here on the islands (finally!) and that means that the fishermen are working hard to repair traps, build new traps, clean up their boats and prepare for the coming season. Some fishermen are putting their boats back in the water and others who fish year-round are taking their boats out (like my husband) to clean up and put back in later. Herm will get his boat hauled out later this month so for now he is building his traps. Some fishermen order their traps already built from places like Brooks Trap Mill and Friendship Trap but Herm prefers to do some of the work himself. He orders his parts and pieces from Brooks, Friendship and Pono's. (Like all those plugs? Just wait, there's one more.)

Anyway, new this year to Herm's routine are Brian and Tom. Brian and Tom are retired and in need of things to do so they asked some of the boys if they could knit and hoop their heads. I think this may have ended up being a bigger undertaking than they first imagined. Each fisherman seems to have a little bit of a different way of doing things. Poor Brian is being blamed for lots of missed meshes and backward hoops. I just stopped by the shop to snap some pictures and say hello and Herm was there building some traps. Big surprise- Tom and Brian were there too, one blaming the other for one mistake or another.

Left to right: Tom, Brian, Herman

For those of you who don't know- this is a head in a trap. There are front, middle and back heads. The heads are what funnel the lobsters through the trap and hopefully keep them there. Lobster traps have kitchens and parlors and sometimes more rooms or less heads- depending on the size and design.

There's that other plug! Plante Buoy Sticks! I have one of their knives strapped to my oil pants!

Before shot of some bent wire for traps.

Some old traps that are in need of repair!

Brian and Tom's work station.

Shots of some heads before they are put in the traps.

Brian has to use the table to hold the head. Most people do it another way. (We love to pick on him!)

This is me trying to get all artsy with my fancy-pants camera. It's a shot through the heads... obviously.

Data matrix codes... coming soon to a restaurant near you.

2011-04-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Have you seen one of these lately?

Jen Levin from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute wrote about them recently in the MLA Newsletter (April 2001, page 5). It is called a data matrix code or what I like to call it, "a square barcode-looking thingy." There are a few apps for the smart phone that you can use to scan the code. I use the Neoreader app. Feel free to scan the one above although it is just going to take you back to my site!
I recently spoke to a restaurant in my area that offers local food and asked if they would be willing to give it a shot in their restaurant to help promote some of the fishermen and farmers. We are meeting again and I hope to talk to more restaurants offering local food to use this code in order to promote more of our local producers. So- be on the look out! And if you are a farmer or fisherman who would like to learn more about this please shoot me an e-mail and I will help you get set up.

First cooking class

2011-04-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

I taught my first cooking class at Now You're Cooking on Thursday last week and it went very well! I was quite nervous but once I got to the store and got my stuff set up I calmed down. After practicing how to make lobster fettuccine a few times- the stock I made for my class came out the best!
I made lobster BLT's and BLC's (cucumbers) to start. I also had some dip prepared that I heated up under the broiler and served with crackers. Then we discussed everything about lobsters while I made some more stock and prepared the fettuccine. The students filled out surveys after the class and I got all 5's- and one 4. And requests to come back and teach more about fish! So, be on the look out in the future for more cooking class dates.

Thank you to the Maine Lobster Council for sending some cool stuff along for me to hand out.

Sweet presentation huh? Takes a slight hand to get a claw out of hard shell like that!

Lobster BLT's and BLC's for those who don't like T's.

Now You're Cooking's very cool kitchen.

Surveys completed by the students asking for more fish with Monique!

Leftovers- might have put a little too much lobster. Who would've thought that could happen?

Demeyers pan- pretty awesome and totally heavy!

Chasin' the Ring BBQ

2011-04-05T07:08:00.000-07:00

(Not so seafood-y but good local food-y.) One of my favorite stops on Saturday at the Brunswick Farmers Market in Fort Andross is to see my friend Bob. He is always ready with a crock pot full of the most delicious pork that you can pour one his sauces on and be blown away. He owns Chasin' the Ring BBQ. From his site:

Maine has a lot more to offer than lobstah, blueberries and potatoes. The flavors of our sauces were developed utilizing some of the best flavors of Maine. We use Pure Maine Maple Syrup and Maple sugar, Pure Maine Honey, and Spices obtained from local suppliers.
Chasin’ the Ring BBQ was formed in 2009 from a backyard BBQ enthusiast’s dreams. We have become a competition BBQ team as well as a BBQ Sauce and Rub producer in the State of Maine. That’s right Maine.

We use Maine maple syrup, maple sugar and honey from local farmers. What we can't get from farmers, we get from local businesses. We purchase our spices from local small businesses, including Gryffon Ridge in Dresden, ME. Chasin' the Ring BBQ is keeping Maine's economy going.

Bob is friendly and loves to talk about barbecue and barbecue sauces and his food is delicious. Be sure to check out his site and hunt him down at a farmers market. Here are a few pictures I snapped!

New app from Monteray Bay Aquarium

2011-03-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

Lifestyle and culture

2011-03-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Do you ever notice that sometimes the conversations you have with people carry a theme? They may be about current events, celebrities or food but somehow you end up having similar topics broach multiple conversations over a few days? That happened to me this weekend.

I just finished reading Michael Pollan's Food Rules. It is a quick read with great guidelines for a healthy diet that supports a healthy body, environment and our local food sources. He says, "Eat more like the French. Or the Japanese. Or the Italians. Or the Greeks." Basically, eating a culturally rich diet based on tradition, culture, lifestyle and local foods. He also points out that we should look at how these cultures eat: long, social and enjoyable meals.

As aforementioned, multiple times over the past week I have discussed food culture with people but one instance stuck out in my mind more than the others. I was at lunch with a few friends of mine, including B, who is from Turkey. B and his wife S just moved to Maine from D.C. because S is from Maine. (Did you get that? Sounded like a word problem.) B said he was so happy to be in Maine because he thought D.C. was lacking. He said that people there went to work, made money and went home. If they made more money, they spent it and then they would just keep working. He felt that in Maine we still have culture and tradition and lifestyle, what B thought was lacking in D.C. B said in Turkey no matter where you went you still felt like you were part of the community- part of the tradition and culture. It was amazing to hear someone from another country pinpoint such a problem in our country with one move.

Surely, D.C. is not the only place in the U.S. that lacks a food culture- or lifestyle. But, perhaps you don't feel like part of a community everywhere you go in the United States. (Note: Yes, I know Turkey is about the size of Texas but it's the point I am trying to make about community that matters, not the size of the US vs. Turkey!) And is that different in Maine? In coastal communities? In fishing communities? I think Maine has some great culture and tradition and a sense of community.

My husband has a cookbook, the Island Cookbook, that many people from Orr's and Bailey Islands know very well. It has recipes from many of the families that have been on the islands for a very long time. They are recipes similar to what Michael Pollan was addressing when he said to eat like the French, Japanese etc. Recipes that have been around for a long time that use foods that were locally harvested and not processed.

Another tradition that exists around the islands addresses how we eat: cleaning fish, either before or after a meal. Some of the best stories I have heard and favorite moments spent with my husband's family have happened at the dinner table as we finish our dinner and start to pick the rest of the shrimp and lobster or clean the rest of the clams and mussels.

We do not have to look far, at least here in Maine, to find culture and tradition in our food lifestyle. And I don't know about you, but usually wherever I go in Maine I am pretty comfortable because I think many of the same traditions exist throughout the state: chowders, bean suppers, Sunday drives, fairs and Reny's. :)

Adventures in lobster cooking: Take 2

2011-03-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

Someone had suggested to me to remove the bands before cooking the lobster. Apparently, this would prevent any rubber-y taste that you might get from them. I'm not sure I have ever gotten a rubber-y taste and even after I did remove the bands I did not notice a difference. Though, this isn't the first time I have heard of removing the bands so it must happen some times! The picture above illustrates how you should hold the lobster in order to remove the bands. It's the same way to hold it when you put the bands on. By crossing the claws of the lobster it cannot reach around and pinch ya!

The lobster did look much prettier without the bands on after it was done cooking! I also put the lobster on ice after they were done cooking to stop the cooking process. That way when I added it to the pasta it would not be overcooked.

Pretty pot of lobster stock! Ahh-mazing smell too!

Lobster dip- you can get the recipe here.

After simmering a few cups of the stock and adding a few other ingredients- add the pasta and toss!

Plated it up! I needed to add a little of the stock to moisten the noodles and make them shine.

From seafood to steak... IBSS 2011

2011-03-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

Herman and I ventured to Boston yesterday for the International Boston Seafood Show. I had no idea what to expect and though my excitement fluctuated as we past our exit not once, but twice, I was still pretty psyched to be going. My excitement continued as we past the convention center to our parking lot, a mile away, and held steady through my questioning of what the hell I was doing as I was standing in the rain/snow/sleet waiting for our shuttle with about 100 other people. Who knew so many people thought seafood was exciting? We finally made it in and as we walked through the expo doors I was taken aback by all of the people, the sounds, the smell and the size of the Boston Convention and Exposition Center. Let me back up for a second- I took this picture after we got our badges:

And that was about it. There was a sign on the way in to the show that said no photos. I would have taken a picture of it but there was a guard standing right next to it. We walked in and I started sampling the fishies as soon as I could. I really didn't have a lot of expectations but I was a bit surprised to see how popular aquaculture has become. We made our way around the booths and stopped to learn about Fish Choice and some new kinds of packaging for shipping lobsters.

I really wanted to run into Rick Moonen and/or Will Rogers who were both there. We did see Calendar Islands Lobsters, who were very busy! And the Maine Lobster Council that also included Tom Martin, owner of Lucky Catch. Everyone seemed to be having a great time but I can imagine that being there for three days would get very tiring!

Unfortunately, I can't compare to last year's show because I was not there but I wonder if there has been an increase in fish farming? I was also wondering where all of the fishermen were? There seemed to be an array of certifications and claims to sustainability but not many fishermen to talk about their catch and what they thought of the industry. If I were a business person that was concerned about sustainability and wanted the best catch, I would want to talk to the person who was doing the harvesting. I thought it was kind of funny that a group from Mass. was claiming to be so sustainable yet had numerous, what we call over-size lobsters here in Maine, on display.

Herman and I tried a bunch of salmon, some white fish (but, no tilapia!), some mussels, a few scallops and clams. The worst? There were actually two things! One was a lobster mac-n-cheese from a state that wasn't Maine, and I didn't even want to swallow it. It tasted salty and fishy. The other was a bacon-breaded scallop. I told Herman that it didn't taste like real bacon and before I could finish what I was saying he said, "It doesn't taste like real scallop," which was what I was going to say. The best? Easy. The lobster pizza from Calendar Islands Lobsters. And I am not just saying that because they are from Maine. They really were hands down the best tasting thing I tried. Herman liked it as well and he also like this stuffed-clam we had from the same people who brought us the horrible lobster mac-n-cheese. I thought it had too many peppers in it.

Lobster pizza from Calendar Islands Lobster.

I took a picture of the one billion cars in the not-so-close parking lot that were getting rained and snowed on for you!

We stopped at Hilltop Steakhouse on our way home because neither of us had ever eaten there before. And we didn't try as much food as we thought and we a bit hungry! We got steak, obviously, and I thought I would share some pictures since I am not able to share more pictures of the seafood show with you.

Geoduck clam

2011-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

If you follow my blog regularly you probably already know that I am a huge Food Network fan and an aspiring Iron Chef America judge. I've seen geoduck (pronounced gooey duck) used a couple of times and I had to look into them a little bit more because I find them... totally gross. I love seafood and I am willing to try all kinds and I think that people should learn to use more of the under-utilized seafoods. I wonder to myself if geoducks are utilized frequently outside of the culinary world, though, and if they aren't this is one of example of a seafood where I would understand why and would not push to have it appear on more plates.

I don't even really want to touch it and I actually like taking care of the bait on Herm's boat.

Interesting species though! These suckers are one of the longest-living organisms in the Animal kingdom. They can live to be almost 150 years old! They can sell for up to $160/lbs in Asia and can weigh up to and over 15 lbs. They can be found in the Northwest United States but seem to be more common in Asia. It is a closely regulated fishery and is often farmed (aquaculture) in the Northwest US. Still pretty ugly.

Adventures in lobster cooking

2011-03-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

On April 7 I am teaching a class at Now You're Cooking in Bath. I asked Herman to bring some lobsters home so I can start practicing the recipes and techniques. I will be making lobster dip, lobster fettuccine and lobster BLT's. Last night I practiced making the lobster dip and lobster fettuccine. I had to make some changes to the fettuccine recipes because I didn't have peas, the right noodles or some of the seasonings. Dinner still came out good. I paid attention to how I cooked the lobsters more than I usually do- setting a timer, measuring water etc. One thing I do know for sure now- it is way better to steam lobsters than to boil them!

Before

After! We just dump our lobsters in the sink when they are done cooking. It makes the least amount of mess and gives them a chance to cool down before we crack into them.

Using the bodies to make stock. Smelled so good! Surprising ingredient: ketchup.

The final product! Lobster fettuccine with a few improv ingredients. I'd share the recipe but then you wouldn't come to my class!

Update: Feds confirm new appeals process for fishing penalties

2011-03-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

Update: Feds confirm new appeals process for fishing penalties

Harvest for Hope

2011-03-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

From the Good Shepard Food Bank:
The Farm, Dairy and Seafood Initiative, launched last year, has enabled GSFB to purchase and distribute 350,000 pounds of fresh Maine produce and seafood for needy families all across the state! This year, they seek to greatly extend this success of Mainers feeding Mainers even more.

The boxes in the background were all donated by Hannaford. Hannaford has been working with the GSFB since 1983 and was a large part of their success.

Last week I went to the Good Shepard Food Bank in Auburn to meet with Rick Small, executive director. Rick knows there is a link missing in our food systems and he intends to fix it with the Good Shepard Food Bank's Harvest to Hope program. We began our conversation with a tour of the facility. He took me through the facility the same way the food goes through- from drop-off to distribution. It was amazing-   there was a great deal of food and boxes and their system is so efficient- but it becomes overwhelming to think about how many people in Maine are hungry.
      Apparently, a while back, the GSFB recieved a truck full of canned peas from China that were completely unedible. This got everyone thinking about how they can get more good foods from Maine to the people in Maine who are hungry- Mainers feeding Mainers. Rick and I also talked about the unfortunate reality that their are many of our own producers that are hungry. We talked about how great it would be if GSFB could set up a processing system that would provide local produce and seafood to hungry Mainers! We have a long way to go but I am really excited to continue my conversations with Rick and develop new ways to get more seafood to more Mainers.
     I am also planning an event right now- the proceeds will be donated to the Good Shepard Food Bank to help build awareness around what they are doing- let you know the details when I know them!

The GSFB inspection system is extremely efficient.
Each item is inspected, catagorized and the expiration date is noted.

There are many, many shelves of food like these.
Yet it is unfortunate to think that there are even more families in Maine that are hungry.

Neighborhood Catch: Local Fishermen Sell a Piece of the Haul

2011-03-10T03:27:00.000-08:00

Neighborhood Catch: Local Fishermen Sell a Piece of the Haul

Report: Industry R&D investment needed | Mainebiz

2011-03-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

Report: Industry R&D investment needed Mainebiz

Giacalone takes catch share fight to Congress

2011-03-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Giacalone takes catch share fight to Congress

Fishermen's Forum

2011-03-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

Herman and I went up to Rockland for the fishermen's forum on Thursday. Not many of the tables were set up yet but we wandered around and said hello to some of the people at Pono's Trap Company and Maine Financial Group. We had a decent lunch at the Samoset's Clubhouse. We were a little disappointed that the usual restaurant downstairs was closed for renovations. It was a beautiful day- little cold!

We also attended a seminar: Marketing & Profitability in Maine's Commercial Fishing Industry. There were six people on the panel but Herm and I only had the time to hear the first three: Jen Levin from GMRI, John Jordan from Calendar Island Lobsters and Eliot Cutler, Maine Seafood Ventures.

I found John Jordan to be inspiring. He was very honest about his lack of marketing knowledge when he started his venture and said that he just asked questions. He said, "Reaching out in other worlds, it's kind of funny what you might find." He discussed how hard it is to do everything yourself and if you do try to do it all yourself you end up only inhibiting the process- it's about contributing, not inhibiting or competition. That part stuck with me because I think there is a bit of disconnect in Maine's fishing industry and if we could find some common ground to market ourselves it would help all of us. Eliot Cutler spoke to this a bit when he said we need to market Maine and remind everyone what a great brand Maine is.

Here are some awesome pictures from my iTouch. Hopefully, you get the idea. Notice Annie Tselikis from the MLA taking better pictures. You can probaly see those in the MLA Newsletter next month.

Anyway, back I went to the forum on Friday to say hello to some of my friends from NAMA. It was much busier on Friday! I collected a few magnets and stopped by the Bring Back the Fish seminar for a bit. Again, didn't get to stay for the whole thing because of those damn kids! I'll post more about the forum throughout the week and I'll be sure to share any other articles I find. (I didn't get to hear LePage talk- the room was packed and you couldn't really hear from the hallway!)

LePage wants to lure Maine boats back to home port - Boston.com

2011-03-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

LePage wants to lure Maine boats back to home port - Boston.com

This Sunday!

2011-02-25T11:03:00.001-08:00

Fishermen's Forum Schedule

2011-02-25T04:01:00.001-08:00

For the FINAL schedule of seminars of the forum you can click here. I'll be there on Thursday and Friday so I hope to see some of you there!

Maine lawmakers wade into lobster trap dock flap - Boston.com

2011-02-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Maine lawmakers wade into lobster trap dock flap - Boston.com

Lobster catch could set new record | Mainebiz

2011-02-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

Lobster catch could set new record Mainebiz

Bye bye Google ads!

2011-02-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

I realized that it was pretty lame that I had google ads on my page. Pretty UN-local. The reason I had them though was because it was the only way I knew how to track how many hits I was getting. Thanks to some of my amazing blogging friends I now know how to do it without Google adsense. Bye bye Google ads! Hello more space on my page for local links! Let me know if you have a logo that I can share!

Excerpt from Edward R. Murrow's Harvest of Shame (1960)

2011-02-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

Get on the bus for farmworker justice!

2011-02-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to join the One Penny More! Caravan from Portland reserve your seat by Thursday, February 24. Buses are converging from NYC, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Providence, and other Northeast communities. Join us for this historic event! Reserve your seat by calling 244-0908 or emailing bobstpeter@gmail.com.

BUS LEAVES PORTLAND, MAINE FEBRUARY 27, 2011 10AM RETURNING TO PORTLAND 8PM

Join the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in the largest display of support in the Northeast in their 18 year history when they march on Stop & Shop in Boston to demand fairness and justice for farmworkers!

BUS TICKETS ARE $30. Food for Maine's Future is trying to raise money for scholarships to support farmworker and farmer participation in the event. You can help by DONATING A SEAT!

RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY!

WHY WE MARCH

At a glance: Florida farmworkers have long faced brutal conditions in the fields, including sub-poverty wages, widespread labor rights violations, and even modern-day slavery. Today, however, there is hope on the horizon, thanks to the efforts of farmworkers, Fair Food activists, Florida tomato growers, and nine food industry leaders who have joined in support of the CIW's Fair Food principles, including a strict code of conduct, a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process. But Publix and Ahold are refusing to do their part, and if they have their way, the unprecedented farm labor transformation promised by the CIW's landmark agreement with the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange would be significantly diminished. Farmworkers' hopes for an end to the decades-long "Harvest of Shame" would be dashed. On Sunday, February 27 the CIW and their supporters will march to Stop & Shop (owned by parent company Ahold) in Boston and deliver our Fair Food message in person.

Join Food for Maine's Future at additional events in Portland the night before the march:

Saturday, February 26

Harvest of Loneliness: The Bracero Program

Meg Perry Center, 664 Congress St., Portland 3-5pm

Harvest of Loneliness is the historical account of the millions of Mexican men and women who experienced the temporary contract worker program known as the Bracero Program established in the U.S. during the 1940's. The program effectively replaced an alleged wartime labor shortage with cheap, largely captive labor. It's effects are still being felt throughout the hidden world of farmworker labor in the U.S. today.
Followed by a reception at Local Sprouts Cooperative

649 Congress St., Portland, 5pm - 7pm.

Information will be available about the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, the next day's events in Boston, and updates on our own Fair Food campaigns in Maine.

For more information contact Bob St.Peter at 207-244-0908 or bobstpeter@gmail.com.

Food for Maine's Future is a proud member of the National Family Farm Coalition.

Lobsters and herring and shrimp, oh my!

2011-02-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

I have been pretty busy the past couple of weeks and that is just fine with me! I'm no longer working at my other job though I am still working as a personal trainer one or two days a week. The rest of my time has been spent on the road, in meetings, on conference calls and on the computer. Sometimes on the phone in the car (pulled over, of course) or on the phone and on the computer! I've gotten to meet some very cool people all working hard to find ways to support our fisheries!

I am very excited to be continuing to work and network with people on the Eat Local Foods Coalition. I am currently serving as the vice president and I am quite honored and really looking forward to getting to know others on the board better. And hopefully working on some projects that can really make a difference in our farming and fishing worlds! I also started to work with the Fish Locally Collaborative about a month or two ago. I am working in the markets transformation workgroup. I co-lead with two very intelligent, interesting and fun people. More on both of these projects/groups in the future!

You know how they say find your passion and make it your life’s work? I feel like I’ve got that. Even though I look at my full e-mail in-box, my full calendar of events and meetings, and long list of to-do's, I feel so excited every morning to get up and at ‘em. Lou Holtz said, “If you're bored with life - you don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things - you don't have enough goals.“ Now, I do not mean to get all cheesy and inspirational here but let me tell you about my day yesterday.

All I had to do yesterday was go to the gym, run a couple of errands and get to Augusta for a works session regarding LD 110 to support large-scale marketing and research and development for bulk sales of Maine seafood worldwide. I felt like shit. My throat hurt, my eyes burned and I was exhausted. I got to the gym and our new nail tech needed someone to practice on. I decided I didn’t need to work out and got my nails painted instead! I went to do a couple of errands but was having a hard time making decisions about anything because my head was so full that I gave up and grabbed some lunch at Provisions. I got Margot’s amazing Tuscan roast beef with extra horseradish in hopes of clearing my head. It was totally delicious! Though, it kinda stunk in my car and therefore I felt like I smelled of roast beef the rest of the day. Not very cool when you’re meeting new people and shaking hands with people that you respect and hope they respect you too! Anyway, so though it was not what I felt like doing because I didn’t feel that great, and apparently smelled like my sandwich, being in Augusta was the better part of my day. (Not including hanging out with my family because that is ALWAYS the best part of my day, have you seen my kids?) Anyway, I guess I know what Coach Holtz was talking about.

LD 110 was tabled which was actually the best decision that could have been made. Marketing and research and development in the seafood industry is far more complicated that just throwing money at it. And honestly $3M is not that much money considering how much seafood the state of Maine produces. There was a lobsterman there, who shall remain nameless, who said that the lobstermen would be willing to support and even incur fees in order to support this bill. I freaked out a little bit on the inside because 1.) it says SEAFOOD not just lobster and 2.) NO, lobstermen would not, nor should they have to, pay any more fees. It sounds like the bill is going to go back to the drawing board, a few details will be hammered out and the DMR may even look at where some of their funds can be better spent. All good news and of course I will update you if I hear anything!

On that note, I promise I will get better at actually updating you fantastic readers in regards to what I am doing. I’ll continue to share articles that I find interesting, informative and relevant but I will make sure to be better at posting my own articles as well. So, look forward to hearing about the fishermen’s forum, the Boston Seafood show, herring management, cooperatives, community supported fisheries and the Good Shepard Food Bank! Lobsters and herring and shrimp, oh my!

In case you haven't seen my kids:

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Conference Call, February 18, 2011

2011-02-15T17:55:00.001-08:00

Press Release from ASMFC, February 14, 2011

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Section Schedules Emergency Meeting to Consider

Closing 2010/2011 Fishery

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Conference Call, February 14, 2011

2011-02-14T12:42:00.001-08:00

Shrimp season may be ending sooner than expected.
Check out the information on the DMR site.

WCSH6.com | Portland, ME | Feds agree to larger catch limits on key stock

2011-02-10T04:32:00.000-08:00

WCSH6.com Portland, ME Feds agree to larger catch limits on key stock

Vegan versus localvore

2011-02-05T07:01:00.000-08:00

I watched Oprah the other day. I know, kind of embarassing, but I read a link on the Real Time Farm's Facebook page stating that Micheal Pollan was going to be discussing food transparency so my interest was peaked. I DVR'ed the program because my kids refused to change cartoons to Oprah. Who can blame them? Well, the show turned out to be a huge vegan foods ad and I was totally disappointed. They didn't once bring up the importance of vegetables and buying locally. It was all about tofu products, veggienaise and fake dairy products.

At the beginning of the show Lisa Ling did a quick expose on a meat packing facility. It was gross but had nothing on Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Hoping they would mention the health benefits and humane treatments at your local butcher I was a bit frustrated when they jumped to- don't eat meat! I personally choose fish more often than meat, but look at what I do and where I live! And when we do eat meat we choose to go to our local butcher (L&P Bisson and Sons) because we know that we are getting clean, anitbiotic-free meats and we know that they treat their animals humanely and with respect. Perhaps it is not that we should give up meat entirely but look at from WHERE we are getting our meat.

I suppose my disappointment came from thinking they were going to discuss our food system and where we get our foods as a way to eat healthier, but instead focused solely on a vegan diet.

What do you think of a vegan diet vs. a local foods diet? (I know, a broad question, but give it a shot!)

Gorton's pushing only non-Gloucester fish

2011-02-05T06:22:00.000-08:00

Gorton's pushing only non-Gloucester fish

WCSH6.com | Portland, ME | Live Lobster tries for federal grant again

2011-02-05T06:21:00.000-08:00

WCSH6.com Portland, ME Live Lobster tries for federal grant again

iLobster iPhone app

2011-01-31T11:21:00.000-08:00

I finally bought an iphone Touch. I am often surprised at meetings when I see that I am the only with a pad and paper and everyone else (farmers, fishermen and the like) have ipads, laptops and smart phones. I figure I better get with it if I want to keep up! I've been playing with all of the different apps and was happy to find one called iLobster. According to their website: "This app is for beginners and experts alike to learn how to get the most out of your lobster dinner, locate nearby restaurants and lobster pounds, and order the freshest Maine lobster available straight to your door." Check out their site for more information and get the app for your phone. I have a good idea where to go to get the best lobsters and I definitely know how to cook and clean them but I am happy there is an app our there promoting them!

Foodies and Fishermen

2011-01-31T10:33:00.000-08:00

Foodies and Fishermen

FIS - Worldnews - Seafood Marketing Coalition moves forward

2011-01-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

FIS - Worldnews - Seafood Marketing Coalition moves forward

Lobster industry splits over need for 'sustainable' label | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

2011-01-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

Lobster industry splits over need for 'sustainable' label | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

New LePage Nominees Promise to Boost Fishing Industry, Economic Development

2011-01-09T06:05:00.000-08:00

New LePage Nominees Promise to Boost Fishing Industry, Economic Development

7 ways your sustainable seafood business can gain ground in 2011

2011-01-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

7 ways your sustainable seafood business can gain ground in 2011

Historic tuna sale highlights bluefin plight

2011-01-08T04:16:00.000-08:00

Article from APP.com

New DMR commissioner

2011-01-08T03:40:00.001-08:00

Jan. 7: Governor LePage announced today his nomination (subject to legislative approval) of Norman H. Olsen for DMR commissioner. Olsen is a former commercial fisherman, federal regulator and US diplomat from Cherryfield. (From DMR site)

Still hooked: Hearty souls battle elements, regulations to keep Marblehead fishing tradition alive - Marblehead, MA - Marblehead Reporter

2011-01-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Still hooked: Hearty souls battle elements, regulations to keep Marblehead fishing tradition alive - Marblehead, MA - Marblehead Reporter

Kale Pesto Recipe

2011-01-02T06:02:00.000-08:00

The first time I cooked kale I was a little disappointed. I did not think it tasted very good! My husband and I went to Cinque Terre some time after I ruined the kale and we both ended up ordering some with our meals and were pleasantly surprised. This stuff is supposed to taste good! I must have done something wrong- like cook it too long! Ever since then I have been a big kale fan (thanks Cinque Terre!). I thought I would share this recipe. It's from the homegrown.org site. I love the graphics as well so it's a double-win.

Dammit! They are a little hard to read. But, aren't they cute? Just squint and you'll see it fine. :)

Name change?

2011-01-02T05:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a very safe and happy new year! I've taken the past week off to be with my family, gather my thoughts and take a rest! I'm very much looking forward to 2011 and all of the new adventures and opportunities it will surely bring.

One of the things I have been thinking about is the name, "Lobsters on the Fly." Should I change it? With new ideas and a mission statement and actual business plan I wonder if I should have a more explanatory name that is not exclusive. I work with more than just lobstermen! But, I don't know if I want a name that is business-y. I want something a little bit more fun and interesting. Not to mention I paid a lot of money for my logo and I am not ready to eighty-six it.

What would I call my business if I were to change the name? Fishing and Farming Promotion Through Events Inc? Producers Promotions? Maybe I should work on a slogan to go with the name Lobsters on the Fly and that will solve my problem. Like, "Promoting Maine's producers." Or I think I like the word "supporting" more than promoting. "Supporting Maine's producers through.... by?" I'll have to think about it and let you know. Let me know if you have an idea! I'll be posting my mission statement in the next couple of weeks as well. January should be a fun and busy month! It's my birthday month too!

Portland Waterfront Changes Making Waves

2011-01-01T04:59:00.000-08:00

Portland Waterfront Changes Making Waves

Eat Well Guide :: Local, Sustainable, Organic Food

2010-12-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

Eat Well Guide :: Local, Sustainable, Organic Food

Where are all the fishing sites?

2010-12-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time on-line searching for networks and seeking information for Lobsters on the Fly. I very easily find networking, information and groups to join for the farming side of my work, as you can see from the badges on the borders of the page. I am having a hard time finding that for the fishing side of my work, which is the major part of what I do! I suppose, that is why I have created Lobsters on the Fly... to try and fill this void and network with the farmers to learn how they have overcome obstacles. (And market and promote the fishing industry here in Maine!)

But, really why does it seem the fishermen have been forgotten? On our taxes we are included in agriculture. We harvest our fish, it's fresh, it's good for you, what is this small little thing that we are missing? It is just as "cool" to buy fresh fish as it is to buy fresh produce... and really isn't fresh fish produce as well? The fishermen are producing it when they arrive at the wharves to unload just as the farmers produce fresh veggies from their fields. (Wikipedia's definition for "produce" says it is not limited to fruits and vegetables... and if it's on Wikipedia it must be true! Read that last part with some sarcasm.)

If you know a fishing site, or are a fishing site, please let me know! I'd love to network with other groups working for and with the fishing industry no matter where they are located. Right now is not the time to create big business and competition out of our industries (read this). It is time to work together to make more conscious and ethical decisions about what we are doing and eating, how we are spending our money and how we are working together to overcome our obstacles.

Hurry up and wait...

2010-12-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

I am trying my best not to hurry the holidays along. It's getting rather difficult because I have heard lots of good news but also a lot of... "do you mind if we wait till after the holiday?" Of course I don't mind because I myself would like to enjoy it! But, I also want things to get going because I am so excited! For now... be on the look out for a class about shrimp at Now You're Cooking in Bath, in either January or February. In this class you will learn where to get shrimp, how shrimp is caught, how to cook it, clean it and store it. Plus, a little more! Like what in-season veggies go well with it?! I'll let you know who is cooking and when the class is... ya know, after the holiday.

The opportunity of disaster

2010-12-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

The opportunity of disaster

A great article by Catherine Schmitt in the Working Waterfront. I often think of how closely tied the arts are to our farming and fishing industries. Think of how often at the Farmer's Markets there are also crafters. In essence we are all producers. This article explains how that can remind of us how were were, or should be, after a disaster.

7 Principles for Choosing Seafood/ In-Season fruits and veggies

2010-12-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

Who Fishes Matters.

Buy from local fishermen whenever possible
Choose seafood that has traveled the least distance
Choose wild seafood whenever possible
Avoid farmed finfish and shrimp
Avoid fake or imitation seafood products
Get involved in a Community Supported Fishery (CSF)
Ask how, where and when your seafood was caught

The above information is from the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA).
Below is a list of vegetables that are in season from the Maine Organic Gardeners and Farmers Association (MOFGA)

Apples
Pears
Dry Beans
Beets
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Celeriac
Spinach and Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Onions
Parsnips
Potatoes
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Winter Squash
Garlic

Under Construction

2010-12-11T04:40:00.000-08:00

I just added this post to the projects page of LOF but I thought I would share it here as well in case you missed it!

I think "under construction" is the best way for me to put it! I am continuing to update the blog but I am also putting together a business plan. I feel that I have gotten to the point with Lobsters on the Fly that some ACTION needs to be taken. Some of the projects I have mentioned in the past will now be EVENTS! I have a contact list so if you would like to be added to this list please let me know! You could also subscribe to this blog but I have been blogging for two years and I just learned how to do that so I don't expect much!

Also, if you are a fishing (or farming) business in Maine and would like to be involved or could use some help with planning a promotional event, I'd be happy to help!

Wish me luck and hope to meet some of you at future Lobsters on the Fly events!

2nd Annual Holiday @ the Farm: Jordan's Farm... Today!

2010-12-11T04:28:00.000-08:00

TAA: Free training and benefits for lobstermen (and blueberry farmers)

2010-12-11T04:07:00.000-08:00

I posted an article from the Portland Press Herald before that included some information regarding the TAA program for fishermen. This program will award up to $12,000 to eligible lobstermen who complete the program that contains class time and some on-line time. At the end of the program the participants will have set up a business plan and be able to use the money to execute it. Good news! I'm eligible too! You might think that's not fair because I am not a blueberry farmer or fishermen but!... I do have some great ideas and a in-the-works business plan that will help to promote fish in our state. This so important due to issues such as rising fuel costs and will explore a somewhat untapped market. It's silly, but yes, our own Maine market is not that, well, marketed to! We need to be able to sell our lobsters closer to home in case:

Two things will happen:
1. We end up with too many lobsters and nowhere to send them. This happened last year when Canada said, "No thanks, we have enough!"
2. With all of these extra lobsters it gets VERY expensive for them to be sent elsewhere with rising fuel costs. And they are already beginning to rise, rise, rise!

If more people in Maine bought their lobsters from fishermen or appropriate dealers, there would be less need to send MOST of them out of state! Of course, our out-of-state market is extremely important, but let's try and open MORE of a market right here in Maine! So, what did I start writing this post about?! Oh yes! The deadline for TAA applications is December 23! Some counselors have been set up to assist people with their applications including some at CEI. The dates for some informational sessions are listed on the MLA site that you can get to from clicking the Zone Council Meetings button under events on the left. Also, there is more info on the MLA site that you can get to HERE. If you have a questions and just can't find the answer, let me know and I'll try to help you. We can learn about this together!

On a side note. The comments that followed the article regarding the TAA money for lobstermen and blueberry farmers were hilarious! There was a line that noted that fishermen that made over $750,000 were not eligible. Of course, some "super smart" readers must have thought that MOST fishermen must at least get CLOSE to this number.

Ted Ames - MacArthur Foundation

2010-12-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

Ted Ames - MacArthur Foundation

Maine's lobster processers get the OK to sell claws

2010-12-09T02:43:00.000-08:00

Maine's lobster processers get the OK to sell claws

The Monhegan Island Farm Project

2010-12-09T02:33:00.000-08:00

The Monhegan Island Farm Project

Shortened New England Shrimp Season Begins Wednesday - Portland News Story - WMTW Portland

2010-12-01T04:51:00.000-08:00

Shortened New England Shrimp Season Begins Wednesday - Portland News Story - WMTW Portland

WCSH6.com | Portland, ME | Court order puts Live Lobster Company's plans on hold

2010-11-30T04:06:00.000-08:00

WCSH6.com | Portland, ME | Court order puts Live Lobster Company's plans on hold

Linda Bean lobster claws picked up by Walmart | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME

2010-11-30T04:04:00.000-08:00

Linda Bean lobster claws picked up by Walmart | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME

Congratulations Cal Hancock!

2010-11-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

Cal Hancock won the Throwdown with Bobbly Flay! I still haven't seen it because even though I double checked the date twice I set the DVR for the wrong episode! I'm such a nerd. I can't wait to see it. Until then, I did find Bobbly Flay's recipe for you. I don't have Cal Hancock's lobster recipe, I'll try and find it, but I do have recipes from her available in my cookbook. Lobster Pizza and Lobster Quesadillas!

Lobster Mac and Cheese (Bobby Flay's Losing Recipe)

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons flour
3 cups mussel stock, heated, recipe follows
2 cups whole milk, heated
1 cup heavy whipping cream, heated
1 1/2 pounds fontina, coarsely grated
1 pound taleggio, rind removed, cut into pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 pound large pasta shells, cooked in salted water to al dente
2 (2-pound) lobsters, steamed, meat removed from shells

Crumb Topping:

1 1/2 cups coarse breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced anchovy
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Directions

Melt the butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the hot stock, milk, and cream and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken. Cook for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheeses and season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley, thyme, tarragon, and pasta and stir until combined. Chop the lobster into bite-sized pieces and fold into the pasta. Divide into bowls.

For the crumb topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the breadcrumbs on a sheet pan and toast until barely golden, stirring once or twice, about 10 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and stir a minute or 2 to warm through. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until warm and slightly crisp. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon zest. Sprinkle generously over the pasta.

Mussel Stock:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft. Add the wine, bring to a boil, add the mussels, cover and cook until the mussels have opened. Remove the mussels to a bowl for another use, and then strain the broth into a saucepan.

Stern Men

2010-11-19T13:19:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Gilbert wrote "Eat, Prey, Love." You know, the new movie with Julia Roberts? Well, turns out, about 10 years ago she wrote and published her first book, "Stern Men." A friend just gave it to me so I'll read it and let you know how it goes!

According to her website:

Set on two small islands off the coast of Maine, "Stern Men" chronicles the coming-of-age of Ruth Thomas. Just back from boarding school, Ruth helps out with work on the boats, brushes up on her profanity, and falls for Owney Wishnell, a handsome young lobsterman.

Fishing tales of woe: 'It's about overregulation' | SouthCoastToday.com

2010-11-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

Fishing tales of woe: 'It's about overregulation' | SouthCoastToday.com

Remembering our Veterans and the Edmund Fitzgerald

2010-11-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

(via Jerry Fraser)
On November 10, 1975, the laker Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior with a loss of all 29 hands. It was one of the largest ships on the Great Lakes, carrying over 26,000 tons of taconite ore between Duluth/Superior and the steel mills to the south. The “Fitz” had departed on November 9 in tandem with another laker, but sailed directly into an early winter storm. It sank suddenly, without making a distress call, at about 7:30 p.m., in heavy snow with winds gusting to hurricane force and seas exceeding 30 feet in height.

The wind in the wires made a tattletale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the Captain did, too,
T'was the witch of November come stealing.

Pierce Atwood

2010-11-08T12:58:00.001-08:00

The following posts regarding Pierce Atwood are older articles. As you may have noticed I was slacking for a few months this summer but I didn't want them to just be disregarded. I'll try to find some updates for ya!

Law firm to move into Portland waterfront

2010-11-08T12:56:00.001-08:00

Law firm to move into Portland waterfront

Pierce Atwood move could usher in changes for waterfront development | Mainebiz

2010-11-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

Pierce Atwood move could usher in changes for waterfront development | Mainebiz

Cold River... Gin!

2010-11-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

Oh look! Another not-so-much-about-fishing-but-still-totally-relevant-blog-post. Seriously, Cold River is about Maine and their marketing is awesome. "The Spirit of Maine" and "ground to glass." Perfect. Check out their press release and then check out their gin.

Like Ruby Tuesday, Friday’s looks to seafood - SeafoodSource.com

2010-11-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

Like Ruby Tuesday, Friday’s looks to seafood - SeafoodSource.com

Maine brands hard to find at seafood show | Mainebiz

2010-11-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Maine brands hard to find at seafood show | Mainebiz

Lobsters on the Fly

Scallop carbonara

Happy holidays!

Scallops!

Who are you and where do you come from!?

Fish Friday... better late than never.

Food Day: Show Us Your Seafood!

Fish Friday!

Fish Friday! Lobster for... breakfast!?

Happy Fish Friday!

Fish (Tacos!) Friday

Fish Friday... or is it?!

Fish Friday!

Fish Friday... on Wednesday... and stuff.

New England States Schedule Hearings on Northern Shrimp Draft Amendment 2

Seafood events around Maine

Fish Friday!

Ingredients

Directions

TraceME

Irene moved a 65-foot steel boat

Fish Friday (on Saturday!) Crab!

Fish Friday!

What do Otto Pizza, Grace and butterfish have in common?

What the hake?

Everything you need to know about scallops

Fourth of July fish feast... and kolhrabi

Letter to the editor

I never thought I would be so excited about...

This is me blogging.

Seafood Festival seeks lobster-roll eating contestants | SeacoastOnline.com

R.I. fishermen look for ways to market local catch | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

The future of Lobsters on the Fly

Shortening the Line | Slow Food International - Good, Clean and Fair food.

Maine Seafood Marketing Network

It's that time of year

Data matrix codes... coming soon to a restaurant near you.

First cooking class

Chasin' the Ring BBQ

New app from Monteray Bay Aquarium

Lifestyle and culture

Adventures in lobster cooking: Take 2

From seafood to steak... IBSS 2011

Geoduck clam

Adventures in lobster cooking

Update: Feds confirm new appeals process for fishing penalties

Harvest for Hope

Neighborhood Catch: Local Fishermen Sell a Piece of the Haul

Report: Industry R&D investment needed | Mainebiz

Giacalone takes catch share fight to Congress

Fishermen's Forum

Other forum articles of interest

LePage wants to lure Maine boats back to home port - Boston.com

This Sunday!

Fishermen's Forum Schedule

Maine lawmakers wade into lobster trap dock flap - Boston.com

Lobster catch could set new record | Mainebiz

Bye bye Google ads!

Excerpt from Edward R. Murrow's Harvest of Shame (1960)

Get on the bus for farmworker justice!

Lobsters and herring and shrimp, oh my!

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Conference Call, February 18, 2011

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Conference Call, February 14, 2011

WCSH6.com | Portland, ME | Feds agree to larger catch limits on key stock

Vegan versus localvore

Gorton's pushing only non-Gloucester fish

WCSH6.com | Portland, ME | Live Lobster tries for federal grant again

iLobster iPhone app

Foodies and Fishermen

FIS - Worldnews - Seafood Marketing Coalition moves forward

Lobster industry splits over need for 'sustainable' label | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

New LePage Nominees Promise to Boost Fishing Industry, Economic Development

7 ways your sustainable seafood business can gain ground in 2011

Historic tuna sale highlights bluefin plight

New DMR commissioner

Still hooked: Hearty souls battle elements, regulations to keep Marblehead fishing tradition alive - Marblehead, MA - Marblehead Reporter

Kale Pesto Recipe

Name change?

Portland Waterfront Changes Making Waves

Eat Well Guide :: Local, Sustainable, Organic Food

Under Construction