Last week I took a little poll about what people think of when they think of New England food. Overwhelmingly the responses came back listing seafood as #1. Answer after answer listed lobster, clams, scallops and cod. Each response listed the tried and true-those delicacies found in the ocean that we've all come to love, but I had to wonder-is that all that New England has to offer?
I got my answer just days later-no, not at all.
I had the opportunity to hang out with the guys at Red's Best Seafood, a seafood distribution center in the heart of Boston's Fish District. I'd normally phrase that differently, and say I "met with" or "joined" or something to that affect, but none of those terms would be right because this time I literally hung out with the guys. Beer in hand I watched as truck loads of seafood from Hyannis and Plymouth rolled up to their door and pallets of Scup, Grayback, Monkfish, lobsters and conch were carefully removed. These treasures had been safe in their salt water homes just hours before and now they lay before me, ready to be sold to the market.
I stood in the middle of their floor, often in the way of the pallet jacks and trucks that were attempting to work around me and I was completely enraptured. This was a scene that I haven't had an opportunity to observe, and to be frank its one that I hadn't spent too much time considering. I've gotten to speak with chefs and purveyors of seafood, I've concentrated on sustainable seafood, I've touted our local offerings, but actually looking at the mechanics of ocean water to our markets was new.
Fortunately, the guys at Red's Best have thought it all through for us. Not only have they thought it through in terms of getting their local catch out to the US efficiently, but now they've contrived ways to get it straight to your table, and mine, in the same fast, fresh way. They are partnering with San Francisco based company I Love Blue Sea, a business formed by people who both love and respect the sea, who have worked to bring sustainable seafood direct to the consumer. Their technology, combined with the technology already developed by Red's Best allows their consumers to know exactly when their fish of choice was caught, when it came off the boat and how it traveled to their door step. You can even see the name of the boat it was caught on, how's that for answering that all important question- "do you know where your food comes from"?
This partnership will bring the residents of New England, and beyond, the ultimate confidence in knowing not only that they know precisely what they are eating, and that their confidence in its quality is first rate, but they'll also be certain that the fish they are enjoying was caught in a sustainable setting and that they are supporting their local fisherman.
Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island....we are all fisherman at our roots, and the time has come for us to return to our ancestors culture and indulge our taste buds in what nature is providing to us just off our shores. The time is here to try those delights that have been a part of our marine life for decades or more, but haven't yet been made chic on the menus of our cutting edge restaurants. I'm throwing out the challenge - eat local, and be a trendsetter- check out Scup, or Grayback for your next seafood feast, or try a local conch. You can't go wrong with enjoying some fresh, local seafood and watching the Patriots this fall- now can you?
Grab a beer and check out:
http://www.redsbest.com
http://www.ilovebluesea.com
Order some fresh caught seafood and report back on your finds!
I got my answer just days later-no, not at all.
I had the opportunity to hang out with the guys at Red's Best Seafood, a seafood distribution center in the heart of Boston's Fish District. I'd normally phrase that differently, and say I "met with" or "joined" or something to that affect, but none of those terms would be right because this time I literally hung out with the guys. Beer in hand I watched as truck loads of seafood from Hyannis and Plymouth rolled up to their door and pallets of Scup, Grayback, Monkfish, lobsters and conch were carefully removed. These treasures had been safe in their salt water homes just hours before and now they lay before me, ready to be sold to the market.
I stood in the middle of their floor, often in the way of the pallet jacks and trucks that were attempting to work around me and I was completely enraptured. This was a scene that I haven't had an opportunity to observe, and to be frank its one that I hadn't spent too much time considering. I've gotten to speak with chefs and purveyors of seafood, I've concentrated on sustainable seafood, I've touted our local offerings, but actually looking at the mechanics of ocean water to our markets was new.
Fortunately, the guys at Red's Best have thought it all through for us. Not only have they thought it through in terms of getting their local catch out to the US efficiently, but now they've contrived ways to get it straight to your table, and mine, in the same fast, fresh way. They are partnering with San Francisco based company I Love Blue Sea, a business formed by people who both love and respect the sea, who have worked to bring sustainable seafood direct to the consumer. Their technology, combined with the technology already developed by Red's Best allows their consumers to know exactly when their fish of choice was caught, when it came off the boat and how it traveled to their door step. You can even see the name of the boat it was caught on, how's that for answering that all important question- "do you know where your food comes from"?
This partnership will bring the residents of New England, and beyond, the ultimate confidence in knowing not only that they know precisely what they are eating, and that their confidence in its quality is first rate, but they'll also be certain that the fish they are enjoying was caught in a sustainable setting and that they are supporting their local fisherman.
Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island....we are all fisherman at our roots, and the time has come for us to return to our ancestors culture and indulge our taste buds in what nature is providing to us just off our shores. The time is here to try those delights that have been a part of our marine life for decades or more, but haven't yet been made chic on the menus of our cutting edge restaurants. I'm throwing out the challenge - eat local, and be a trendsetter- check out Scup, or Grayback for your next seafood feast, or try a local conch. You can't go wrong with enjoying some fresh, local seafood and watching the Patriots this fall- now can you?
Grab a beer and check out:
http://www.redsbest.com
http://www.ilovebluesea.com
Order some fresh caught seafood and report back on your finds!
1 comment:
I was so sad to miss this event - can't wait to buy some of this fish!
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