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This year’s season for trout in Connecticut is sure to be an interesting one. As everyone remembers, we had a very severe winter in 2011 and were hit hard with several heavy snow storms. As a result of this, last year’s trout season was affected by overflowing waters with strong currents that unfortunately swept many a trout away out of our local waters. In 2012, we’re facing the quintessential “be careful what you wish for” situation.  Due to our extremely mild winter, our local rivers, streams, brooks, and ponds are much more shallow than usual since there was very little by way of melted snow or ice to bolster their reserves.

This reversal of fortunes will have its negative effects on trout season, since more shallow waters mean that the trout will have an easier time seeing fishermen and may be a bit tougher to catch as a result. However, the Department of Environmental Protection has already released 376,000 trout in CT this year and will have released 600,000 before this year’s trout season is over.⁽¹⁾ This, in addition to  the wild trout that were already present, means that trout season here in CT is not in serious jeopardy. In fact, the DEP expects this trout season to be an excellent one, since the trout living in shallow waters have migrated to deeper areas and this will lead to higher populations in those areas. Additionally, it will lead to local anglers leaving some of their traditional fishing spots and finding new ones that are sure to be bursting with fresh trout for the catching.

Creatures of habit need not worry though, since water levels in lakes and brooks in state parks “aren’t in too bad of a shape”⁽²⁾ according to the DEP. Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Lake Trout are currently in high numbers at such locations as Black Rock Park of Watertown, Chatfield Hollow State Park of Killingworth, Valley Falls Park of Vernon, Southford Falls Park of Oxford, and many other local state parks as well.⁽¹⁾

Trout fishing has traditionally been a favorite outdoor family activity during spring in Connecticut for generations. Local bait shop owners have noticed that it seems to be making a big comeback as of late. James Orifice, owner of Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle of Bridgeport reports that despite the troubles trout fishermen might face this season, there has been somewhat of a renewed enthusiasm for the sport, owing to the troubled economy and relative cheapness of fishing as a hobby, which is a great form of release and escape, as well as an inexpensive way to spend a fun morning or afternoon. As Mr Orifice puts it, “Fishing is a stress reliever. People are realizing we are in a financial crisis, and they’re living within their means.”⁽²⁾

There are four varieties of trout that are common to catch here in CT – Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Lake Trout, and Brown Trout. Rainbow Trout is known for its pink flesh and somewhat gamey flavor that makes it a favorite among freshwater fish conissuers. They typically begin their lives in shallow brooks and streams, but leave for deeper lakes when they mature. However, they do come back to the more shallow waters to spawn. Brook Trout are usually found in colder waters that have shady areas with lots of tree coverage and moderate currents.⁽³⁾ There typically the easiest trout in CT to catch as they just can’t seem to resist live bait. Brown Trout are found in a wide range of water temperatures and prefer more mild currents. They are generally the toughest trout to catch as they are more timid than their bolder cousins. Lake Trout, while more plentiful in the Great Lakes region tend to populate more shallow waters here in Connecticut and are a coveted target of fly fishermen. Their rich flavor and flaky flesh make them a hit on most anyone’s dinner plate.⁽³⁾

We’ll close by serving up a quick and easy trout recipe courtesy of What’s Cooking America?that you’ll be sure to love. This recipe shows how sometimes the simple dishes are the best ones, as it is easy enough for even the most inexperienced of cooks to prepare. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Scale your trout, remove the gills and entrails, and bones, and then clean it under cold water and dab dry with paper towels.

2. Make a few diagonal cuts on the body of the fish and then roll it in a combination of flour, salt, and black pepper.

3. Lubricate a frying pan with melted butter and then put in the trout, cooking it for 5 minutes on each side until a golden color is achieved.

4. Check to see if it is cooked thoroughly by pressing a fork into the thickest part of the fish. If the flesh is opaque, moist, and flaky, it is most likely done. If you have a meat thermometer, check to see if the temperature is at 140 degrees.

5. Serve and enjoy, along with lemon wedges if desired.⁽⁴⁾

With your new and improved knowledge base of trout in Connecticut, you’re now ready to hit the local brooks, rivers, ponds, and streams to haul in your catch and bring it home for an unbeatable meal. Of course, if you don’t have the time or if you’re not an avid fisherman, worry not, because you can stop in to our Old Saybrook seafood market any time and pick up some delicious fresh trout at prices that will leave both your stomach and wallet full and happy.

Works Cited

CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Fishing: 376,000 Trout Stocked For Connecticut’s Opening Day

Hartford Courant, April 23, 2012

Hennessey, David

With Rivers Low, Anglers Await First Day of Trout Season

Connecticut Post, April 19, 2012

Author Unavailable

Connecticut Trout Fishing

All About Fishing

www.aa-fishing.com/ct/connecticut-trout-fishing.html

Author Unavailable

Pan Fried Trout Recipe

What’s Cooking America?

www.whatscookingamerica.net/PanFriedTrout.htm

At Atlantic Seafood, we are always happy to provide Old Saybrook and all of Connecticut with the best whitefish on the CT Shoreline. While we carry a large and diverse line of fresh, delicious whitefish, the varieties that we’ll be talking about today are Catfish, Hake, Sablefish, and Barramundi. If any of those names don’t look familiar, there’s no need to worry. By the time you finish reading this article you’ll be quite well-versed in your knowledge of these species and more likely than not, will be hit with an intense craving for all of them.

We’ll start out with the whitefish that every American knows. Of course, we’re referring to the Catfish. Catfish get their name from the barbells, (whisker-like organs that extend from near the mouth that contain taste buds and are used to find food) are eaten around the world, from Asia, to Africa, to Europe, to North America, and beyond. While Catfish come in several different varieties and sub-species, the most common form of Catfish found and served in America is the Channel Catfish, which is mostly native to the waters of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Channel Catfish tend to have quite a large degree of variation in their size, with the ones that are typically caught commercially weighing in at about 4-10lbs. However, they have been known to achieve weights of up to nearly 60 lbs in extreme cases.

In terms of taste, Catfish tends to be on the most side with a soft texture and distinctive flavor for which it is widely known and loved, especially in the southern portion of the United States. There are several different ways to prepare it that are seen around the globe, including such methods as dicing it and serving with chili, baked and served with vegetables, or blackened to a crisp and doused in spices (Cajun Style). The most popular way for cooking Catfish here in America is to simply coat it in cornmeal and fry it up for a simple and mouth-watering treat. Catfish also possesses numerous health benefits, with an abundance of Vitamin D being the most notable. If you’re looking for a simple and nutritious meal, come down to Atlantic Seafood and get yourself some catfish in Old Saybrook today.

Our Old Saybrook seafood market is also known for providing shoreline residents with the best Hake in CT. Hake is most often served in fillet form and is common in Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine, and is slowly but surely becoming a hit in the USA as well. Hake features a soft and white flesh with a delicate flavor and texture that is very easy to cut. It is a very nutritious fish, boasting high values of Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin B 12, and Vitamin B 6 and has even been scientifically proven to lower the risk of heart attack when consumed on a regular basis.⁽¹⁾ Hake is known for having a light flavor that is very distinctive without being overly fishy.  They tend to be a larger fish, with a typical length of about 2 ½ feet and can be prepared in many different ways and styles such as roasting, grilling, frying, and more. Many people consider Hake fillets to go especially well with green vegetables such as asparagus and spinach.

If you’re looking for Sablefish in CT, we have you covered. Sablefish, which is often referred to in the United States as Black Cod,⁽²⁾ is widely known and  appreciated for its very mild taste and yielding texture. Similar to other whitefish, there are many different ways to cook Sablefish, with frying, baking, and grilling being among the more popular methods here in America. When cooked, the meat of the Sablefish becomes very light and flaky and has a texture highly reminiscent to that of Chilean Sea Bass. Despite its similarity to the Chilean Sea Bass in texture, Sablefish has a very distinctive taste all its own, often described as being very buttery and light.

Sablefish is quite popular internationally and is frequently featured in sushi along with rice and avocado in Japan, with sushi restaurants in the USA quickly catching on and serving it in this manner as well. On the exterior, Sablefish have a dark gray, almost black color and usually weigh around 8lbs when caught commercially, though in the wild they have grown to be as heavy as 42 pounds and as long as 4 feet in length. They can also live very long lives, with the oldest Sablefish on record having reached 114 years of age.⁽²⁾

The last whitefish we’ll touch on today is Barramundi. The rather unusual name of Barramudi comes from an Australian Aboriginal term meaning “large scaled river fish”.⁽³⁾ Barramundi is found in several different regions of the world, though it is most frequently found in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, with populations being especially concentrated off of the coasts of Australia and Southeastern Asia.

Barramundi is frequently referred to by many alternate names, with Asian Sea Bass and Giant Perch being among the more common ones. They are a very popular breed of fish among deep sea sport fisherman as they are quite large and strong and are known for putting up a good fight when being reeled in for the catch. While farm-raised Barramundi tend to usually be around 3 lbs, ones that are caught in the wild have commonly exceeded lengths of 6 feet and weights of more than 100 lbs.⁽³⁾ Barramundi have a taste that is similar to that of Grouper or Red Snapper and is often described as being sweet, delicate, and mild. The meat is quite oily and moist and appears dark pink when raw, but turns white when cooked. An additional interesting feature of the Barramundi is that its skin is edible and makes for a delicious and unique complement to the meat, especially when fried.

These are just a few of the fresh, delicious whitefish that you’ll find when you shop at Atlantic Seafood in Old Saybrook, CT. Stay tuned, as you never know when we’ll be delving into some of the other varieties of whitefish we carry as well. Now that we’ve fed your brain with information, it’s time to come down to our seafood market and fill your stomach with the best Catfish, Hake, Sablefish, and Barramundi in CT.

Works Cited

1.Traver, Michele
Silver Hake
NOAA, 2006

2. Author Unavailable
Sablefish/Black Cod (Gindara)
I Love Blue Sea, 2010

3.Author Unavailable
Barramundi
Seafood Choices Alliance, 2006
http://www.seafoodchoices.org/archived%20smartchoices/species_barramundi.php

As a Portugese immigrant-turned-New England lobster boat captain, James Arruda Henry has a lifetime of stories to tell that he loves to share with the world. However, up until he reached the age of 90, one of his personal stories remained a hidden personal secret. As shocking as it may be, this successful lobster boat captain who raised a beautiful family and built his home with his own two hands was completely illiterate – at least until he entered the ninth decade of his life.

The fascinating story of Mr Henry’s life began in Portugal in 1914. As a young boy, he immigrated to the United States with his family and moved into a tenement building in Rhode Island and struck out to begin his path toward fulfilling the American Dream. Unfortunately, money was very tight in the Henry household and when James reached the age of 9, he had to quit school so he could work and help to support his family.

Taking whatever job he could get hired for, Henry started out in such positions as cutting concrete blocks and working in bakeries making bread, as well as several other odd jobs before getting into the lobster business. One of his fondest childhood memories took place around this time when his father gave him his first full dollar on the 4th of July. With the dollar burning a hole in his pocket, he went out and painted the town red 9-year-old style, splurging on apple pie and ice cream, as well as a string of firecrackers.

In his teenage years, Henry took a job aboard a lobster boat and soon worked his way up through the ranks, eventually becoming a captain. While he doing an excellent job of making his way in the world, all of his time spent working meant he could never resume his schooling and thus remained unable to read. He was deeply embarrassed by this, and strove to keep anyone else he knew from knowing about it. It was when James  was going in for his driver’s license test that his secret shame first presented a public problem. Unable to read the application, all he was able to do was sign his name at the top. A friend who happened to come along with him told the inspector that he was in the presence of a “Lobster King”⁽¹⁾ and that was good enough for the written application to be overlooked. James then proceded to pass the road test with flying colors.

Around this time, Henry became married to his wife Jean. All was well at first, but eventually Henry started having problems when it came time to pay bills and take care of the house expenses. Being unable to read, this situation presented him with much difficulty. Eventually, he resorted to asking his wife to go to secretary school so she could handle these matters, and that is when he would for the first time in his life reveal the secret of his illiteracy. However, it would also be the last time for the next six decades. When interviewed, he said, “I kept [the illiteracy secret] to myself. I was a pretty good bluffer in those days. Nobody ever knew except for my wife, Jean. We were married for 2 years when she found out.”⁽²⁾

Indeed, Jean would be the only person to find out for a very long time. Henry, who by now had moved to Mystic, Connecticut, continued in his role as a respected lobster boat captain and found ways to get by without reading, even though it tore him up inside. The hardest moments, he stated, were in times where his illiteracy would rear its head publicly. When visiting restaurants, he could not read the menus and instead would have to just repeat what he heard someone else ordering. When he couldn’t hear them, he just went without a meal.⁽¹⁾

After giving up on the idea of ever learning to read, Arruda was finally swayed when he heard the story of a grandson of a slave who taught himself to read at the age of 98. Being a spring chicken of only 90 at the time, Henry figured he could do the same. He would stay up all hours of the night just trying to get through a few simple words, attempting to decipher the alphabet, and trying to get through a full sentence in children’s books. Eventually desire proved a greater force than pride, and he soon enlisted the help of family members and was soon on his way to becoming an accomplished reader.

Sadly, his beloved wife Jean passed away when he was 96 years old and the resulting sadness caused him to stop reading, but only temporarily. Soon he was back at it again and had learned to read and had graduated on to learning how to write. After mastering signing his name and working on basic sentences, he rapidly got the hang of things and was soon writing quite skillfully. It was around this time that he was approached by a literacy volunteer, who, after hearing some of  Henry’s personal anecdotes, insisted that he write a book.

This suggestion ultimately resulted in a book entitled In a Fisherman’s Language, which is an anthology of just a few of the amazing experiences that the former lobsterman has taken in during his lifetime. Within five months of its publishing, In a Fisherman’s Language had managed to sell over 3,000 copies. It is currently being circulated among elementary school libraries throughout the United States, with one copy in particular making its way from library to library, coast to coast. In addition to its hard-copy form, Henry’s autobiography is also available on many e-readers, such as the Amazon Kindle.

The now 98-year-old James Henry is now spending his days making appearances in different venues and giving motivational speeches, especially on the topic of literacy. When it comes to learning to read, he has the following words of wisdom to offer: “Don’t be afraid to go ahead and try it. It’s hard, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll enjoy it.”⁽²⁾ With such energy, tenacity, and courage at the age of 98, the story of James Henry reminds us all that no matter what the challenge, if you approach with determination and desire, you can meet your goals.

Works Cited

1. Christofferson, John
At 98, Once Illiterate Lobsterman is an Author
Associated Press, March 29, 2012

Lobster Boat Captain Learns to Read at 90, Writes Book at 98
The Blaze, March 10, 2012

With the rush of warm weather we’ve been having the past few days, it’s clear that winter has run its course and spring has arrived, and in a big way. Along with the warm weather come thoughts of vacations from work, baseball season, good times with friends and family, and delicious outdoor meals. Of course no warm weather meal (or cold weather meal, or moderate weather meal) is complete without some mouth-watering seafood. Today we’re going to talk about some of the various varieties of fresh crabs that we carry for your eating pleasure at our Old Saybrook seafood market. When it comes to New England seafood, a lot of the attention and spotlight is often taken up by lobster, clams, and oysters, and while they are all deletable dining options, we feel that crabs are among the unsung heroes of the New England seafood world. Without any further ado, we will now get to work on introducing you to some of the best crab varieties that Atlantic Seafood has to offer.

First off, we’ll tell you a little about Dungeness Crab. Native to the Pacific Ocean off of the west coast of the United States, Dungeness Crabs get their name from the city of Dungeness, Washington. As a rather large crab, they typically are about 7 to 10 inches in width, with the largest ones usually coming from the more northern stretch of the west coast. However, Dungeness Crabs have also recently been appearing along the Atlantic coast as well. The Dungeness Crab features a hard and thick shell which contains what is often described as a very delicate and sweet tasting meat. Both the legs and the body section of the Dungeness Crab contain edible meat, with the leg meat being firm and white in color with a slight pink tinge, and with the body meat being of a more solid white color with a somewhat flaky consistency.¹

The elegant taste of the Dungeness Crab has made it a big hit, as it is now widely considered the most important crab commercially within the United States. When it comes to cooking, the easiest and most popular tactic is to take the lobster route and simply boil them. Once boiled, all you have to do is crack open the shell, pick out the meat, and enjoy. As a general rule of thumb, larger Dungeness Crabs tend to have a higher meat-to-shell ratio¹, so if you have someone with a big appetite on your hands, this is an important fact to remember. If you’re looking for the best Dungeness Crab in CT, look no further than Atlantic Seafood, as we stock this precious gem of an item regularly.

In addition to providing the shoreline with Dungeness Crab, we are also your top source for soft shell crabs in Connecticut. The term Soft Shell Crab can mean different things, based on what nation you’re in, but in the United States, it refers to the Blue Crab. More specifically, it refers to Blue Crabs who have recently molted (shed) their old shells and are only protected by a thin and delicate outer pseudo shell before the new and harder shell develops. The Soft Shell Crabs served here in the USA are most frequently found in the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay off the Maryland coast, though they are also frequently found within the Gulf of Mexico.

Sometimes referred to as “Swimmer Crabs”, Soft Shell Crabs are smaller and more agile than their larger cousins.² When you extract their meat, you will see that it is nearly transparent and when you taste it, you’ll find that it has a very soft texture. Soft Shell Crabs are especially fresh, as they must be eaten within 4 days of molting to provide optimum flavor. Most parts of the shell are edible, and when eaten, it adds a mildly salty counter to the generally sweet taste of the meat inside. Some of the more popular ways to prepare Soft Shell Crabs are to sautee them in a pan or to deep fry them. If you’re planning to have some sauteed Soft Shell Crabs, you must be sure to continue cooking them until the shell achieves a light pink tone, otherwise they will not be fully ready for consumption.²

The last crab we’ll have you shake hands (claws?) with is the Atlantic Rock Crab. Most frequently found in coastal Maine waters, the Atlantic Rock Crab has an extended habitat range going as far north as Canada’s Labrador coast and as far south as the coastal waters off of South Carolina. A somewhat nomadic species, they can be found in waters as shallow as low-tide tidal pools on the beach or as deep as 2600 feet below sea level³. They possess a hard shell, but in terms of size, they are closer to the Soft Shell Crabs with a typical width of about five inches across.

Also known to residents of Maine as the “Peekytoe Crab”, the Atlantic Rock Crab, or Maine Crab is often caught along with lobsters are they share a similar diet and have the habit of getting themselves suckered into lobster traps by way of bait intended for lobsters. At one time, lobstermen found this to be a nuisance, but as of late, their value has been going up as many people are learning just how much of a true taste treat Atlantic Rock Crabs can be. Their taste is very similar to that of the Dungeness Crab and they are most plentiful during the summer months when lobster catchers are out in full force. With their sweet and mild taste, Atlantic Crab Meat is a desirable ingredient in many recipes, with the leg meat frequently being used alongside pasta, in casseroles, in soups, and just about anywhere else as well. The body is often boiled up separately in water to provide a delicious broth for seafood soups.³

 

Works Cited

1. Serving Oregon Dungeness Crab
Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, March 20, 2012
http://www.oregondungeness.org

2. Blue Crabs: Catch ‘Em, Clean ‘Em, Cook ‘Em, Eat ‘Em
Crab-o-Licious
http://www.crab-o-licious.com/blue-crab.html

3. Crab, Jonah and Rock
Seafood Choices Alliance
http://www.seafoodchoices.com

Before you know it, the month of April will soon be upon us. Along with its spring weather, baseball games, and Easter candy, April also means something else, especially to residents of Connecticut. That’s right, you guessed it – we’re talking about the beginning of Shad season. As most New Englanders are fully aware, mid April marks the beginning of the time when we can get out on the river and haul in a catch of that old Connecticut standby, fresh, delicious shad. Then again, if a long day of casting the line isn’t your style, come down to Atlantic Seafood of Old Saybrook where we’ve already done all of the hard work for you. You can stop by our fresh Connecticut seafood market and pick up as much fresh, delicious shad as your heart desires.

American Shad, or White Shad, as it is sometimes called, is considered by many to be one of the true signs that spring has finally arrived. Shad spend most of their lives living in the salt waters of the Atlantic Ocean, but when they reach maturity (generally between 3 and 6 years of age)¹, they swim up to fresh water areas such as the Connecticut River to spawn and provide local anglers with some prime fishing opportunities. Shad are related to the Herring family of fish and are the only fish known to have the ability to hear ultrasound, which refers to sounds at a frequency higher than 20kHz, which is far beyond the range of what we humans can hear.

In regard to taste, Shad are widely considered to be in a class of their own. A moist and oily fish with a smooth and almost butter-like texture, Shad bear the scientific name of Alosa Sopidissima. Considering the fact that sopidissima is the Latin word for “very tasty”, one can see that Shad is a fish that has been enjoying a superb culinary reputation around the world for quite some time.² As if this were not enough of a ringing endorsement, George Washington, the father of our country, had gone on record as having stated that Shad was his fish of choice. In addition to its great taste, Shad also possesses some excellent health benefits, namely being an (link)Omega 3 fatty acid rich seafood, which, as we’ve mentioned in previous posts, provides great benefits to both the body and the brain.

Shad are not prized solely for their meat, but also for their delicious roe. Shad roe has a distinctive red color which helps it to stand out from the more modestly colored roe of other fish.² It has a strong and mineral-like flavor to it, often being compared to that of a fine liver pate. If you ever feel like trying out some of this “Connecticut Caviar”, make a trip in to see us, as Shad roe is just one of the many forms of specialty seafood that Atlantic Seafood of Old Saybrook has to offer.

We’ll wrap this post up by providing you a recipe for a deliciously simple Shad dish from The New York Times called “The Indoor Shad Bake” that is sure to please the whole family. Here’s what you’ll need to put this recipe together:
2 whole Shad filets
4 thick slices of bacon or salt pork
Salt and pepper, as desired
Lemon wedges
One broiling pan large enough to fit both fillets
1. Once you have all of your ingredients together, preheat your oven to 425 degrees
2. Season your fillets with salt and pepper, then put them skin side down in the broiling pan
3. Lay your bacon/salt pork diagonally across the top of both fillets and place the pan in the oven
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees and bake for 10 more minutes.
5. Take the pan from the oven and remove the bacon and salt pork (if desired) and serve with the lemon wedges³
This recipe produces five servings, so you can make it in greater or smaller portions, depending on how many people you have to feed. Enjoy!
Works Cited
1. Beckius, Kim Knox
Spring is Shad Season in Connecticut
About.com New England Travel
http://www.gonewengland.about.com/od/connecticutdining/a/aa- connecticut.shad.htm
^{2. Shaw, Hank
American Shad
About.com Fish, Seafood, and Cooking}
http://www.fishcooking.about.com/od/meetyourfish/p/shad_profile.htm
3. Libov, Charlotte
Savoring the Delights of Shad at Festivals Along the Hudson
New York Times, May 27, 1987