Autumn Can Be Flukey

October is National Seafood Month, which means that while we are reminding everyone how good seafood is for them and that they should eat more of it, we are also combating the changing temperatures and seasons of what’s coming in and what’s going out. Predicting which fish is going to turn the corner next is not an exact science, but the guesswork and gut-feels are what keeps this industry alive and exciting. It’s a wild business with the only wild protein left to catch, which makes seafood worth celebrating every day.

Picking the right time to run a species can be tricky, but offering Fluke the next couple of weeks won’t be flukey. Fluke is a delicious flatfish found on the East Coast of the US that is firmer than most other flounder species and has an exceptional cleanness in flavor. There is more quota in the Mid-Atlantic this year and fishermen are on it already. It is a definite menu option for the next month or more.

Falling with the leaves are the Mahi prices as South America is in the early stages of ramping up production. Expect more and more Mahi to hit the market in the coming weeks, feeding a once starving market. As a result, this species should start seeing menu share very soon. Smaller fish are usually more plentiful in the early going with the larger fish becoming more abundant as the season transpires.

Wild Striped Bass rumblings are turning into palpable thunder. We are seeing some big fish already out of Massachusetts and New York, but the winter Virginia and Maryland fisheries are coming soon. When they get going, this species really becomes plentiful and a must “run” for many restaurants. The fish we have been receiving are line caught and expertly handled, still glistening from the Atlantic on their skin.

Colder weather means fatty fish and that’s just what we have been seeing with the Spanish Mackerel that are coming in. The ‘Macks’ are averaging 2 pounds and larger and are cutting with a nice, white and pink hue. They are packed full of flavor and healthy oils and vitamins and are an underappreciated species. Eating good seafood is a celebration of flavor, when you take a chance to try something new, you’ll find that your real risk is not getting enough.

Gourmet Grab

As the weather starts to get colder and warm afternoon patio and rooftop happy hours start to move indoors, we put aside our rose wine lists, and cold beers and turn to our favorite cocktails. Making a world class cocktail can be difficult and daunting, but a few producers out there are making drinking life a bit easier.
Meet the folks at Bittermilk. A group of like-minded artisanal mixologists from Charleston, South Carolina, have created a line of cocktail mixer compounds perfect for the home bar. Simply add these tasty mixers in a pre-determined amount to your alcohol of choice and perfecto…. you are on your way to an enjoyable afternoon/evening of drinking. Bittermilk has simply taken the guessing game out of what to mix, how much, and at what proportions, and instead provided the gamut of traditional cocktails from the Tom Collins, to the Old Fashioned.
Maybe you want to try your hand at becoming a mixologist.
Tippleman's cocktail syrups were made by bar tenders for bartenders. Again from Charleston, South Carolina, these artisanal simple syrups make a great base for any drink. The burnt sugar syrup has a depth and bittersweet complexity that goes way beyond your normal simple syrup. Especially for fall, the ginger and honey syrup pairs well with scotch, mezcal and tequila drinks.
There are too many other options that are being made by Bittermilk and Tippleman's to list them all here.
Check out our online catalog to see the other bar beverage products we have and get ready for fall cocktail season.

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