If April showers bring the flowers, then what does all this wind bring?  Not a lot of fish, that’s for sure.  High winds and storms on both coasts have wreaked a little havoc on supply this week.  We are ducking, dodging and diving to make your seafood wishes come true.  Read below to see what’s happening to some popular species you may carry. 
 
Alaskan and Canadian fishermen are fighting 20-foot swells this week in order to find the Halibut.  Many boats docked this past weekend and are waiting out the storms.  Most likely they won’t be able to get back out until later this week.  The good news is that we have Halibut in the air, ensuring that we are getting fish right off the boats and into your cooler.  The bad news is that we will most likely see costs inch up to meet the demand. 
 
The Mahi season has peaked and is now on the decline in South America.  Fish are on the move and becoming more and more scarce.  We haven’t seen our first domestic landings yet, but I expect Florida to start producing soon.  This will help with supply, but, in the meantime, consider fresh Ono as a great substitution.  Ono eats very similar to Mahi and will work the same in just about all applications. 
 
If you noticed Scallop prices have increased, you are not alone.  Dock prices have sky-rocketed the last three weeks, getting into nutty territory.  And, if the projected 20% drop in larger sized scallop landings is correct, 2021 will be a very difficult year for U-20 sized scallops.  With the food service sector demand improving over last year, this increased need will only stretch the market further, creating a bumpy, expensive ride.  April 1st marked the beginning of the season, so here’s to hoping landings aren’t as bleak as we fear. 
 
Alright, enough of the rainy-day scenarios, we have a list of fish that are perfect for your dish!  From the East Coast, Rhode Island is producing large John Dory that is perfect for sauteing.  The Black Bass are running in New Jersey and are coming in still in rigor.  We got a few shipments of Florida Golden Tile over the weekend and the color on these fish is stunning.  California is sending its best Opah this week, a by-catch from the Tuna fleet.  The moon fish are always a treat.  South America may be short on Mahi, but we are seeing some gorgeous Corvina roll in with day-boat freshness.  Whatever the season or the reason, the Ocean is a wild world unto itself that always provides its own solution to the question: what’s for dinner? 

Gourmet Gab

While strong winds are stirring up the sea, this type of weather is second nature to Beemster in the coastal town of North Holland.

Lake Beemster was drained and transformed into the fertile farmland back in 1612. This reclaimed land, known as a polder, is perfect for the grazing cattle. In 1901, the local farmers created a co-op in order to deliver their milk and homemade cheese to local merchants. After the war, more small-scale family dairies joined this co-op, and in 1970 the Beemster Cheese brand was born.
Beemster is dedicated to keeping their traditional recipes alive.  This means pesticide-free pastures and no artificial hormones; stirring the curds by hand; continuing with the mother brine traced back to 1901; and aging cheese slowly and naturally on wooden planks in stone warehouses. Sustainability may not have been a buzzword back when Beemster started, but they have always been committed to raising healthy, happy cows, protecting the land, and conserving energy. Their commitment paid off when they were certified carbon neutral on January 1, 2020.

Because of these traditions, and the grasses that are fertile and rich in minerals, the PDO cheese produced are rich in flavor.  There is a cheese for every taste, from the mellow Vlaskaas and Goat to the robust Classic and XO.  There are many ways to utilize these cheeses across menus. From breakfast to dessert, there is a place for Beemster. The younger and mellow cheeses are great melters; think egg sandwiches, grilled cheese, burgers and pizzas. The more robust flavors work great with the salty/sweet flavors, for salads, or topping dishes. All the cheeses are great choices for cheeseboards.

With Beemster, you can proclaim their name with pride and confidence on your menu, showing that these non-GMO, PDO cheeses reflect your dedication to high quality ingredients and flavors. If you are interested in using the Beemster logo, reach out to your representative for details and promotions.