Well, the big game and the big day are behind us now and that means we have just a few more cold weeks to keep us burrowed in until the Spring is here.  You don’t have to wait out winter like a hermit though, because there are plenty of good reasons to leave the house – one of the prime ones being to grab a delicious meal.  But you don’t have to overpay for good food.  February is an excellent time to find deals, and we have the options that you have been hunting for to keep the lights on until the sunshine returns. 

 

Hook-and-line fishermen and Gill-netters are all over the Wild Striped Bass this week.  Some of the best deals since covid can be had on this desirable species.  Quotas and tags will be up soon when the spring begins, so this is the time to jump on the chase.

 

The Gulf of Mexico has begun its annual Grouper moratorium, so we could see some tightening of product supply in the weeks to come.  The moratorium usually lasts a little over a month.  In the meantime, we will focus on domestic and West Coast Groupers to keep the flow of fish constant.  As the Grouper supply wanes, look for substitutions like Golden Tile from the U.S. or Corvina from Ecuador.  We have both available this week if you’re looking to switch things up.

 

The West Coast Halibut season is set to begin March 6^th.  We should start seeing fish about five days after, but, with the current state of supply chains, it’s hard to tell what the availability will look like.  I expect high initial pricing with things settling down about two weeks after the first run.  The majority of fish this year is projected to be in the 10–20-pound range, with larger fish fetching a much higher price.  We have you covered before and after the season starts with a healthy supply of frozen Alaskan Halibut to get you through turbulent market.

 

We know it’s hard to believe- but warmer days are coming sooner than we think. But first, these next few weeks are the perfect time to try out those warm hearty meals that are good for the soul, and the budget.

 

This local Chicago company is changing the way we think about slow cooked meals. Two busy moms liked the Zen like effect that slow cooking had on their families and created spice blends to put in a slow cooker or Crock Pot to help create a meal.  Each spice pack comes with a recipe suggestion on the back. With flavors ranging from Coq Au Vin to Smoky BBQ, there’s something for everyone.

 

What is delicious, full of protein, and infinitely recyclable? If you guessed 8 Track Foods, you’d be correct! Their mission is to design products that sustain our plant and feed our growing population by reducing food waste, single-use plastic, and food insecurity. These beans are all grown and canned in America, and the steel cans are infinitely recyclable! That’s a win-win in our book.

 

Indian As Apple Pie’s owner, Anupy Singa, aims to celebrate both her Indian roots and American upbringing with good food. She created Indian as Apple Pie, an online blog which became her now Chicago based company of the sauces she learned to make while growing up. She has a variety of Indian sauces and spices including Tikka Masala Sauce and Chana Masala Spice. As always, contact your Fortune Sales Rep for more information and to place an order!