johnnyd

The last of this year's Maine Shrimp - ceviche on avocado See you next year!

100% here as well. A like a bun that isn't so soft it disintegrates in the drippings though, but Focacia is just a burger train wreck of embarrassing proportions. Can't wait for this "great idea" to pass. Terrific IDEA!! I'm with Chris in believing photo efforts (NEVER use flash) detract from your restaurant experience, but with some adequate prep and practice, Shalmanese's method is the ticket

First off, thank you Jon Tseng, for bringing this up - you have articulated well observations that have piqued the minds of long-time members here, and surely other fora, I feel. We now know upon the invention of forums, and blogs for that matter, the free-for-all that ensued caused growing pains that are well-noted all over the web. Newer venues like twitter and facebook, along with easy-to-build blog software further encourage those with a yen to speak their minds away from communities like eGullet, especially when some form of rule structure is imposed. Regarding Mr. Moore's observation, the dining/restaurant posts will have a certain shelf life since restaurants come and go, rendering them, in time, practically valueless except to track a chef's resume, perhaps. But cooking chicken or baking cakes aren't subject to that dynamic, so the metamorphosis here from free-form yak-fest to library of culinary knowledge shows much foresight, I think. And the decrease in volume may signal Tri2Cooks astute observation:

Paul, that looks stupendous!! I've got to find some grits up here!! I recommend not rinsing them, and incorporating the bag liquid in with your sauce. I don't know if the processors add anything to the frozen product prior to shipping - I'm guessing they do not, especially if there is a "use by" date that's relatively soon - so tasting the liquid for anything remotely chemical prior to incorporation is a good idea. People are startled at the red color that shrimp liquid has. Check out this ceviche I made with Friday's harvest, This is the marinade after three days (I know, it's a bit old, but the shrimp are firmer and still gobsmackingly delicious). note: no color correction! the intense pink is from the shrimp. - - - - - - Johnnyd's Maine Shrimp Ceviche: 1 cup+ FRESH Maine shrimp 1 fat clove garlic, minced 2 tablesp white or red onion, minced 1 tablesp poblano pepper, minced 1 thai chili, minced (I used some jarred malagueta) Fresh lime juice to almost cover, about 1 to 1.5 limes Splash of orange juice Mix with finger to blend. Cover and refrigerate six +/- hours.

Thank you, Paul. I am worried about how the water will affect the flavor, but shrimp & grits for Mardi Gras sounds like an excellent idea so maybe not an issue. The question I want answered is, do you, and others who sent for these, as consumers, feel that the effort expended to mail-order purchase Maine Shrimp resulted in enough value (flavor, convenience, caché) to do it again and possibly regularly. I don't know the folks at Port Clyde and don't have an interest in their consideration beyond supporting the Maine Shrimp fishery in general, I have been promoting the fishery inadvertently for ten years because I think they are delicious, a conclusion I'm comfortable making as I have lived on three continents and eaten a lot of shrimp. The problem with these, is that their unique flavor diminishes rapidly after harvest, so to go anywhere beyond port-of-call they have to be frozen. I am not convinced that the right way to do that has been realized yet, or that a transport system has yet to be developed to preserve their deliciousness as a fresh product. On the other hand, local fishmonger Harbor Fish Market supply never-frozen, farmed shrimp (about 25/lb count) from Belize after our shrimp season ends...

Hey, that's great news! I'd be interested in when and how it arrives, and the condition you find the product. Fresh Maine shrimp have a short shelf life, thus the difficulty in reliable distribution away from where it lands in port. If these guys get it right, this sustainable seafood has an excellent future. ...but on that note, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section has shut down the season - today is the last day to legally fish for Gulf of Maine shrimp. I have 5lbs whole shrimp reserved for pickup. I'm making a big batch of Shrimp Tom Kha, and peeling the rest down to freeze for the summer.

Try Port Clyde Fresh Catch in mid-coast Maine. Their number is (207) 372-1055

Word on the waterfront is that the Total Catch Limit for Gulf Of Maine Shrimp is approaching fast. So fast that this might be the last week of fishing. Lingering good weather means all licensed shrimpers are working today.

God Bless The Red Cross, I always say. They seem to show up and take care of things when my lobster bakes get out of control. Sheepish: I note some savvy use of ingredients and deft mise prep with a gourmet bent in mind. Was this gleaned from your 20 year stint there inquiring among locals, or was it self-taught through cook books, or have you spent some time in a commercial kitchen? Better put I suppose, from where did your choices of culinary direction come from? Outstanding blog, Ser. It's an honour tagging along this week

Saw many trawlers gliding into Portland harbor in late afternoon yesterday. Picked up two pounds of bright red shrimp - some still moving - this morning. There is something primal about tearing the heads off live shrimp for your breakfast. It's a possibility the price will fall a little this week. The weather is definitely harvest-friendly so far and storms are expected to track East, well to the south of the Gulf of Maine. Get 'em while you can!

Based on the presentations yesterday, the Shrimp quota has been raised 10% Portland Press Herald Report 1-20-12

There is a meeting in progress here in South Portland to assess the state of the New England shrimp fishery today. At stake is a possible early shutdown, even after this year's harvest quota was cut to a third of last years. There is massive debate on the waterfront questioning the assessment practices used by the team responsible for determining the size and trends of the Northern shrimp biomass At the meeting today, Dr. Michael Sissenwine, Visiting Scholar at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and a preeminent fisheries scientist, will present arguments supporting the ASPIC model as more scientifically defensible, and should be factored in the decision to reconsider this year's harvest quota. The above quote was copied from a website that appeared Saturday, SaveOurShrimp.org, to educate the public about the controversy, and includes news reports and (excellent!) video from local news networks covering the shrimp industry on the Maine Coast (choose "News" link @top of page). They are asking the public to sign a petition urging regulators to use best science available, not politics. Currently, shrimpers are restricted to Monday, Wednesday and Friday fishing, regardless of weather, and nets have to out of the water by 3pm.

If this one is even remotely like rarerollingobject's week in Sydney last July then my whole week is blown

Some might remember the Greengrocer on Commercial street - near-opposite to DiMillos wharf. Operating for a few years, they supported fresh produce suppliers, offered quality dry goods and wines. Eventually, they moved out to Brighton Ave and became Rosemont Bakery and Market. A space opened on Munjoy Hill and a second Rosemont was opened. The Portland Press Herald reports yesterday that Rosemont will open a third location in the Finest Kind warehouse - back on Commercial St - by early March.

We do sashimi only when I can get them still snapping. I make my ponzu a bit on the strong side specifically for this purpose. They have a crisp bite right out of the shell and dipping just an end in takes it home. If they are a little older, the flesh begins to break down and become softer, so it's time for ceviche. Here's some from 2008 I realize it's a slog to go through 7 or so years of Maine shrimp threads on eGullet so I found a few photo highlights for newer members and visitors: 1) Last year in Maine Shrimp 2) Maine Shrimp Porn Here 3) ...and here... 4) A little more here... 5) Local Culinary Hero Sam Hayward's Maine Shrimp Chowder - (step by step recipe from Saveur Magazine)

Indeed, Country - right out of the water they have an unholy red color. Someone in a previous GOM Shrimp thread didn't believe they weren't dyed. First set was pretty small - only 500lbs on deck. They usually get 2000 a day a bit later in the season.

Sent from a secret location in The Gulf Of Maine - fresh shrimp harvested at 11:00 today

Old urchin colleague now fishing shrimp out of Portland. From his iPhone this morning: Today's weather:

Fresh squid ink is extremely perishable, decaying by the hour, according to the Portuguese I knew in the Algarve. It must be used immediately or the flavor turns unpleasant.

Prices are not going down - most expensive I've seen since late 90's: @Harbor Fish 12noon today: Whole: $2.29/lb ($1.95/lb if over 5lb) Headless: $5.49/lb Clean meats: $9.99/lb bought 1.5lb whole shrimp - the stock makes an amazing chowder

Yeah, I know I know! They'll be considered one of our holiday luxuries this week. Harbor's facebook page noted that the sample harvest discovered an awful lot of shrimp out there. I hope the prices are high enough to support the fishermen, but low enough for consumers' budgets, and that they are able to truck them to major metropolitan areas. To members within 400 miles of the Gulf Of Maine: Please post Maine shrimp sightings in your local markets here once the shrimp season begins next week. Thanks! Edit to add: For those interested in eGullet 5+ year coverage and commentary on Gulf Of Maine Shrimp, this link is a great place to start

Harbor Fish Market in Portland Maine has acquired 200 lbs of Gulf Of Maine shrimp meats from the pre-season biomass sample harvested from the Maine Fisheries Management test trawl completed yesterday. I snagged one pound at $9.99/lb, and it's going fast. Haven't decided what to do with yet, but a simple steaming and various dipping sauces would probably be the most honorable way to go.

They were reasonably plentiful last season. $1 to $2 got you a pound of whole (heads-on) shrimp at the littler seafood purveyors, or a roadside truck with a sign. The typical buy is $5 and that's over a hundred or so count. Cleaned, they sell for $3.99 or $4.99 per pound at a supermarket like Hannaford

You're right: All shrimp harvested in December are egg-laden, but they don't release their eggs 'til February in a typical season. I don't mean to cast your friend as nefarious or dubious by any means, but I did learn to be cautious about anything said or heard on the waterfront during my seven years as an urchin diver.

Not your fault - apologies are unnecessary, Country. I seem to remember a similar argument while setting the urchin season back in the '90s. It was widely believed that lobster men who took out us divers lobbied to wait until January to start the season because there were still lobsters to be trapped in December and they didn't want the fisheries to overlap, so I am suspicious of your fisherman friends agenda. ...and I am sorry about that!