johnnyd

For those so inclined, The Bizarre Foods Maine episode airs: Nov. 18 @ 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Nov. 19 @ 2 a.m. Nov. 24 @ 9 p.m. Nov. 25 @ 1 a.m. Deathmatch Fly Girls: Bob Zimmern, Andrew Zimmern and Producer Extraordinaire, Kel: Mitch from Evangeline steps up, Colin Wyatt shows off Maine's finest, Portland foodies are on fire tonight as Andrew's show draws nigh...

In anticipation of the TV show, it's time to start covering the afternoon of June 8, 2008 in true Deathmatch style. I will break down the menu with accompanying photos where available after the show airs tomorrow night. Many thanks to Katie Selva who snapped the following photos. Thanks to her, we have lots more coverage of that beautiful afternoon with our guest, Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel. The Bizarre Foods Maine episode airs: Nov. 18 @ 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Nov. 19 @ 2 a.m. Nov. 24 @ 9 p.m. Nov. 25 @ 1 a.m. See Trailer Here (available for a limited time) But for now, Katie has some great shots of the first Deathmatch filmed for television. Early that morning, our ring leaders, Joe Ricchio and Jon Dietz missed the charter ferry with the rest of the posse and dialed up a water taxi to the island. They wasted no time getting in the mood... Next time, I'm going to miss the boat too. --------------- For those who haven't ever been involved in taping a TV show with cooking involved, you get something like this a few weeks before shooting takes place: Greetings All I want to thank you for helping us with our upcoming Maine episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. As a reminder, we are shooting this on Sunday, June 8th. I have arranged for transportation to/from the island via a chartered ferry which will depart at 8.15a from Long Wharf / Ramp 3. Our island hosts for the party are [deleted]. To help minimize the impact on them, especially in their kitchen, I want to ask a few favors: 1. Prep your food, as much as you can, prior - but do not assemble it, unless it is a dish that you have to. I would like to shoot some of that process with each chef at their table. With that said, if you can reserve (or have duplicate) some of your ingredients in their raw form - we would love to see it when we shoot Andrew sampling your dish. 2. Bring any cookware/utensils/coolers that you might need. Ferry Boat Captain Hal requests that you bring your items in cooler/boxes and not use paper bags - damp sea air/water will make the bags fall apart. 3. If you need a heat source, let me know. If you have a small portable ELECTRIC grill/cooktop, my suggestion is to bring it. Coast Guard regulations prohibits the transportation of any propane tanks or flammable liquids aboard the ferry. If you must use a specific heat source, we should arrange transportation of it with one of the chefs who have access to a private boat. The following is on the island: Gas BBQ, Charcoal BBQ, Upright Smoker, Gas oven w/ 4 burners and a toaster oven. No Microwave. 4. Wear comfortable/casual clothes (no logos/slogans or trademarked designs - if you own the rights to the logo/design/name, talk to me first about wearing it) and sensible shoes. Captain Hal says that heels get caught in the docks all the time. 5. If you do not want your face seen by 85 million people, or you are trying to keep a low profile from law enforcement.... don't come. I can't take you out of the show once we have shot it. Also, you will be required to sign a release form which will give the show and The Travel Channel the right to use your likeness, voice etc. 6. Have fun... it will make for good tv. This is intended to be an outdoor event but, we are working on Plan B scenarios should weather become a factor. Any decisions to relocate the event will be made no later than Friday June 7 I will be arriving in town on Monday June 2nd. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me right away via email or cell phone. Best Regards, Producer Bizarre Foods w/ Andrew Zimmern Fortunately, I am in good standing with Law Enforcement... for now. People caught on camera are asked to sign a release form so that the Show can broadcast your bad self with your permission: To keep track of everybody, we were asked to write down what we were wearing. While we were setting up, Katie and Joe brought out the beautiful coffee table book that immortalizes the Deer Deathmatch from last year. It was a very ambitious dinner - unforgettable, really - and a benchmark we will no doubt transcend in the future. Here is Andrew Zimmern, Katie Selva and Joe Ricchio. I ran into Andrew's Dad, Bob, this morning at Harbor Fish Market right after it opened - he was pretty excited. "We're going to be on TV!", we said together, jumping up and down like children.

Another item from the Rabelais Books newsletter received last week: The Maine episode will air at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Nov. 18, at 2 a.m. Nov. 19, at 9 p.m. on Nov. 24, and at 1 a.m. on Nov. 25. Especially auspicious as the recent Deathmatch, Forage! Grow Kill! which took place over Labor Day weekend was covered by three and four-page photo/articles in the November issues of two local magazines: "Meet Portland's Kitchen Outlaws" in Port City Life, and "Backyard Gourmets - Portland's Best Young Chefs vie for supremacy in Deathmatch" in Maine Home & Design. (Neither site includes the article - sad to say). I have a LOT more photos from Katie's camera to post after the show airs.

More press on lobster prices has surfaced. This article from Boston.com appeared about the time this thread started: Financial Times article from Monday, November 10th 2008: The lobster harvest increased this month 10 - 20% from last year in Maine & Nova Scotia, but the "boat price" - dollar amount paid to harvesters at the dock - was $4 last year and now ranges $2.35 - $2.50 Also in the same article, a "Lobster Bail-Out" promotion from Lobster Gram, a Chicago-based internet lobster marketer, ---------------- As the holiday season approaches and the novelty of low-cost lobster sinks in, the prospect of holiday meals including lobster looms. To this end, a local lobsterman's wife - Monique Coombs of Orr's Island - is compiling a cookbook for lobster, proceeds of which benefit Lobsterman's families, Dispatch from MaineToday.com doesn't say when it will be ready. Those who are inclined, send in a recipe today - or email Monique to get on the list when it ships. Here's lookin' at you, kid...

Local press lists another community lobster sale in Damariscotta, Maine. Local boat harvest will be available cooked or snapping at $5 each all day Saturday. Not that I expect everyone to get in the car and drive to Maine, only that it's interesting that the tightly-knit coastal Maine communities have taken this step to support each other. You either lobster for a living, you are part of the support business surrounding lobstering (boats, bait, fishing gear, transport, etc.), or you know someone involved in the above. Also in yesterday's Portland Press Herald there was something I never knew: Freezing lobster in salted milk? Did I just blow by that fact all these years?

You're welcome Katie. Happy to help. Note the ten cups of water: that ensures the shrimp detritus is well-scrubbed of deliciousness so one can reduce it further after passing through a sieve. I realized that after thawing three quarts of frozen shrimp stock this summer and found some pretty weak stuff. The stock flavor has to definitely come through - but not overwhelm - your chowder. Good luck!

That's for damn sure. ← I don't mind paying a fair value for this, but if the seafood is going to be expensive, I'd at least like to see the fisherman get a fair part of that. To this point the prices in my local supermarkets remain high. It does not appear that the lobster fishermen are seeing much of that right now. That kind of pisses me off. ← Most fishermen are beholden to the price on the dock unless they have a special arrangement with a specific buyer. These relationships usually take a long time to cultivate. Sometimes, a boat will accept terms from a single buyer in exchange for a season's loyalty, or a boat has a unique advantage that commands market price plus a premium. Lobster co-operatives are formed to tackle these issues, offering shared expenses and market clout among other advantages. ------------ In case anyone missed it, and is interested, I spent a day lobstering out on Casco Bay during my foodblog in '07. Click here to see the story.

Maine's Fresh Shrimp Harvest runs from December to April They are small - 40/lb - and inexpensive, about $2-$5/lb. So I get it at least twice a week. I make shrimp stock often, and use it to make chowder base all summer. This is a quick look at a shrimp chowder from local chef Sam Hayward of Fore Street Restaurant. This recipe was published in Saveur Magazine, issue #100 Peel three pounds shrimp - reserve heads and shells for stock, Combine with 10 cups cold water - bring to a boil. Lower heat - simmer five minutes While that cools, render 1/4cup blanched salt pork and added 2 large russet potato, chopped and a leek, white only, Cook gently for five minutes. Then added 3cups shrimp broth. Simmer gently, covered for ten minutes. Then melt 3tbsp of butter, turn heat to high, and add chilled shrimp meat and 3/4cup of heavy cream. Boil 30 seconds... Then gently fold into the chowder base and let rest for ten minutes, covered. Add Salt, generous grinds of fresh black pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper. So there's an idea. I know these smaller shrimp behave differently than the larger ones, so when making stock, I'd lengthen the simmer to 20 or so minutes and maybe add a bay leaf and fennel fronds.

When I was in Brazil, I saw avocados the size of one's head. They were huge - and generally bland. Lime, avocado and sugar are mixed in a blender to make a favorite dessert: creme de abacate. I also saw avocado ice cream, which suggests to me that adding alcohol - cachaça or rum - is a play that needs to be made.

More local coverage from Portland, Maine, about how the coast is coping with the lowest prices in 20 years. People are coming together in a big way - I'm hearing plans for big lobster feasts on Halloween night. As for the boat crews: Article here. On a sad note, The Coast Guard has suspended their search for a missing Matinicus Island lobsterman, last seen on Zephyr Ledges, - about 2 miles northeast of Matinicus Island (which itself is 15 miles out from Rockland) - about noon, Monday. He was in a 21 foot, open skiff. They found a boot, raingear and a lunchbox floating near the spot he was last heard from. The weather was really bad out there last night - winds over 20 knots. It's not like they didn't try though: Bulletin - US Coast Guard

One day when we were diving for sea urchins off Kennebunkport, one guy came across this monster. Diving for lobsters is illegal in Maine, but this sucker was so huge he had to show the other guys on the boat. When stretched out, she was about 40 inches - big enough to touch both ends of that fish-tote, and bigger than a scuba tank. We guessed 75 years old for no other reason than it was, well, old. We put her back in the water and it swam away slowly, in no particular hurry to get anywhere.

I can't speak for our esteemed neighbors, but lobster was "prison food" at some point around New England - 19th century, I'm guessing - but it's worth looking up. Once people started canning, it became a marketable resource and a very big industry.

MSNBC covers plummeting lobster prices in Portland Maine. Their media van was parked in front of a lobster pound in the downtown district last week. This is an outstanding companion video to our conversation. It's also nice to see eGullet scooped the cable newsboys. ETA: Story preceeded by 20 second promo. Story is two minutes

Ours have better health care but theirs get to carry guns. Same species Homarus americanus. ←

Okay - the closer one is to the source, the less expensive they appear to be. Ten bucks for a 2 - 4 pound seems in line with boat prices in Maine, except these are probably from Massachusetts - Maine prohibits harvesting larger lobsters to protect the breeding stock. Clearly the low wholesale price has yet to spread beyond the Northeast. I stopped by the lobster truck in the Old Port here Friday and spent $11 for two lobsters, about one & a half pound each. The trucks owner is a lobsterman who had just landed and was resupplying the trucks tanks. He had caught about 400 lbs of soft-shells that day. "Just two?" she said.

At $4.59 about three weeks ago, people started raising eyebrows. Last Friday is when it dipped under $4, and when the Lobster council launched their promo, so it had already been bad enough for a flurry of meetings to develop and execute emergency measures. That said, you'd think the low prices would already affect out of state markets, but I guess not. Saratoga, Vero Beach and Ohio markets probably have animals bought at a higher price and won't be able to mark down until they get the new batch. Lobster apps for Thanksgiving is what we all should be thinking about.

Hannaford is a major supermarket chain in the Northeast. We do a major shop Saturday and drop by every other day to plug the holes. Last night, there was a pile of bagged, steamed lobsters next to the chilled shrimp with price tags of $5.04, $4.87, etc. Harbor Fish had 1⅛lb new shells for $3.99 this morning. Shelled lobster meat was about $37/lb. I'd like to hear from other parts of the Nation what people are paying for Maine lobster - consumers, and restaurants. Could be interesting.

This week in Portland, we are aghast at the lowest price for lobster in memory. Much ink has been spilled on the subject in the local press. The Maine Lobster Association has launched a localized promotional campaign to encourage the purchase of the beast, because usually in a typical year, lobsters cost too much for the local folk unless you "know someone". I saw a truck on commercial street selling them for $3.99 per pound. One day, $3.49 I talked with a lobsterman who said wharf price was $2.50, which makes leaving the dock laden with fuel, bait and sternmen wages borderline crazy. They are lucky to break even. A recent local TV news spot showed a Stonington buyer saying the major restaurant chains have pulled back their buying regimen - usually six months out - because either they were uncertain of future demand, or perhaps because credit to buy has gone rotten. In Mid-coast Maine, Stonington has been a major source for international buyers. These include Canadian processors who, unfortunately, are financed partly by Icelandic Banks. The folks most affected are those Downeast. With the economy eternally crappy there, this situation is devastating. What is especially ironic is that lobsters are running hard right now and the catch is usually pretty large this time of year. So - in the event you are in the mood for seafood, think about a lobster or three, and tell your friends.

When we dive for scallops in Maine, DMR law requires that we shuck all harvested animals at sea so that only the muscle meats remain on board when landing. As we return to port, we stand around shucking scallops with a knife like this. It's shape provides for a clean sweep along the shell's inside, preserving the meats. We throw everything else over the side en route. If the scallops aren't all cut, we are not allowed to tie up, so we idle in the harbor until the job is done. The reason given why roe sacs are discarded, is that they are highly perishable - much more so than the scallop meats. Therefore they can't risk being transported or processed with the roe attached after they are off-loaded from licensed harvesting vessels

The trailer looks awesome. I like a good adventure/action/sci-fi flick. Must have been a blast to participate. John Gardner's Grendel, (Beowulf from the monster's point of view) tells of finding firesnakes in a cave. Tasty! My vote is for salted cod and firesnakes.

I never see them available for sale here in New England - even to restaurants - but I've pulled some out of the shell while diving here in Maine. A Dutch friend was on the boat and freaked out. She ate it raw with a squirt of lemon juice. In North America, Canada has supported roe-on scallop harvesting off and on since 1987. The levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) are closely monitored during May and June when roe sacs are well developed. If PSP toxin levels top out at 80 μg/100g, the fishing area is shut down in the area and only when three test results in a row yield safe standards will it re-open. Harvest areas are limited to Georges Bank, Western and Sable Banks. See Scallops: Biology, Ecology and Aquaculture by by Sandra E Shumway and G Jay Parsons for in-depth information

Smokejacks has apparently closed. From the Seven Days blog:

This Sunday 9-28, at Schooner Landing, Main Street in Damariscotta. Some toppings: ...but no cocktail sauce.Things will get underway just as tropical storm Kyle hits the mid-coast. Bring your rain gear along with your appetite.

The M.O.F.G.A. website has a data query page to find certified farms in all maine counties. You can filter the results by item. I searched "Apple" in York county and found these guys: Raven Hill Orchard 255 Ossipee Hill Road East Waterboro, ME 04030 207-247-4455 They have 30 heirloom varieties of apples. I'd guess it's 45 mins from Portland.

Michael Bauer, executive food editor and restaurant critic at the San Francisco Chronicle, visited Portland recently and wrote "Right at Home in the Other Portland" Included in the article were Fore Street, Hugo's, Evangeline, Emilitsa, Rabelais Booksand Standard Baking for special mention. Rob Evan's Duckfat also got a write-up.