johnnyd

La Tempête Parfaite du foodblog est arrivé!! ...not to, you know, put any more pressure on you guys or anything.

I recall a variation of poached oysters in broth (what kind?) with fennel, parsley and a little pernod. Maybe something else - saffron? Also on the decadent side, Daniel's Bite Club recently served an oyster po'boy with sea urchin aiolli. I used to serve hot fresh oysters that popped open after about five minutes on a grill. Lots of topping opportunities.

The sales guy has 5lb bricks of farmed Vietnamese 21-25's he needs to sell at forty bucks a whack. That's why he's in sales.But what also can't be ignored is the fragility of fresh Gulf of Maine shrimp. They may taste unquestionably better than any frozen shrimp out there, but flesh integrity is still a problem and perhaps the root of your fishmonger's reasoning behind what's "inferior". I still can't get over how good yours came out. Must be one of those nitrogen flash-freeze thingies on-board the shrimp harvester. This morning I chatted with Ben Alfiero, Jr., owner of Harbor Fish, and he said the small size severly limits their shelf life, and that pretty much dooms them to a limited range of distribution. "Not going to happen," he said. I am still not convinced. He then uncovered the competition... These are fresh shrimp from Georgia. They are amazingly good. You could fit four or more of our shrimp in these shells. If I was thinking, I would have put a local boy next to these monsters to show the difference in size. They weren't out on display yet having just arrived at the airport a half hour before but last year they went for about $15/lb and worth every penny. They are definitely saltier than Gulf of Maine species - warm water conditions perhaps. He also had these beauties... Mini Polpo from the Mediterranean. Ellie, that one's for you, babe.

Ran down to Harbor Fish this morning to see what's new. These came in an hour or so ago - fresh off last night's boat: Nice to hear from you Hiroyuki! Your pictures are causing a severe craving for sushi right now. I see your Sea of Japan shrimp is at about $39/lb so I can see why sashimi is the only way to go. Here, there is so much of it, even I can't eat that much shrimp sashimi - and I've put some away, believe me. As one can see above, the two species are really, really close. So close, that regional sushi bars in New England accept these as ama ebi and list it as such on their menus. The roe is also dark when fresh... ...Peter: yours were cooked at sea (amazing that the roe survived that and freezing) and so turn pale. (Your rye bread creation is a must-try, by the way, I love the roe on top.) What I would like to know, is how japanese shrimp shipping and handling move this expensive creature around the country. The answer could provide a means to a greater range of distribution for Gulf of Maine shrimp. Seeing as the price is almost 40x that of the North Atlantic variety, I think an investment in more careful handling would pay off.

Gee, thanks, Margo! You are very kind to suggest that but I don't come close in knowledge or street cred to claim the honor. The above dish is a spanish inspired dish anyway. We need a regional ingredient combination or method... hopefully without using blueberries. Say, if you are buying your seafood in Burtlington, do you mind asking if they plan to carry Gulf of Maine shrimp? I remember Rays on North street loved bargains, then there were those guys at the bottom of Battery Street. Shanty Fish Market used to be my favorite when I lived in Burlap. I'd love to see a report if you have the chance.

Granny's Burritos, a 13 year old port institution, has closed it's doors. Owner Chris has been jousting with the taxman for a while and lost this round. With some creativity, it might come back in a new location.

I had a tomato-based cod stew with saffron, local-grown peppers, chouriço and white wine that I made last summer in the freezer. It was a nice platform for some of yesterday's shrimp. I plopped them in at the final three minutes so they would warm sufficiently but not overcook. Some country white from Scratch bakery sealed the deal.

Interesting that you folks nextdoor are writing in about local shrimp options because a month ago ChrisAmirault forwarded an inquiry from a Halifax-based outfit who have commited to popularizing North Atlantic Shrimp among local chefs. Ms. Sadie Beaton, Sustainable Seafood Co-ordinator at the Ecology Action Centre's Marine division and I have had an on-going dialogue ever since late October - which was apparently the opening of shrimp season in the Canadian Maritimes. Sadie is on a crusade to convince chefs of the merits of North Atlantic Shrimp (Pandalus Borealis), a (so far) sustainable seafood. By her account, it's been a bit of a slog. The sticky points among white-tablecloth kitchens is the labor involved in prep and the insistence that diners don't want to see eyeballs and antennae on their plate. I appreciate their point of view but I'm of the mind that this local shrimp has an excellent flavor which should out-weigh the prep difficulties (besides, like anything, a little practice and you become efficient eventually) and rightfully take their place among the North Eastern hemisphere's award-winning foods. Then there is the undressed appearance issue. Well, crayfish are served by the pile in Louisiana. Whole shrimp appear in Gumbo. Chesapeake Bay crabs are boiled whole and dumped on the table. Then there is Lobster... Granted, the high-end chefs are dealing with different dynamics and leave the peel-n'-eat crowd to the beach shacks and working-class feasts. So what to do? To my knowledge, the interesting recipes involving Gulf of Maine shrimp are less than five years old (give or take) so it's really a clean slate - ready for someone (or somewhere) to come up with some magic that could define our region.

For those of us so inclined, shellfish and pork go together phenomenally well. I recently roasted an 8lb picnic shoulder after a full day marinade in garlic, pepper, oregano, cumin seed and orange/lime juice (see Saveur 107 for recipe) and sliced a slab of it into cubes for a little fry with my shrimp. On hand was some left-over saffron rice, diced onion, pepper and celery. An added bonus was some congealed pork rendering that melted and colored the dish nicely. A sprig or two of cilantro and we have some lunch, people. Add a handful of clams, mussels and some rounds of chouriço and it's a mini-paella.

Today was the projected opening of Gauchos but I looked in the window yesterday and they are no where near serving the first plate. Supplies were piled in the dining area and one person was painting trim. Patience.

I've been waiting for this day for some months now. After dipping a few raw ones in a ponzu I cooked the lot in water at a rolling boil for one minute. And here they are, hot and steaming. Sweet and delicious.

The first bag of shrimp of the season. Just delivered to Harbor Fish Market on Custom House wharf this morning. Today's Prices - Whole: $1.49/lb Headless: $3.99 Shelled: $6.99 The Portland Fish Exchange said about 8000 lbs were off-loaded last night (a miracle: ocean conditions were around nine feet and blowing 35 knots saturday) but there was no auction. I chatted with Hank this morning who said things will be a little different this year. More on that later. For those new to the on-going Gulf of Maine Shrimp Odyssey on eGullet, check out these previous threads for pictures and discussion about Pandalus Borealis, or Northern Shrimp: Gulf of Maine Shrimp - 2006/2007 Gulf of Maine Shrimp - 2005/2006 Boats off-load Shrimp harvest at the Portland Fish Exchange (Photo essay - Feb'05) What's new this year? Have the distribution channels been streamlined? Will the higher fuel prices demolish the season before it starts? Have regional chefs decided to commit some development to these delicious (and sustainable) creatures? Stay tuned as we try to answer these questions and seek out new recipes for fresh North Atlantic Shrimp.

The Portland Food Map has added a search function for Portland and Maine food websites. A google search assistant, it picks up most active web pages containing your search term. I tried two Portland restaurants and eGullet appeared in the top ten of the second try.

Shrimp season opens Saturday, December 1st. As usual I'll be starting a new topic commemorating the season opener and welcome any and all member news about fresh Gulf of Maine shrimp - location tracking, prices and recipes are encouraged from your part of New England and beyond. After three years reporting on Maine shrimp I think we are finally in the position to make a market for these delicacies. Who's in?

Shoulda braised the little sucker and fed 'em to the pups. Or maybe spatchcocked and grilled? ...and fed to the pups.

You guys are getting me all misty-eyed over the loss of the old eGullet forum, "Adventures in Eating" or whatever it was called. This clearly belongs there! 20 years or so ago I came across a squirrel recipe in Yankee Magazine. I made an Xmas card out of it and sent it to all my culinary pals.

A few chefs here in Portland Maine got together for a venison cook-off last month in case anyone is looking for ideas. Pics and wine list included.

Some photos of courses I missed that night plus a couple extras of ones I didn't 7th course Jagermeister Marinated Livers - Piepers Slow Poached Monkfish Liver Saucisson - Shallot Plum Black Truffle Sauce - Leg Meat Stuffed Summer Squash Deer Heart Reuben - Josh House Thousand Island Sauce - Saurkraut - Gruyere - Pumpernickle 8th course Saddle - Erik Grilled French Rack - Bacon Wrapped Loin - Fresh Herbs Above: right off the grill. Below: Josh serves up some delicious loin I am still marveling at all the outstanding work that night.

More Deer Deathmatch photography has come to my attention Chefs Josh Potocki and Erik DesJarlais skinning a 260lb deer Chefs Courtney Loreg and Erik DesJarlais discuss strategy during breakdown

Chef Erik DesJarlais and Ilsa The intensity of the moment was real. It was totally present tense, and she and I were the only things on the face of the earth. Naturally, when she almost kicked me where it counts, I snapped out of it. Back to reality. The question at hand, is do I need to kill an animal to achieve enlightenment? Probably not. Did I gain a new understanding of life and death? Yes. Death is a simple transition. In Ilsa’s case, she will probably come back as a cook, and I, the animal she will kill. Whatever will be will be. I would rather be a male rabbit, but that is a different story……. - Erik DesJarlais

I am speechless... and moved to tears. Time to cast off my chains of denial and lie, cheat and/or steal for my ticket back to Europe. One-way, of course. Bravo, Franco! Outstanding blog! Another fascinating look at food and it's relationship with humanity. Carry on.

Excellent move, Franco. Another reason why eG foodblogs are so fascinating. Most illuminating so far, thank you. However... um, even though it is a very public place, I haven't seen the inside of a London pub in over ten years and never, I think, on an eG foodblog. Care to snap a row of taps off an oaken bar while wallowing in a Young's Bitter stupor??

By the 6th course things are in full swing. Braised Skirt Risotto Cakes - Kate Cider Reduction - Pomegranate Bacon Relish Finally, 9th Course Medieval Mincemeat Pie - Krista w/Citrus Cream I left before this was served but I'm pretty sure that's what we've got here. I'm sure the crew will chime in if I'm in error. Speaking of "the crew", I would like to thank Joe Ricchio, Jon Dietz, Erik DesJarlais, Krista Kern, Josh Potocki, and Courtney Lorig, the core members of the Deathmatch series, hard-working chefs-about-town and the original members of the Applegate Slaughter Patrol. A very special thank you to Katie Selva, who provided a wealth of wonderful pictures (last 4 posts) to contribute to this topic on the eGullet New England forum. Cheers, and we'll see you this winter. If the rumor is true, I think we're looking at a Seafood Deathmatch next time...

4th course - Erik & Krista Terrine of Head and Shanks - the bricks come off Deer Deathmatch Burgers - Jon w/ Foie Gras - Truffle Essence - Tomato Confit - Caramelized Shallots - Horseradish Mayo The makers of the unbelievable delicious deermeat pies, Colin & Bronwen Wyatt: It was served with a gallery of cheeses

3rd Course All F*ckin' Day Simmered Bolognese - Joe San Marzano Tomatoes - Reggiano Parmesan - Tagliatelle Pasta Borscht (The East End "Beet" Down) sampling in progress: As one can see, the deer-hunting theme was ubiquitous, but even better was the owners of Applegate Deer Farm in West Newfield, Maine, Bob and Pat Dolbec, the providers of the evenings' theme, who were invited to attend and decided to take a crack at "Big Buck Hunter" themselves. As you can imagine, they were pretty high-scorers. Note the antler rack on the mantle behind them.