Portland ME Food Sourcing

[johnnyd]

Now that things are coming out of the ground at a normal pace it's time to look for some deals.

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Look no further than the Freedom Farm stand on Monument Square during Wednesday's Farmers Market - at least I think it's them - but look for the stand closest to Center street for the amazing...

$5 Bargain Bag!

This is what I got in a really big bag of assorted mis-shapen, gnarled, but just-picked veggies:

at least 10 small carrots (including the interesting one upper left )

8 young turnips (mostly purple top)

4 or 5 radishes

2 young patty-pan squash

8 nice beets - two were golden

1 leek

about 10 small summer squash

2 daikon, about 12" long

4 cukes (3 were small picklings)

3 Japanese eggplant

2 yellow hot peppers

1 hot cherry pepper

1 green bell pepper

...and about three pounds of assorted new potatoes

Now, of course, comes the part about what to do with it all, but I'm not concerned about that. What I have is five pounds of locally-grown, fresher than fresh vegetables, that will prove not only incredibly nutritious but entertaining while I find ways to make them into something tasty to eat.

And I only spent five dollars - I might come through this recession unscathed after all.

Portland Farmer's Markets are in Monument Square every Wednesday morning and in Deering Oaks Park on Saturday mornings - both days until noon.

[johnnyd]

Laughing Bird shrimp, mentioned in this week's New York Times, has been available at Harbor Fish Market on Custom House Wharf since the Spring.

Today's price: $9.99/lb

[Ellie]

Laughing Bird shrimp, mentioned in this week's New York Times, has been available at Harbor Fish Market on Custom House Wharf since the Spring.

Today's price: $9.99/lb

Thanks for the head up on the Laughing Bird!

BTW, it looks like Harbor Fish Market is on Twitter! I am very excited about the possibilities as I love to find out what specials or out-of-the ordinary items they get in. It doesn't look like there are many followers yet, but I thought I would spread the word in hopes it will catch on and become a valuable tool for those who can't stop in daily.

Of course, now I'll have to figure out Twitter. Yikes!

Are there any other interesting Twitter accounts to follow around the Portland area? I'd love to see Yosaku tweet their specials.

[johnnyd]

Harbor Fish in the Old Port is open Xmas eve until 3:30p. They had this morning:

Eels - from Canada, previously frozen @ $9.99

Fresh Maine Shrimp - whole/$1.39/lb - headless/$3.99/lb - peeled/$5.99/lb

Whole RI Squid - $3.99/lb

Fresh Ocean Perch - $2.49/lb

Imported Branzini - $7.99/lb

Whole Flounder - $5.99/lb

Damiriscotta Oysters - $1.40/each

Winterpoint Oysters - $1.30/each

...and the usual Cod cuts, Salmon, Sword, Tuna, Haddock, Hake, Pollack, Monkfish, Halibut, Clams, Mussels, Lobster, Shrimp from away, and Crab. I'm sure I missed something.

If you are a wuss, the capable staff will clean your whole-fish selection for a couple extra bucks. The eel, however, will cost you $15.99/lb

Merry Christmas!

[veil]

Would Harbor Fish be the best place in Portland to buy fish heads/skeletons?

I'll be passing through Portland on Wednesday on my way to a month in Bangor, in which city--for numerous reasons I don't pretend to understand fully, but which have all been painstakingly and repeatedly explained to me by the apparently crazy (yet entertaining) seafood guy who sells out of a van on Broadway near Hannaford and Governor's Restaurant--one reportedly cannot buy whole fish, fish heads, fish skeletons, etc., in Bangor, due to some bizarre combination of overweening government regulation and cut-throat commercial competitiveness, allegedly involving organized crime syndicates. (I can special-order whole fish of a certain few types from Hannaford's, but I suspect they're frozen.)

Over the past year during which I've spent much time in Bangor (for romantic reasons, not food reasons), this fish-part unavailability has been a big shock to me, since I've lived for years in Manhattan and Dutchess County, NY (near the CIA), and have always been able to get great fish parts for stock. Hell, even in Western Mass. when I'm visiting my elderly father, I can get decent fish parts from Whole Foods in Hadley (lots of farmers and hippies there, plus a big yuppie/academic community because of the five-college area).

The absolute LAST thing I expected was to have trouble sourcing fresh fish bits in Bangor.

My Bangor romantic interest is a native Down Easter (family goes back 300+ years), and is also the freakin' grouchiest Maine bush pilot God ever created. But, he loves my fish chowder, and will often fly to Rockland to get me good ingredients. On this Wednesday's drive from Dad's (in Western Mass.) to Bangor, however, I'm on my own. So, I'm kind of desperate here for a decent source!

Thanks in advance,

Veil

[veil]

Harbor Fish was great--though I got there mid-afternoon, so too late to get fish heads, and had to settle for 3 pounds of lobster bodies. Still, the resulting stock was wonderful--fragrant and rich and heady.

[violetfox]

Thanks for posting and glad that this worked well for you. I've always been very happy with Harbor Fish.

[johnnyd]

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.

"The reason we chose that spot is it's near the ferry terminal for people on the island," he said. "It's on the peninsula for a lot of the restaurants, to serve their produce needs. This is a fabulous addition to our store. Our specialty has always been produce, and our connection with local farmers and producers."

Edited January 12, 2012 by johnnyd (log)

[johnnyd]

Lobsters are selling for $3.99/lb (1-1/8) and $4.99/lb (1-1/4) on Portland's waterfront. Can't recall so low a price in a while.

[rlibkind]

Lobsters are selling for $3.99/lb (1-1/8) and $4.99/lb (1-1/4) on Portland's waterfront. Can't recall so low a price in a while.

Chix or hard shell?

[johnnyd]

Lobsters are selling for $3.99/lb (1-1/8) and $4.99/lb (1-1/4) on Portland's waterfront. Can't recall so low a price in a while.

Chix or hard shell?

Soft shells. The warm winter got them in shore early, and I guess there's a lot of them. We picked up 5 for $28 Sunday.

Another interesting local seafood note is that there appears to be a nascent squid trapping fishery. Harbor Fish Market on Custom House wharf had squid for sale at $5.49/lb that was trapped off Richmond Island, out near Cape Elizabeth. A fellow there said they arrived squirming. I bought a pound and prepared them in a tomato/onion/garlic/herb/paprika stew-like dish.

[rlibkind]

I've been visiting Mount Desert Is. for 40 years, and it seems like there are fewer and fewer places to buy fresh finfish. Anyone have good sources in Ellsworth, MDI?

[johnnyd]

The soft-shell (shedder) lobsters are everywhere. Price: $3.79 Lobstermen are confounded by the sheer quantity, and the historically low prices. Some wondered whether to tie up for a while, but that - it turns out - is unlawful...

They can't talk about the historically high supply of their product. They can't talk about the historically low prices they are getting for their catch. They can't talk about whether they have agreed to keep their boats tied up until things improve -- because talking about it might imply that it's a concerted effort and a concerted effort would be a violation of federal anti-trust laws.

http://www.pressherald.com/news/are-lobstermen-keeping-their-traps-shut_-_2012-07-15.html