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By daybreak
Published: October 1, 2008
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By By Melinda Carnes
Published: February 8, 2007
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EmailMany people have distaste for the word “gourmet” until they learn the actual meaning of it. A gourmet is simply a person with a detailed knowledge of the finest food and drink. The term originally came from the French word “groumet” which is a valet in charge of wine. Gourmet seafood, then, is the finest seafood. Sending gourmet seafood as a gift is a special and unique way of showing a person that you care for them.
Gourmet seafood can be a gift to customers, clients or employees. There are many companies that offer a pleasing and tasty selection. Careful attention should be paid in order to make the best choice for your important customer. Sending the gift of gourmet seafood is giving the gift of the prize of New England. Your employee or customer will be very pleased and delighted with the surprise of gourmet seafood arriving on their doorstep.
You should carefully consider which company you choose before placing an order of gourmet seafood. Some firms can be easily contacted about the details of your shipment and readily give information about when it will be arriving to your customers and employees. Many companies even offer discounts on a large order, for example, if your gourmet seafood order totals over $500.
The packages you can order include such favorites as Lobster Lover’s Feast or Surf and Turf. How about a Maine Lobster Party, or maybe just one or two live Maine lobsters? A hearty Shrimp and Steak Classic, rustic Australian Rock Lobsters or a Classic New England Clambake can also be ordered. Of course, the prices of these gourmet seafood packages depend on the quantity and the distance it’s being sent.
How to Order Your Gourmet Seafood
1. You should fill out a corporate gift order form and fax it in to the company. Or, if you prefer, the customer care line would be happy to take your order.
2. Make sure your billing address and the address your credit card company has on file are the same.
3. Make sure you place an order well in advance, at least 48 hours prior to when you need it to be shipped, in order to avoid any emergencies. If your gourmet seafood company cannot process your order, they should contact you immediately and provide you with other options. Always ask for a confirmation of the corrected order if this happens.
4. The gourmet seafood company will contact you just before they process the order to your credit card, in order to get your final confirmation.
5. If you receive a discount, the gourmet seafood company will deduct it from the total, usually before the shipping charges are added.
6. Many gourmet seafood companies will notify the recipient via email, so they’ll know when they should expect their package. They will also send you an email when the package has been successfully delivered.
About the Author: Melinda Carnes is a staff writer at Everything Gourmet and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Family Review.
Source: www.isnare.com
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By By Cindy
Published: February 8, 2007
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By daybreak
Published: February 7, 2007
Updated: August 7, 2008
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By By Cherie Gordon-Eales
Published: February 6, 2007
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EmailOnline, your Local Fishmonger or at the Supermarket. What is the best option for buying Seafood?
At the Supermarket
They may have a fresh fish counter or a section in the chiller department, they will almost certainly have a freezer department.
You may or may not realise this, but all fish starts to spoil as soon as it’s killed and the more the seafood is processed/handled the quicker it starts to deteriorate. When buying seafood you want it as fresh as possible, preferably still flapping.
When buying fish a good way to tell if it’s fresh is to press it with you finger, the flesh should spring back, not leave your fingerprint in it. It should smell of the sea, slightly of ozone and most definitely not of FISH.
The reason that the seafood in supermarkets manages to have such a long shelf life is because those little sealed containers have pumped air in them - not air exactly as you and I breathe but air with the same elements calibrated to a different ratio and this is what stops the fish going off so quickly. As soon as that container is opened the fish will start to spoil faster (I might add that they do the same with bagged salad). Do you really want to be buying fish that's been artificially kept edible?
At the fish counter you will probably find not only whole fish and seafood but also fillets, steaks and cutlets. It’s a good idea to ask the assistant when the fish was caught/brought in. They should be able to tell you. Be aware of any fish that’s been covered in ice with just the heads sticking out, this is an old trick to disguise old product, get them to take it out so that you can see the fish properly. If there are fillets on sale, especially sole or plaice fillets check to see if there’s any yellowing of the flesh; this is another indication of stale fish, and of course, ask to smell it.
If you’re looking at a whole fish - take a good look at its eyes, they should be clear and bright, not sunken and cloudy. The gills should be a deep red colour and the skin shiny and slippery. If you pick up the fish it should feel firm, not floppy like some old rag doll.
If you’re after shellfish there’s 2 very simple rules to follow. Before cooking, if it’s open and doesn’t close when tapped sharply don’t buy it or cook it. After cooking if it’s still shut, don’t eat it.
When buying crab or lobster, pick it up, it should feel heavy for it’s size.
The third option in the Supermarket is the freezer department. This can be a very good alternative to fresh fish. Look for fish that has been ‘flash frozen’, this means that the fish has been caught and filleted very quickly - possibly at sea , then frozen very quickly thus retaining all the flavour and nutrients. This is often a far better option than fish lying around for days in the chiller cabinet.
The Fishmonger
If you are lucky enough to be close to a decent Fishmonger, get to know him and he’ll look after you. He will invariably know where the seafood has come from and when it was caught. He can prepare it for you and give you tips and recipes. If you have a special occasion coming up, tell him beforehand and he will be only to happy to fulfil your order, handing it over ready to put in the oven or whatever.
The Internet
Thankfully, now that the Internet has come into its own, buying fish and seafood online has never been easier. There are many small, specialised companies where you can buy not only fresh fish and seafood but delicacies such as Smoked Salmon and Caviar. They deliver excellent seafood either fresh in chilled boxes, frozen or vacuum packed.
About the Author: Cherie is a freelance cook, cookery writer and webmaster. For more great salmon recipes including how to smoke, grill, bake and poach Salmon and for quick and easy recipes using canned salmon, click here - http://www.great-salmon-recipes.com. Read more about her - http://www.great-salmon-recipes.com/Website.html.
Source: www.isnare.com
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By daybreak
Published: February 4, 2007
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EmailAvailabiliy of high quality fresh seafood fluctuates, so seafood buyers often need to freeze extra items for later use. Freezing your fresh catch or purchase can be a great way to ensure a high quality meal weeks or months later. Freezing methods vary, but a few simple practices can greatly improve the quality of frozen seafood.
Storage Bags
Using zipper type freezer bags is the simplest method for freezing seafood. Most seafood can be handled in the same manner. Simply cut the items into serving size pieces if needed, rinse and bag. Add a small amount of water to help purge the air from the bag.
Vacuum Bags
Vacuum bagging is among the best methods of freezing foods. A variety of products all work basically the same way. Items are bagged, and a vacuum is applied to remove the air. The bag is then sealed which protects the product much better than simply placing it in a standard freezer bag.
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By daybreak
Published: February 4, 2007
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EmailBuying fresh seafood locally is an excellent way to find high quality, healthy seafood, often at reduced prices. If you live near the water, local seafood may be plentiful, otherwise, you must rely on a reputable market.
Choosing Seafood for the Table
Common sense will guide you in finding the highest quality seafood. Don't be afraid to ask questions before buying! Some seafood varies on appearance and quality during the season, and foods like fish can have a wide range of taste and quality depending on their size, age and freshness. Look for clear natural looking eyes and firm flesh on most fish. Shellfish are sometimes live, which guarantees freshness.
Commercial Fishermen
Commercial fishermen, watermen, lobstermen, clammers, shrimpers and other professionals will sometimes sell seafood direct to consumers. The benefits are obvious, fresh seafood, right off the boat, usually the freshest possible seafood. Finding commercial fishermen that sell their catch right off the boat can be an adventure at the least.
Seafood lovers will need to know a few tricks to accomplish this or be very lucky. First you must either know the area and the captain, or find a local person willing to share information in order to know when the boats will return, and which boats are likely to have seafood to sell. Fresh seafood lovers might find fish, lobsters, crabs, clams, oysters, scallops, or other seafood this way. Although this is a long shot on finding seafood, it's a great way to combine a weekend getaway with fun activities such as photography, boating or just talking to members of the seafood industry.
Seafood Wholesalers
Much of the seafood in the USA is harvested by independent commercial fishermen that sell their catch to wholesalers. The seafood is then sent to national or international markets, either fresh or frozen depending on the situation. Many seafood wholesalers accept walk-in customers and can supply fresh, high quality seafood in small or large quantities. Usually a wholesale establishment can ice your purchase, and sometimes even provide a container. It is always best to know your supplier, bring your cooler and call ahead if possible. A wholesale seafood dealer is more likely to have fish and shellfish that are not suitable to buy from the boat, such as swordfish, tuna, shark or other large fish that would be unavailable from the fisherman. Seafood wholesalers will also have cold storage, to keep products as fresh as possible.
Seafood Markets
For most people, a local seafood market is the best bet. Seafood buyers may find a market near home, or while on vacation. In either case, look for businesses with a good long term reputation, clean appearance, and friendly atmosphere. Unless you are minutes from home, bring a cooler and ice! Most seafood needs to be kept on ice or refrigeration from the moment it's purchased.
The seafood market proprietor is often an excellent source of information. A good shopkeeper will explain the various fish, shellfish and other items in stock, advise you on quality, age, cooking tips and help pack the items for your trip home. A seafood market might also have specialty cookware, recipe books, seasonings, and other items to accent your meal.In addition to fresh local products, many seafood markets will have high quality frozen seafood from all over the region.
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By daybreak
Published: January 26, 2007
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EmailThe following is information provided by the Florida Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing
Tallahassee, FL--Florida celebrity chefs will shine the spotlight on Florida seafood at the International Boston Seafood Show March 11-13, 2007 in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Florida Pavilion at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center.
The Florida Pavilion showcases Florida companies and these celebrity chefs will provide a high-profile, eye-catching way to present and promote their Florida seafood and aquaculture products. Chef Justin Timineri, sponsored by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, will be educating show attendees about post harvest processed Florida oysters and preparing oysters along with other seafood delicacies for attendees to sample.
Chef Dean Max will feature Florida farm raised clams and conch in a variety of recipes.
The Florida companies participating in the Florida Pavilion at the 2007 Boston Seafood Show are:
Leavins Seafood, Apalachicola;
Wood’s Fisheries, Port St. Joe;
Shaw’s Southern Belle Frozen Foods, Jacksonville;
Cuzzy’s Special Sauce, Tallahassee;
Incredible Fish, Miami;
White Water International, Miami Lakes;
All American Alligator Products, Pembroke Park;
Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Tampa.
The goal for this event is to highlight the attributes of Florida seafood and aquaculture products while providing companies an opportunity to make new contacts and generate sales. Over 16,000 seafood and aquaculture buyers from around the world
<> For information on Florida seafood, go to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing websites www.FL-Seafood.com and www.WildFloridaShrimp.comView Comments (0)
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