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Market Update 8.31.18

Kate’s Fall Favorites
Samuels Brand Ambassadors Kate and Summer are always on the road to offer you unique and interesting samples of great product. They even offer advice and tips for menu planning! Even though it’s still Summer weather outside, we’re all starting to think about our Fall menus. Kate has many years’ experience in the food industry and is our original brand ambassador. We talked to Kate to get her top tips and Fall favorites.
Kate loves fall and fall foods, her number one tip is to use ingredients that are in season. She says;  “Fall is by far my favorite season, not only because of my obsession with Halloween, but also because of the seasonal fruits and vegetables. Squashes, eggplant, cauliflower, and leafy greens like kale are just out of this world right now and super trendy. Something that is key to planning a menu in any season is to always use ingredients that are the freshest and most available whether it be with seafood, meat, or fruits and vegetables.”
Kate also recommends some awesome fish for your menus. “Dyer Aqua Pompano is versatile, flavorful, and a definite show stopper when presented grilled whole and served with Fall vegetables. Another wonderful option is Black Bass. It’s local, wild caught and always a crowd pleaser. This delicious fish is great when served whole or fillet and pairs nicely with a goat cheese stuffed acorn squash and brown butter sauce.”
A Fall classic and popular menu staple that is always requested year round is Salmon, says Kate; “Since Wild Salmon season is almost over, sustainably raised Salmon like Verlasso is a great option because it’s consistent in both price and quality, always available and never disappoints.”
What are some cool trends she’s seen? “I see menus with a variety of different portions to encourage interaction through sharing. As a diner, I love to grab some friends, order some bottles of wine and let the chef create a tour of the menu, it’s a great way to go. Another eye catch trend I’ve seen a lot of are edible artistic touches such as edible flowers.”
Check out or website or ask your Samuels agent for the Fall Seafood Seasonality List and start preparing your fall menu!
Latest Wild Updates 
Soft Shells- Crabs-September is generally the last full month of Soft Shell Crab season. Currently, availability is limited however, we believe there will be another shedding period before the cooler Fall months. Stay tuned.
Fluke, Bass & More- With a limited Rhode Island quota, Fluke availability is in decent shape, however, prices are still somewhat high. We’re hoping the September 2nd opening for Fluke in New Jersey will increase production. Before Wild Striped Bass beginning heading south, they are still being caught out of Massachusetts. Black Sea Bass is another excellent catch right now, both trap caught fish and hook and line caught fish are being iced and sent to us from Massachusetts. We’re seeing beautiful local Bluefish, Porgies, Spanish Mackerel, Monkfish, Golden Tilefish, Hard Shell Crabs and more.
Tuna Update- Prices for Tuna remain high after poor weather off South America and numerous Asian countries. We’re hoping within the next week or two, improved fishing conditions will help out with availability.
 
Still Wild- Wild Salmon season may be slowing down soon, however, we’re still bringing in what we can with Wild Alaska King, Sockeye and Coho Salmon. If you’re looking for another awesome griller from the West, ask your sales agent about Wild Alaska Halibut!