Dirks Fish Logo-new
For  Pisivorous People...
 
whole snapper 1.5 inch 
MAY 2009
IN THIS ISSUE
Sustainability
Live Lobsters $12.00 per pound!
White Sturgeon
MahiMahi/Dolphinfish
Memorial Day Fish/Seafood Special
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 15th
Cooking for Solutions
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey, California 
 
May(call for date)
Wine and Seafood tasting at House of Glunz
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June 2 
Mexico on the  Grill
Dirks Fish 
 
June 17
Basic Fish Grilling
Chicago Botanic Garden
 
June 30
Grilled Seafood Extravagana 
Dirks Fish
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 Call for info and reservations
773.404.3475 

May Flowers and Spring Fish! 

 Spring Crocus closeup
May is a month filled with promise. The promise of warm sunny weather, perfect grilling days and a plethora of fish and seafood choices. I don't really know about the weather but the fish is a little more predictable!
Alaska's famed Copper River salmon season opens up on the 15th with fish showing up a couple of days afterward. We should have both Kings and Sockeye salmon and they should be phenomenal! Chesapeake Bay soft shell crabs usually start their molt during the full moon of May. That would be on the 9th so we should see crabs here in the store the following week! Canadian lobster season has opened and that should bring more of those luscious crustaceans on the market and the price will be dropping for now. We have a great lobster special for Mother's Day!
 
Don't forget to use the coupons below for even more savings! 

 

DIRK'$ DOLLAR$ 

Take $5.00 off your fish and/or seafood purchase of $20.00 or more. One coupon per customer, please.
 
May 1st thru 15th
(copy and paste to Word)
 
 

DIRK'$ DOLLAR$

 Take $5.00 off your fish and/or seafood purchase of $20.00 or more. One coupon per customer, please.
 
May 16th thru 31st
(copy and paste to Word) 
 
 
 Sustainable Fish is Forever
So you can feel good about what you eat!
BAP - logo 
Sustainability has many definitions. What it boils down to for me is to be sure that the fish and seafood I purchase comes from reliable sources that have an eye on the future of wild fish stocks and from farms that are environmentally responsible with proven growing practices and that are continuing to improve their methods.
I regularly research and explore many avenues of information daily, from the Monterey Bay and Shedd Aquariums, National Fisheries Institute, Seafood Business, National Marine Fisheries Service, FDA, various environmental groups, scientific studies, private groups, local fish purveyors and even the national media for the most up to date information I can find. I use Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program as my main base of information on specific species. They research a very comprehensive list with only few grey areas. This determines what I buy and what I sell in my store. I will not purchase fish that I think may be over exploited, over fished or endangered. What I sell in my store has traceability and is from sustainable fisheries with good fishing and handling practices as well as green farming methods. Fish is a volatile commodity and is constantly changing. My promise to you is that I provide you with the best choices in freshest fish and seafood that you can buy.  I want you can feel good about what you eat!
Cobia farm 
Cobia farm
 

I will not be selling any...
Bluefin Tuna, wild or ranched 
Freshwater eel (unagi) 
Imported Sturgeon Caviar
Orange Roughy
Shark
 Under consideration
Marlin
 
My list will change in accordance to my personal and professional research.
 AMERICAN LOBSTER
Homarus americanus

Lobsters in the case-cooked

Cooked lobsters at Dirk's 
 
 Mother's Day Lobster Special
 
$12.00 LB. 
(1.5 pound lobsters) 
Who deserves a great fresh lobster dinner more than your Mother?
All this week and especially on Sunday would be a good time to treat Mom to a dinner of her favorite crustacean. A steamed or grilled lobster with a fresh spinach salad, loaf of crusty bread and a bottle of her favorite wine, what better way to show your appreciation to your one and only Mom?
Our American lobster come from the cold clean waters of Maine and is only one of two clawed lobster fisheries in the world (Northern Europe is the other). These tasty crustaceans are so popular around the world that the USA ships over a million pounds a month to Japan alone to satisfy their love of lobster!
The Maine lobster fishery is considered to be a "Good Alternative" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It's not a best choice because of current population status is unknown and the possibilities of whale entanglement in lobster trap bouy lines.
 Maine lobstermen have been fishing for centuries and these days are regulated by size and catch limits. Each lobster carapace must be measured and be more than 2.75 inches wide for the lobster to be legal. Fisherman throw back females with eggs and also v-notch the tails of these females. V-notching cuts a small notch in the tail and when another fisherman catches a marked female lobster they release it voluntarily. They have been doing this on their own for many years. I was also reading a study recently that is testing the possibility of less traps (less lines for the whales) to catch the same amount of lobsters. All fisheries have their ups and downs but with mandatory and voluntary procedures in place  and being constantly reviewed, I think our Maine lobsters are in good shape. The prices have been dropping so I thought I would pass the savings on to you!
 
 Lobster Pots
Pile of lobster pots
We have them fresh and kicking needing only a hot tub (pot of boiling water) and a warm place to sleep at night (your stomach). You can also call ahead and we will cook and chill them for you. Eat them cold, make a salad, or lobster rolls or... 
If you are going to take advantage of this great price, please call us with your order so we can be sure to cover you. I think we will be selling a lot of lobsters and I don't want to disappoint anyone!
  
1.5 pound lobsters
 Regular price: $16.00 per pound
Special price: $12.00 per pound
 
May 4th thru 10th 
White Sturgeon
Acipenser transmontanus
 
 Sturgeon, White, whole 
Courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium
White sturgeon is North America's largest fresh water fish weighing at over 1500 pound and growing up to 20 feet long! Now that's a whopper! They live for more than 100 years and spawn after 20 years. White sturgeons range extends from Alaska south to California. There is a small fishery in Alaska and a sustainable wild harvest from the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. There is also catch and release sport fishery on the Snake River in Idaho. California doesn't allow any commercial harvest of wild sturgeon.
California does however produce aquacultured white sturgeon in various areas. These farms have closed the reproductive cycle and spawn their own broodstock. Farms use closed tank systems with no chemicals or antibiotics being used. The water is then circulated through biological filters such as water hyacinth plants which filter the water naturally and then reused. Sturgeon are produced for the meat and the prized eggs or caviar.
Sturgeon farm
 Sturgeon farm
 Since wild beluga sturgeon has been placed on the endangered species (2005 CITES) list and with it beluga caviar, beluga sturgeon is no longer a viable resource or responsible choice (a very small amount of legal beluga does come from Iran). Of course we find that the white sturgeon farmed here in the USA is a great source for all your caviar needs and desires. Side note: we also carry wild domestic hackleback sturgeon and paddlefish roe. Farmed sturgeon, flesh and roe, is considered a "Best Choice" on Monterey' Bay's Seafood Watch card.
If you have never tried fresh sturgeon, you are in for a treat! The meat is firm textured, with a high fat content and a mild flavor. Sturgeon can be cooked in many way and recipes from bake/broiling to poaching or fired up on the grill. We market thick boneless fillets that are prime for grilling on a cedar plank.
 
Regular price:$24.00 per pound
Special price:$20.00 per pound
 
May 11th thru 17th 
Dolphinfish/Mahimahi
Coryphaena hippurus 
Mahi headshot 
 
Dolphinfish is NOT  to be confused with the sea mammal dolphin! You will find this fish listed by it's Hawaiian name, Mahi Mahi,  on most menus to avoid such confusion. Mahi are found worldwide and are a popular sport fish. Our commercially catch fish come from the southeast Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
These fish mature early and have a realistically short lifespan so they are resistant to overfishing. Our fish are either hook and line caught "Best Choice" or longlined "Good Alternative".
Hook and line fishing target the specific species and have very limited bycatch issues.
 Longline fishing is controversial in some areas because of bycatch. Methods to reduce such incidental mortality have been developed and successfully deployed in some fisheries. Seabirds can be particularly vulnerable during the setting of the line. To prevent this problem,  techniques include the use of weights to ensure the lines sink quickly, the deployment of streamer lines to scare birds away from the baited hooks as they are deployed, setting lines only at night with ship lighting kept low (to avoid attracting birds), limiting fishing seasons to the southern winter (when most seabirds are not feeding young), and not discharging offal while setting lines. Data from U.S. pelagic longline
fisheries demonstrate a declining bycatch trend due to the successful implementation of bycatch mitigation measures.
All our fish are brought in whole and filleted as needed. This method gives us a consistently better product. Mahi is a firm fleshed, moist and medium flavored fish the grills especially well. Match it with any of our fresh marinades.  It also make a wonderful fish taco.


 

Mahi fillet A

 Fresh off the knife!

 Regular price:$18.00 per pound
Special price:$15.00 per pound 
 
May 18th thru 24th 
Memorial Day Weekend
 
Flag Spacer
Memorial Day is a day for remembering the people that have done great things for our country including the greatest sacrifice of all, laying down their lives. We should reflect on our freedom and the heroes that got us here and be thankful for their efforts
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Shrimp on the grill
Tequila chili shrimp
 
A traditional Memorial Day weekend revolves around the grill. This is the kick off weekend for the summer grilling season. Gather your family and friends, your favorite beverage, some fresh fish and seafood and fire up your grill. May and June bring us some of the best seasonal choices for the grill such as the famed Alaskan Copper River salmon or Chesapeake Bay soft shell crabs in addition to the staples such as halibut, tuna, shrimp and much more. Start with your favorite or expand your horizons with something new. California farmed white sturgeon, New Zealand squirefish, Alaskan halibut cheeks or Nigerian tiger prawns to name a few. You pick the fish and we will give you a recipe and a marinade.
 
Salmon, king, planked on the grill
Planked king salmon
 
 I was trying to think of a good special for the upcoming holiday weekend. There were many choices and that made my decision tough so I thought I would let you decide. 
 
Take $2.00 per pound off the fish or seafood of your choice, whole or filleted.
 
 HAPPY GRILLING!
  King crab on the gril
King crab on 22 inch weber grill
 
May 23th thru 31st 

 COOKING CLASSES

Join us for one of our original cooking classes. We come up with many easy to prepare delicious fish and seafood recipes. Only sustainable ocean products are used in all our cooking classes so you can feel good about what you eat. Terry, Dirk's wife is an awesome cook and is instrumental in developing our recipes. Our classes are mostly demonstrations where you watch, ask questions and eat all that we prepare. B.Y.O.B. your favorite beverage and join us for a casual evening of educational fun and good eating. Come hungry, we serve all that we cook and it's always a very fulfilling meal!
 
There are no classes scheduled for May. 
 
 We will be doing an tasting event with House of Glunz in late May.
Date is yet to be determined
 
June Classes
 
June 2nd
Mexico on the Grill
Join us for an summer evening south of the border with cool gazpacho and grilled fish. We have come up with some new recipes to share with you in addition to giving some basic grilling tips. We will take care of dinner, you bring the margaritas! Here's the menu...
  • Cool and Spicy Seafood Gazpacho
  • Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas
  • Halibut Tacos with Pico de Gallo and Avocado Cream
  • Whole Snapper with Mojo and Pineapple Avocado Salsa
  • Dirk's Dulce de Leche Pie

Tuesday, June 2nd  7:30 until 9:ish  $65.00 per person

Call ahead for reservations  Class limited to 16 people
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June 16th
Private Class 
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June 17th
Basic Fish on the Grill
Join us at the Chicago Botanical Gardens in their beatiful outdoor kitchen for a grilling class. We always have a great time cooking at the Garden and this a rare chance to catch us cooking lunch.
  • Grilled Sea Scallops with Date Orange Chutney
  • Cedar Planked Salmon: Farmed and Wild for a taste comparison.
  • Tequila chili Marinated Shrimp
  • Grilled Squid Steaks 

     Wednesday, June 17th  1:00 until 3:00

     Members $59.00 and Non members $74.00

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June 30th
Grilled Seafood Extravaganza 
Another round of grilling  with the focus on seafood. Everyone always asks about grilled lobster so we will show you how its done. Plus we will set  you up with a great dinner menu from start to finish! Be hungry, be very hungry.
  • Grilled Oysters with 3 Butters
  • Steamed Mussels with Vegetables in a Foil Pouch
  • Grilled Maine Lobster with Garlic Aioli and Corn on the Cob
  • Sea Scallops with Guava Balsamic Glaze served over a bed of Arugula with Guava Vinaigrette
  • Dirk's Key Lime pie

Tuesday, June 30th  7:30 until 9:ish  $65.00 per person

 Call ahead for reservations.  Class limited to 16 people
 
773.404.3475
Life's not perfect, but your fish should be!
If you ever have any questions ar concerns obout the fish you eat or the way to prepare it, please feel free to call us, we are here to help and educate you. When you what something special don't hesitate to call us.  Without our great customers we would not be here and we thank you! 
 
Dirk Fucik and the Crew
 
Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop 
2070 N. Clybourn Ave. Chicago, Il.
773.404.3475   wwwdirksfish.com