June is National Oceans' Month
Celebrate with our sustainable fish choices!
June is quite possibly the best month of the year, when we finally kick into those long warm sunny days of summer. People are out and generally enjoying the weather after a long cool and wet spring. The leaves are green, baseball is in full swing and everyone has those grills smoking!
Our specials this month will come from one of each of the 5 oceans of the world. Be sure to take our piscatorial world tour!
Even though October is National Seafood Month, I'm lobbying for a change to June! We have the best selection of seasonal fish of the year! Alaska is open with wild salmon, halibut and black cod. Chesapeake Bay is cranking out soft shell crabs. Hawaii's fish are at their lowest prices of the year. We were able to drop prices on more than a dozen types of your favorite fish and seafood! Fish is the original fast food! Put some on the grill and find out why.
June 8th in Oceans' Day!
To celebrate, you will find an extra Dirk's Dollars coupon in this newsletter. Take $5.00 off your $20.00 purchase of your favorite fish. If you use all three coupons this month, its almost like getting a pound of salmon for free!
What better way to celebrate Fathers' Day than by having it on the longest day of the year, June 21st, the summer solstice? You can spend those extra hours grilling up a seafood extravaganza for Dad!
GOT FISH? SUSTAINABLE FISH?
Don't forget to use the coupons below for even more savings!
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Charles "Charlie" Stroh Fund for the Restoration of Davis Reef
Charles Stroh was the father of a friend of ours and we want to help her in her efforts to complete her fathers wish to restore Davis Reef in Florida. Nicole has been raising money for this cause and we have set up a donation jar here at the store of which we will send the proceeds to the cause. Please contribute in any way you can realizing that every little bit helps.
Here are the details of Davis Reef and Charlie Stroh
From the moment Charlie Stroh stepped foot in the Keys in the early 90s, he fell instantly in love. So much so that he purchased an ocean-side condo as his home away from home within the first week of his first visit.
For years his family vacationed in the Keys enjoying the beautiful scenery, water sports, restaurants, and local residents. Mr. Stroh had always loved the water - his passion had always been sailing, but his new love became deep sea fishing - and his favorite place to enjoy it was Davis Reef.
On September 23, 2006, Charlie Stroh passed away in his home which he referred to as "Paradise". Unfortunately he was chosen for heaven before he could see his hopes for restoration come through. It is with great honor that the Wildlife Foundation of Florida has the opportunity to help his family carry out his last wish.
It is well known that the quality coral reefs, especially the shallow bank reefs such as Davis Reef, have declined in recent years. Coral cover especially has dropped considerably. The Restoration Ecology team at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission proposes to address and hopefully reverse this trend at Davis Reef by working in partnership with local citizens to place nursery reared corals at several locations at Davis Reef. Our vision is that this effort will be a sustained multi-year effort of coral outplanting paired with a program of rigorous science. This project has the potential to jumpstart coral recovery at Davis Reef. The significance, however, reaches far beyond Davis Reef itself. Because coral reef restoration is in its infancy, the scientific information developed here will lead to restoration designs that can be used across the entire Florida Keys in the future.
 The Wildlife Foundation of Florida is raising $100,000.00 to initiate and sustain this initiative for 3 years. The first coral outplanting is scheduled for Fall of 2009 with additional outplantings planned for the future years. Coral maintenance and data collections trips will occur year-round. Our vision is that your contribution will serve as the seed for future successful competitive granting opportunities that will allow us sustain this initiative for the long-term and truly make a difference in coral reef restoration. Donate online at www.wilflifeflorida.org
Charles R. Stroh Biography
Charles "Charlie" Stroh was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He was an incredible father and friend and is missed by so many. After running a successful business started by his own father, he retired to Key Largo in 2000.
Born November 9, 1933 in Des Moines Iowa to Marie and Donald Stroh
Went to college at Iowa State where he majored in electrical engineering
Worked with his father at Stroh Corporation - a company he had started in 1935 - they are mechanical/electrical contractors
Earned his MBA at Drake University in Des Moines
Eventually became President/CEO of Stroh Corporation
He retired down in Islamorada at Ocean Harbour
He loved fishing, sailing and frequent trips to "Sin City" - Las Vegas
Raised 8 children - 7 daughters and 1 son
Grandfather to 17 grandchildren, Great Grandfather to 2 great-grandchildren
Passed away in "Paradise" (what he called the Keys) at his home in Ocean Harbour on September 23, 2006
All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law. |
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DIRK'$ DOLLAR$
Take $5.00 off your fish and/or seafood purchase of $20.00 or more. One coupon per customer, please.
May 1st thru 15th
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DIRK'$ DOLLAR$
We are celebrating World Ocean Day with a special one day only coupon. Take $5.00 off your purchase of $20.00 or more with this coupon. One per customer, please.
Valid June 8th only
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DIRK'$ 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
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Sustainable Fish is Forever
So you can feel good about what you eat!
Terry and I had the opportunity to attend Monterey Bay Aquariums "Cooking for Solutions" event last month. What an awesome place, both the Aquarium and Monterey! It was a great learning experience, showing us more options in sustainable fish, though I must admit they found us on top of most issues. We met some great people and ate a lot of good food. I recommend visiting if you ever get a chance. In the meantime,check out their website for all kinds of great programs and information.
Got Fish? Sustainable Fish?
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!
Monterey Bay Aquarium from the bay
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. |
From the Pacific Ocean comes... Dirk's Alaskan Fish Extravaganza
Black cod, Halibut, King and Sockeye Salmon
Alaska is one of those places in the world where just about every fishery is prolific and sustainable. Fish and seafood from the cold pristine waters off the North Pacific are considered to be the some of the purest and best tasting in the world! All four of these species are MSC certified making them a great choice. We bring these fish in on a daily basis, whole, and cut them to order just for you.
All of these succulent fish can be used in almost any cooking application, from sauteing to grilling. I love to grill and this is the best time of the year to get out and fire up some great Alaskan fish! We have a myriad of great marinades to complement your fish choice, like miso black cod, or thai halibut, or my favorite tequila chili salmon on a cedar plank!
The is no better choice than fresh Alaskan, come in a find out why!
Black Cod Fillets
Regular price:$28.00 per pound Special price:$24.00 per pound
Halibut Fillets Regular price:$20.00 per pound
Special price:$18.00 per pound
King Salmon Fillets
Regular price: $30.00 per pound
Special price:$26.00 per pound
Sockeye Salmon Fillets
Regular price: $25.00 per pound
Special price:$20.00 per pound
These are the best prices of the year for Alaskan fish so be sure to take advantage of the saving!
June 1st thru 7th |
From The Atlantic Ocean comes...
Soft Shell Blue Crabs
Callinectes sapidus
A tray of live soft shells
Blue crabs start shedding their winter shell as soon as the water warms in the spring. We get southern crabs as early as April though they tend to be larger and more expensive(but darn good). The full moon of May is roughly the time when the waters of the Chesapeake Bay warm enough to cause a major shed of winter shells. Early June is probably the best time for crabs in all sizes and the prices are at their lowest levels. Mid to late June finds us with a slight shortage of crab until it levels off for the rest of the summer.
Blue crabs, both hard and soft are considered to be a "good alternative" by the seafood guides. I was reading a couple of articles saying that the crab populations has rebounded this year and the crab harvest is up 50%. That's good for the crabs and good for us!
The crabs come to us alive but they tend to die soon on the cold ice. We will clean them for you if you are eating them the same day but if you are using them the following day it's best to clean them at that time. We will be happy to show you how to do it. Soft shells are best sauteed with a little flour, salt and pepper or one step better is to dip them in an eggwash and then panko crumbs for an extra crispy crunch.
If you grill them, be careful not to cook them too long or to burn off their crunchy little legs. Try them crispy fried in a sushi roll with avocado and spicy mayo or as a po' boy sandwich. It's all good and this week is the best time to indulge you taste buds(I know Jennifer will be here)!
Regular price:$5.00 each
Special price:$4.00 each
June 8th thru 14th |
From the Arctic Ocean comes...
Alaskan Red King Crab Legs
Paralithodes camtschaticus
King crab unloading in Nome
King crab is caught in most commonly in the icy cold Bering Sea, bordering on the Arctic ocean, from both western Alaska and eastern Russia. There is also a fledgling fishery in the Barents Sea off off the Norwegian coast. Most everyone is familiar with the "Deadliest Catch" on the Discovery Channel. Those captains and their crews go through quite a bit to bring you the finest in king crab. We actually have a trip planned to visit our friends on the Time Bandit, Arctic Sea, and the rest of the crab boats this October. I can't wait!
Alaskan king crab is considered to be the best crab due to the fact that the ships and plants that process the crab do so in fast and efficient manner with the crab being delivered alive and cooked and packaged immediately. Also US plants operate under FDA regulations. Cheaper Russian product(supermarket crab)is handled differently(?) and can be a couple of years in the freezer before arriving in the US. You can taste the difference.
It's not called "king" crab just for it's size! It's also the "king" in flavor and when the crab is fresh it is(in my opinion)the best seafood in the ocean! With some luck maybe we will see some fresh Nome or Norwegian crab this summer but in the meantime dive into a plate of our choice jumbo Alaskan crab legs. They come to us cooked, frozen and ready to thaw and eat. Buy them one day ahead and thaw them overnight in your 'frig for best results. I like them room temp with a little melted whole butter(not clarified). You can also steam them warm if you like them that way. There is no bad way to eat good crab!
Father's Day Weekend is upon us and what could be a better show off appreciation for Dad than a plate Alaskan king crab!
Alaskan king crab ready to eat!
We usually sell the biggest jumbo crab legs we can source but I got a deal on a slightly smaller size of equal quality so we can give you a better value for your money!
Regular price:$25.00 per pound
Special price:$18.00 per pound
June 15th thru 21st |
From the Indian Ocean(region) comes... Freshwater Prawns
Macrobrachium rosenbergii
Cleaned and ready for the grill
Even though we source fish from all over the world, the Indian Ocean is far enough away and has limited fresh fish suppliers that are capable of getting us the quality that we require. So, since prawns freeze well, thats how we bring them in. One of the great seafood choices that is available from the area is are the giant freshwater prawns or scampi as they are sometimes called. These giant prawns(which are technically not shrimp)are native to the fresh and brackish of the Indian coasts. These waterways are tributaries to the Indian Ocean so these prawns will have to make do for our Indian Ocean special!
Our river prawns are farm raised in Bangladesh. This type of farming is considered to be much more eco-friendly than similar marine shrimp farming operations. Prawns are grown at much lower densities, the overflow from the ponds doesn't salinate agricultural ground and they don't endanger mangrove trees. Also this type of farming is usually done small scale as a family business.
These critters can grow as big as 12 inches long which is as big as a small lobster. We sell a 4 to 5 ounce cleaned tail with the shell split for easy cooking. In fact, these prawn tails cook much like lobsters, especially grilled. The flavor is more like shrimp with the firm texture leaning towards lobster. With cold water lobster tails at $60.00 per pound these tasty prawns are a great bargain. They make a great surf for your turf too!
Grilled prawns on a bed of seaweed salad with mango salsa
Regular price:$28.00 per pound
Special price:$24.00 per pound
June 22nd thru 28th |
From the Antarctic Ocean comes...
Pantagonian Toothfish
There is a commercial fishery for Pantagonian Toothfish in the southern oceans including the Antarctic. Toothfish are caught in very deep cold water and can be as large as 200 pounds and seven feet long. Fish on the market tend to be much smaller running up to 20 pounds or so.Toothfish gained popularity when it was marketed in the US as "Chilean Bass". It became so popular that it became overfished and poached illegally by many countries around the world. It was know as "white gold" and commanded a big price. Many conservation groups condemned the entire fishery as being overexploited, which it was. Now, due to the focus on illegal fishing and conservation methods since put in place there are select areas where the toothfish can be fished with sustainable methods. These areas only account for 10% of the total catch worldwide. Navies and customs vessels from many countries patrol for toothfish pirates. There is a conservation organization called the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) which supervises legal fishing and offers rewards for reporting of illegal fishing. There is a great book called "Hooked, Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish by Bruce Knecht that is a good read on the subject. The Marine Stewardship Council(MSC) has certified fisheries off the South Georgia Island as being sustainable and the FDA issues compliance numbers to vessels that legally catch toothfish. All legal imports into the US have to pass through the FDA with those numbers.
The "Chilean Sea Bass" that we carry is MSC certified and Dirk's Fish is in the process of becoming MSC certified itself. This certification will track and monitor many different types of sustainable fish so you can feel good about the fish you buy from us. We plan on being around for a long time and we want the fish to be here for us all forever!
Happy 4th of July!
Dirk's Fish will be open all day 9-6 on the 4th of July!
Toothfish has a very high oil content which makes it a perfect grilling fish. Hit your gill with a slab of toothfish(you can call it Chilean Bass, it's O.K.) soaked in our Miso or Terry-aki marinades. You will be the hero of the grill!
Regular price:$28.00 per pound
Special price:$25.00 per pound
June 29th thru July 5th |
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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!
June Classes SOLD OUT
Sign up for July!
July 14th
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 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.
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Grilled Sea Scallops with Date Orange Chutney
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Cedar Planked Salmon: Farmed and Wild for a taste comparison.
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Tequila chili Marinated Shrimp
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Grilled Squid Steaks
Wednesday, June 17th 1:00 until 3:00
Members $59.00 and Non members $74.00
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July 28th
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.
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Grilled Oysters with 3 Butters
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Steamed Mussels with Vegetables in a Foil Pouch
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Grilled Maine Lobster with Garlic Aioli and Corn on the Cob
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Sea Scallops with Guava Balsamic Glaze served over a bed of Arugula with Guava Vinaigrette
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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
Primitive cooking in Alaska | |
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 |
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