Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop
I'm sending this weekly email to give you a heads up on what is available and especially good for your weekend grill and entertaining. Each week it will highlight a selection of the best fish available in Chicago.  Some you may be familiar with and some you won't but they are all worth trying!
  Dirk's Friday
Fresh Fish Flash
9/11/09
Arctic Char Wild Nunavut
Wild Arctic Char
Victoria Island, Cambridge Bay,
Nunavut, Canada


It's been a great summer week, probably the best run of weather this summer! Lets enjoy it while we can.
 Arctic Char Wild Nunavut-4 whole
Whole Nunavut Arctic Char

We have many good choices this weekend but the best and most unique would have to be the wild char.
Wild char in Nunavut are anadromous, or searun. Searun char migrate to the sea to feed on rich foods in the summer and return to the freshwaters to lay their eggs in winter. This migration pattern results in a larger fish with meat that is redder in color than char from other parts of the world, and a taste that is unarguably superior.

Today, Inuit families continue to embrace the sea's bounty while retaining the traditional principles of sustainability and respect for the environment. Commercial quotas are only established once the subsistence needs of the community have been met.
The look, taste and distinct flavor of Arctic char makes it a prime gourmet restaurant item that is undeniably linked to the culture and tradition of Canada's North. Superior taste that can be found no other place in the world is now available to you for your cooking pleasure.

Pricey at $40.00 per pound but I really think this very seasonal wild fish is worth trying.
 (I just hope you don't like it too much)!

Nunavut Legends

Fresh Nome Red King Crab!
King Crab Unloading
Unloading Dirk's king crab

I just got a call from my guy in Nome .They had a little bit of their quota left to fill so we are going to get 30 pounds of FRESH king crabs legs Saturday around noon. At $25.00 per pound they should go quick! Call us and we will save you some. There is also a possibility for next weekend.
King Crab-Norwegian-crosscut legs

Some other great choices include...
  • Monterey Bay Sardines
  • *Hawaiian Blue Marlin-back in stock
  • Softshell Crabs-only weeks left in the season
  • Alaskan Halibut Cheeks
 Plus much more!

*
Only the Hawaiian marlin fishery is considered a sustainable choice. Rated as a "Good Alternative" on the MBA list, this is the first marlin that we have carried in quite a few months and the only one we will now carry.
This Week's Special

Wreckfish
Wreckfish in the case and Brian
This fish is almost as big as Brian!

There's a new fish on the block and a very tasty one at that!
Know as Wreckfish or Atlantic Stone Bass, this fish is caught in a very select artisan fishery using traditional methods. Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina is where this fish is landed using a hook and line method that results in no bycatch or habitat destruction. This family owned business is the main source of income for the community and by purchasing this fish you are supporting a vibrant domestic fishery.
Wreckfish is similar to grouper with a very firm white and flaky flesh that grills particularly well. Or try it cut thin and pan seared.


Sale Price:$22.00 per pound
(Regular price:$25.00)

FYI
  • Next week, I will be paddling the Boundry Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota. I'm taking my 80 year old father and my brother on a 60 mile loop. Camping, canoeing and eating fresh walleye! Since there is not even cell service out there, I will be out of touch totally. There will be no Fish Flash 9/18, but we will still have lots of great fish!
  • Rick Bayless mentioned Dirk's Fish on Twitter as one best choices for fresh fish in Chicago!

  • Follow Dirksfish on Twitter.

Chicago Gourmet Show 2009 card

Dirk's Fish was asked by the Illinios Restaurant Association to participate in the 2009 Chicago Gourmet show. We were ecstatic that they thought of us and we accepted. Now there is another good reason to go to the show. Dirk's Fish will be at the seafood pavilion on Sunday, September 27th from 2:45 until 5:00. Stop by and say hello because will have a drawing for a $100.00 gift certificate. Terry and I  went last year and had a great time and this years show is going to even better!
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Epicureans unite at Chicago Gourmet, a weekend festival celebrating Chicago's impressive food and wine community in Millennium Park. Now in the second year, the event will double the food tastings and offer more than 300 different wineries and more than 65 spirit brands. The two-day event will provide attendees with the opportunity to sample hundreds of wines, spirits and culinary creations; attend various seminars and demonstrations from internationally renowned chefs, master sommeliers and wine makers; and learn about today's most interesting epicurean trends in the festival's seminar series.  Everyone is encouraged to visit www.chicagogourmet.org for more up-to-date information on the exciting programming at this year's event and to purchase tickets.  Until September 13, attendees can save 20 percent on general admission tickets.
 
Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop
2070 N. Clybourn Ave.
Chicago, Il.
773.404.3475
www.dirksfish.com

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