Easter Weekend, Brookhaven New Hours, and BOGO Sale

 

Hey Y'all,

Easter Weekend Hours We will be closed on Sunday to get some rest and enjoy our families at Easter. Come by today or tomorrow to get what you need to make your weekend meals fabulously fishy. Brookhaven New Hours Starting this Monday, April 18th, our Brookhaven location will have new extended hours! Monday - Friday 10 am to 7 pm Saturday - Sunday 10 am to 6 pm. We are looking forward to serving you for an extra hour during the week! BOGO Discount Fish Sale It's happening this weekend!!! Our popular discount frozen fish sale: buy one get one free (of equal or lesser value)! The Catch's program of No Fish Left Behind means that if it stays in our display case for two days we vacuum seal, freeze and discount it 10%. Even though the fish in these packages is every bit as good as what you would get in the grocery store, sometimes our freezers get full!! Stop in today and tomorrow to load up. Fine print: This is while supplies last and applies only to our discount frozen fish. Fin Mail AKA Tooting Our Fishy Horn Paul L. sent in this recipe and great note with it: Kathleen,  I’ve been getting amberjack every week for the last two months or so from the Brookhaven store by special order. I always enjoyed grilled amberjack when vacationing in the Florida Panhandle a number of years ago. The local restaurants always did a good job grilling it. (Schooners in Panama City and The Back Porch in Destin come to mind). It is great as grilled fish or in a fish sandwich. It’s been a real treat because you usually can’t get fresh amberjack in Atlanta. The picture shows grilled amberjack with wild rice and a cherry tomato / Greek feta cheese salad along with white wine. The fish is sprinkled with parsley and served with lemon and homemade tartar sauce. It makes for a great dinner. Seth has been real helpful at the Brookhaven Store and it has been great seeing Christian back working for you again. Christian always recognizes me by name when I walk in the door. It’s been a real treat. Keep up the good work!!

How about sending me your pictures and meal suggestions/recipes? I love to hear how you use my amazing fish to make your amazing meals.

Weekend Happenings We will be looking for feedback on an Everything Bagel Salmon Dip that we are developing. Samples will be available during our wine tastings at Brookhaven and Milton; Johns Creek will be handing out samples all day Saturday while supplies last! Please have a taste and offer an opinion! Milton Market: This evening we are participating in the Shop, Sip, and Stroll on the Green event again from 3 pm to 7 pm. Come see us! We'll be selling shucked oysters and wine by the glass. Then, tomorrow, as always, we'll have our wine tasting in the market from 3pm - 5pm. Johns Creek Market: Johns Creek Wine & Crystal has their Saturday tasting from 3pm - 6pm. Come visit with us before and pick out your fish for dinner - we'll keep your fish cool until 6 pm while you taste wines! Brookhaven Market: Come sample some wines with us from 3pm to 5pm and pick out a great wine for your Easter dinners.

WEEKLY SPECIAL 04/15 - 04/21 while supplies last North Atlantic Hake fillets for $12.99/lb 6 oz. Tuna Steaks for $10.99/ea

Weekend Recipes to Try: Spanish Style Hake with Smoky Paprika Potatoes Hake with Lemon Couscous Tuna on Arugula Sesame Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Whipped Cream

And Finally,

I don't make a big deal about being a woman entrepreneur. I mean it feels kind of strange to draw attention to the fact that you are doing what the other 50% of the population can do. If women truly are equal to men then why do we need to keep talking about it? However, it is true that, in reality, most businesses are owned by men, so when I come across a woman doing something special I really like to tell the world. Would you let me introduce you to Evan Hanson, the proprietor of Evan's Urban Market in Peachtree Corners? I stopped in yesterday to grab some lunch at her market and, oh boy, was it awesome. Her hot lunch is a ramped up version of a Meat and Three. Yesterday's offerings were baked ham with an amazing raisiny glaze, mashed cauliflower, green beans, collards, carrots - all of it prepared like it came out of your grandma's kitchen. For someone like me who drives around the metro every day, a good healthy, well-cooked take out meal is the perfect answer to my fast food prayer. She also offers sandwiches, wines, beer and handcrafted gifts. AND, BREAKFAST! I haven't had a chance yet to breakfast there, but I promise you will find me often at one of those little tables sipping coffee and eating biscuits which I am sure will be as good as her lunches. She's been open 4 weeks and my heart goes out to her because I know well the struggles of a new business; been there, done that and it is so, so hard. Will you keep her and her cool little market in mind when you are in the area? Stop in for lunch or breakfast and I promise you won't regret it. Happy Pesach. Happy Easter. Happy Weekend! Blessings, Kathleen

Pacific Rockfish, Easter Ordering, and New Recipes

 

Hey Y'all, I hope I didn't trip you up too much last week with my April Fool's joke about seafood vending machines. Just the fact that mussel vending machines actually exist in the world is enough to make you believe anything! My favorite April Fool's joke was the year I announced in my email that, in an effort to more accurately represent my fish, I was going to stop using common names for fish and use only scientific ones - such as salmo salar for Atlantic salmon. My email filled up with complaints until people realized what day it was.

Passover and Easter Sunday Passover is next Friday, April 15th, and Easter Sunday is April 17th. If you're planning a big meal for either of these, go ahead and get your pre-orders in and don't forget we are closed on Easter Sunday. Need some recipe inspirations for your Easter menu? Try these out: Apricot Dijon Glazed Salmon Catch Crab Cake Stuffed Deviled Eggs Halibut with Pineapple Soy Ginger Sauce Fin Mail AKA Tooting Our Fishy Horn We received some great online reviews this week! Alden H. says: The most amazing seafood store I have ever been to. All the workers are so nice and friendly. Jill R. comments: Knowledgeable staff and great selection. They even have wine to pair with your seafood. Also via email we got these nice comments about our employees. At Brookhaven, a fish friend wrote in to compliment Christian: Was in yesterday to get some oysters. Christian was great. Asked if I minded waiting while he shucked them, said of course not. Bad thing was I ended up getting a ton of delicious stuff while I waited! He got everything packaged up and helped me to my car. Was very impressed -very nice guy. Keep him! And from one of my oldest (longest) customers from Johns Creek who has since moved away to Blue Ridge: I visited your JC location yesterday and wanted to heap praise on your staff. While they didn’t know me, they treated me like they did. A second customer walked in while I was there and they greeted her by name (obviously a local regular). I felt like I was in an episode of “Cheers”. Anyway, when I got back to Blue Ridge, the James River oysters were OUTSTANDING! Small mussels and small littlenecks went directly into a pan of wine, butter and clam juice, along with a couple of secret ingredients. Superb! I try to plan a swing by every time I’m in town seeing customers. It doesn’t always work logistically, but it did yesterday and I’m thankful to have met you those years ago. Thank you all!

Species Spotlight: Pacific Rockfish In Seattle, this can be called Pacific Snapper but it's not a snapper at all! Pacific rockfish is the most common near-shore fish on North America's West Coast. It's an excellent white-fleshed fish for quick and easy meals and is a favorite in Asian and American cuisines. There are several varieties of rockfish, and while they may taste slightly different from each other, all rockfish are firm, lean, and mild-flavored. Because Pacific rockfish is somewhat of a "blank slate," the cooking options are really endless! It can be incorporated into ceviche or a bouillabaisse, or the fish can be simply baked, sauteed, or pan-fried and topped with a light sauce. Rockfish can be deep-fried and is a good choice for fish tacos, as well as several recipes that call for a white fish. Because of the flakiness though, it is not recommended for grilling unless you are cooking it whole. Here are some recipes to try this week: Seared Rockfish with Soba Noodle Salad Rockfish Ceviche Asian-Style Rockfish in Ginger Scallion Sauce

WEEKLY SPECIAL 04/07 - 04/15 while supplies last Rockfish Fillet for $15.99/lb

New Catch to Go Meal Kits The new Catch to Go Meal Kits are going gangbusters!! Thanks so much to everyone who has offered suggestions and compliments. Two new meal kits are coming out on Monday: the honey jalapeno glaze comes with spinach and a corn and black bean salad. This was our all-time best selling Catch to Go when we paired it with salmon. You can always choose salmon but maybe there are some very interesting non-salmon options that will make this a favorite for everyone. Also next week we are offering a delicious mustard sauce with roasted brussels sprouts and apples. I'm going to pair the Pacific Rockfish with this kit for my meatless Monday meal. How about giving us a hand and providing some feedback on our meals? Would you mind taking a minute and answer just a few questions below? Your feedback is incredibly helpful as we develop these new recipes.

Have You Tried One of Our New Kits? Yes, so excited about these! Select No, but I want to soon! Select

Which One Is Your Favorite? Balsamic Glaze & Oven Roasted Vegetables Select Crawfish Cream Sauce & Cajun Rice Select Lemon Caper Sauce with Oven Roasted Asparagus Select Southwest Style Maple Glaze with Corn Medley Select

Are Any of the Kits Too "Something" or Missing "Something"? Too Salty Select Too Rich Select Not Enough Sauce Select Something Else (reply to this email) Select

And Finally,

We will be following the yellow brick road next Saturday, April 16th at the Johns Creek Easter Bunny Hop to sample one of our new ideas for spreads - it's an "Everything Bagel" flavored hickory roasted salmon spread. It's not in the stores yet but we hope to get good feedback from the Johns Creek Easter bunny. If he approves you may be seeing it very soon! Enjoy your weekend. Take your allergy pill and get outside in this beautiful spring weather. Indulge your dog with a very long walk. Come join us for a wine tasting and pick up some seafood for your Saturday evening meal. We are looking forward to seeing you! Blessings, Kathleen

Fish Vending Machines

 

Hey Y'all, Thanks for taking the time to read my notes. The list of people reading them is becoming huge which makes me feel a bit of stage fright when I sit down at my computer to write. To get over my nervousness, I just pretend I am typing a note to my dog, who loves every thing I say and do. How about that for a way to overcome shyness?

What's Cool in Our Cases You spoke and we listened! You can now click here on our website to see what we could be carrying for the day. We strive to carry a variety of fresh fish listed daily but it is always best to give us a call before you come if you were hoping for something specific. Some items sell out quickly! As always, special orders are welcome. New Catch to Go Meal Kits I am very very excited to introduce you to our latest creating: Catch to Go meal kits! Instead of the already assembled Catch to Go we have served in the past, we are now offering a meal kit which include a side and a sauce and some seasoning but you get to pick the fish to cook with it. General baking instructions are included and the package serves 2. We make a few recommendations for the type of fish we like with the meal but you get to pick whatever tickles your fancy in our seafood case. We are working on providing a number of options for your meal so that you can choose one for tonight and one for tomorrow night! This week we have Lemon Caper Sauce with Oven Roasted Asparagus and Southwest Style Maple Glaze with Corn Medley (Yes, you read that right- it has bacon in it!!). I'm looking forward to hearing from you about the new Catch to Go. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Spring Break If you have kids, work with kids, or know some kids, then you may know most metro Atlanta counties are out of school this coming week. Hungry kids at home with you? Try these out! These recipes are approved for kids and for kids-at-heart. Fish Tostadas with Peach Salsa Panko-Crusted Fish Sticks with Herb Dipping Sauce Asian Noodles with Shrimp and Scallops

WEEKLY SPECIAL 04/01 - 04/07 while supplies last 6 oz. Mahi portions for $9.99/ea The mahi season is almost over so get it while you can! Doesn't mahi look like an angry bully with a mohawk? Grilled Mahi with Catch Blackened Seasoning

And Finally Besides re-creating the Catch to Go, I have spent a great deal of time thinking over a new business venture. Three fish markets keep me busy but there are still so many people who do not have access to fresh fish. What if we could be on every street corner in the city? Like soda machines or newspaper machines. Vending machine fish. We could have salmon on one corner and sea bass on another. Any time of the day or night, hungry seafood eaters could stop in and purchase fish from vending machines located right on the sidewalk. Everything is pre-packaged and refrigerated so all you have to do is swipe the credit card, push the button and boom, your dinner pops out ready to go in the oven.   To tell the truth, the idea did not originate with me, but there is nothing like it in the U.S. Below is the prototype we created for use at the corner of Peachtree Road and Piedmont Road in Buckhead. These two gentlemen love the idea so much that they have returned twice a day to our mussel vending machine.

Read more here. And if you are interested in this remarkable investment opportunity give me a call. I'd like to talk to you about some prime real estate I have for sale in the middle of the Okefenokee swamp. Happy April 1st. Blessings, Kathleen

Shelf Favorites, Fluke Special, and Wine Updates

 

Happy Friday from the Catch Crew!

Wine Tasting Events This Weekend Milton - we're ready for you! Our Milton Market has wine again AND we're going to be doing a wine tasting each Saturday from 3pm-5pm. Come sample some of our great wines with Sara! This Saturday we're tasting Oregon wines: R. Stuart Big Fire Pinot Noir, Ovum Wines Big Salt White Blend, and Van Duzer Pinot Gris. If you need to grab some dinner items before you taste, don't worry - you can pick out your fish, we'll wrap it up and place it in the cooler until you're ready to leave! Brookhaven - as always, our tasting is every Saturday from 3pm-5pm with Mr. Fish. This Saturday our theme is Great Whites and a Red for Pairing with Seafood. We'll be sampling Van Duzer Pino Gris, Route Stock Sauvignon Blanc, and Paul Mas Languedoc. Fun Fact for our Brookhaven customers - did you know that our ONE YEAR anniversary is coming up next week!? Be on the lookout for more details soon for some fun ways we're celebrating! Johns Creek - Johns Creek Wine & Crystal always have their Saturday tasting from 3pm-6pm. Taste some great wines then shop with us next door before 5pm to get what you need for dinner! You can subscribe to their newsletter via their website or visit their Facebook page to see what wine regions they'll be exploring that day or any upcoming events they'll be hosting. Some of Our Favorites on the Shelves If you've visited more than one of our market locations, you may have noticed our dry good shelves vary between each location and there is a reason - like each of our fish species, our customers have their unique tastes, too! We have your old classics like Old Bay Seasoning, Alessi Risotto varieties, and our Catch seasonings at each market but here are some you may not be familiar with that you need to get your hands on ASAP!

Brookhaven: Horseradish Remoulade - Smooth and savory with a subtle horseradish flavor, this sauce is a delicious dip for breaded seafood and French fries or as a topping on roast beef. Nut Crumbs - This a a bread crumb alternative that is not only delicious but it's gluten free, Paleo, vegan, Keto, and sugar free. We have both Original and Everything flavor. A new shipment is coming in this weekend! Terrapin Ridge Sriracha Horseradish Squeeze - Sriracha and Horseradish give this sauce a one-two punch. Use as a dip for calamari, onion rings, and sweet potato fries. Better yet, dredge a piece of swordfish in it and pat on some crunched-up, kettle-cooked potato chips. Pop in the oven at 425 for about 12 minutes or until done. Yum. Milton: Coconut Curry Aioli - this amazing sauce from Terrapin Ridge sounds like it would have a typical curry spice kick, but nope! It's slightly sweet like coconut and goes beautifully on not just fish but any veggies. Use it as a grouper/corvina marinade or a garnish. Beautiful Briny Sea Salts & Sugars: Locally made in Atlanta, these chef-crafted sugars and salts pair well with almost everything. The sugar is great in coffee! Terrapin Ridge Ginger Miso Honey Dressing: Young ginger, sweet carrot, honey and a rich white miso create a perfectly balanced salad dressing. Wonderful as a base for stir fry or as a dipping sauce for sushi and egg rolls. It's a perfect marinade for tuna - 30 minutes in the marinade and a quick sear on the grill. Johns Creek: Terrapin Ridge Hot Pepper Peach Bourbon - The rich flavor of bourbon adds incredible depth to roasted peaches, while red pepper gives this sauce just the right amount of heat. The result is an incredible glaze for fish, chicken or beef and a delectable cheese topper. Kelchner Lemon Dill Marinade - Give your dish a bright, fresh flavor with this creamy, zesty marinade and sauce. Lemon and dill are the quintessential flavorings for fish. Terrapin Ridge Hot Wasabi Squeeze - This specialty sauce is the perfect balance of wasabi kick and flavor. Perfect for garnishing crab cakes and sushi. Mix with sour cream and use as a condiment on salmon burgers or as a dip for fried shrimp.

WEEKLY SPECIAL 03/11 - 03/17 while supplies last North Carolina Fluke Flounder for $16.99/lb (that's $6 off regular retail!!) This is a great fish to have on Meat-less (Fish) Fridays during Lent - but let's be honest, it's great any day! Flounder Piccata

Daylight Savings Time Don't forget we Spring Forward this Sunday! While it may still feel like winter outside, it will be officially Spring before you know it. Georgia weather may not always be consistent but you know what is? Our Catch to Go meals that will help you with that lost hour during the week!

Catch to Go This Week & Next

Until Sunday we'll have Sweet Chipotle Salmon with Green Beans and Potatoes.

Starting Monday, we'll have Pineapple Teriyaki Swordfish with Stir-Fried Veggies and Rice.

And Finally

As the old saying goes, "March comes in like a killer whale and goes out like a guppy." I don't know about you but my closet is packed full of everything from bikinis to parkas. I spent yesterday working at our Johns Creek location which made me rather nostalgic. It's been almost 11 years since the day I took a deep breath and turned the key in the lock there to start this roller coaster ride of fishmongering. While I was working I talked with several of my most loyal customers: Becky and I talked grandchildren and commiserated over the bombing of the children's hospital in Ukraine. I still remember when Becky wasn't a grandmother yet and how she so longed to be. Now she has her hands full of love. I laughed with Mimi about her time as a student in New Orleans and how much fun she had. I told her I had never gone to Mardi Gras because huge crowds of drunk people make me nervous. Not that I am opposed to drinking - I just prefer to be the only drunk in the room. I met a new customer (of course I can't remember his name) from Florida and we spent a good 15 minutes talking Florida fish: scamp, stone crab, and snappers. He's longing for the old days of buying fresh fish from the boats but he is pretty darn happy to find that my store is the next best thing. I was carrying my food-stained sea bass recipe with me to remember to bring my fish home for dinner. I shared it with several customers so sea bass was flying out of the cases! I hope they all enjoyed their dinner as much as I enjoyed mine. Anyway, I wanted to tell you all about this little place in Johns Creek where Kathleen's Catch got started. It's smaller than the other two and not so fancy, but it's where it all began. I owe so much to all the people there who taught me about fish and about customer service and about business in general. We've come a long way, baby, but I will never forget where we started. Blessings, Kathleen PS Just to be clear, I don't really own a bikini. And you can thank me for that when you see me next.

Baja Bay Scallops, Rainbow Trout, and New England Clam Chowder

 

Happy Friday from the Catch Crew!

First Things First - Question Time! We're trying to put together some new Catch to Go options for you all (but in a different format than you've seen from us before) and we need your help! Please click this link and complete just 2 questions for us. Thank you in advance!

New England Clam Chowder Today, February 25th, is National New England Clam Chowder Day! Guess what? We always have our amazing hot soup that you can have for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Stop in to grab one! If you are the ambitious sort, you can also make your own version at home using this great recipe. Click here.

Rainbow Trout - the Slimier, the Better! Have you noticed that the rainbow trout in our cases appears slimy or slippery? That's a good thing! Rainbow trout secrete a mucus that protects them from infection and abrasion when they go up over rocks and sticks in rivers. We don't wash that goo off before selling it because it is a sign of freshness, but you can wash if off before cooking it. Don't let the slime fool you - we only sell you the prettiest, freshest fish out of our cases!

Species Spotlight: Baja Bay Scallops *Weekend Special Item* From the bay in Baja, Mexico, these scallops have a sweet taste with a hint of the sea and a firm, velvety texture. Smaller than our typical dry sea scallops, they are still just as versatile for soups, salads, and are chem-free! Today until Sunday only, while supplies last, each store will have 5 lbs to sell and they are specially priced at just $17.99/lb. Here are few recipes to try out when you grab some this weekend: Bay Scallop Ceviche Creamy Orzo with Bay Scallops, Asparagus, and Parmesan

Customer Recipe Feature Last week we put up this recipe (Grilled Striped Bass with Bacon Vinaigrette, Red Smashed Potatoes, and Sautéed Butter & Thyme Mushrooms). One of our customers sent in this picture with this to say: We changed the recipe to use fresh sea bass from Kathleen’s Catch. This meal needs to be featured on the food channel, extremely delicious. - Brian & Barbara P. It looks delicious - you guys did a great job!

WEEKLY SPECIAL 02/25 - 03/03 while supplies last 6 oz. Monk Portions for $10.49/ea AND Fresh Mussels for $5.99/lb Citrus-Glazed Monk Skewers Easy Baked Mussels

Catch to Go This Week & Next

Until Sunday we'll have Balsamic Glazed Mahi with Garlic and Herb Goat Cheese, Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms

Starting Monday, we'll have Horseradish Crusted Mahi with Creamy Green Beans

We hope you all have a great weekend!