What do you eat in Bethel besides salmon?

[warptman]

Originally Posted by cobolt

Isn't your answer, Warpt, supposed to be "blood oranges"? Bought a bag of them at Trader Joes the other day for $1.99. Yummers! And thought of you Warpt!

Drool! I really want one or two now. I still haven't called my sister about them yet. Hmm, 198 weekender on ERA, should fly into Anchorage for the weekend since I have three days off.

[Blueberry]

Hey, Warptman! Does Swanson's still have their Friday fish market? When I lived there, Swanson's would bring in fresh fish on Fridays and even had pamphlets explaining about the fish and suggested recipes. I was actually impressed with the variety, and--considering it was Bethel--the prices didn't seem too bad, either.

[Blueberry]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

Oh, the usual. French toast, hamburgers, other people...

ROTFLMBO!!! I'm really glad I wasn't drinking anything when I saw this!!

One of my favorite musicals, Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, has a couple of lines that are priceless: "No one comes to dinner now." "We'd only eat them, anyhow. . . ." (The characters are experiencing a time of famine in the homeland.)

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by Jeff Emler

My question was sincere.

I like salmon, but I also dream of a seafood smorgasbord.

I figured I'd never have time to catch all I'd like to try.

I would love to stumble on to a fishmarket full of everything from ling cod to gooey-ducks.

I can't wait to try burbot.

I never meant to imply anything negative.

Thanks for the informative replies aquariusmom and warptman.

Hi there, where are you in Ohio? I have family in N.E. Ohio and Southeastern Ohio. Yes we have plenty of fish up here. I don't live in Bethel; too cold and tooooo expensive there. I'm about 70 miles outside of Anchorage. Fishing is one of the biggest pastimes up here. The folks I know who love and eat fish mainly get it from fishing in the summer months and freezing it. I like salmon but not a big fish eater here. Have a great day.

[Bruce 01]

Some of my ramblings:

Originally Posted by Jeff Emler

When I went to Maine I expected fishmarkets swimming with fresh fish, lobsters, shrimp, shellfish and so on. I was a bit disappointed. I did find fish for sale, but it was at the supermarket.

I went to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, in 1979 with a couple of buddies. We bought fresh caught lobsters right off the boats after they had tied up for the day. In 2003 a bunch of us went to Boothbay Harbor, Maine, and there were roadside stands here and there, selling fresh live lobster and other seafood, much like stands sell vegetables here in the summer time. It wasn't any cheaper than I can buy locally though, which was surprising.

We went up and talked for a while to a lobsterman who had just tied up. He showed us around his boat, was a nice decent fellow. A couple of women pulled up on the pier and inquired about a deal they had made with him earlier -- apparently they wanted some quantity of lobster (for a party?) and he had them as promised. From my limited experience, buying directly from fishing boats seems to be quite common there. Maybe it depends on where you were exactly, not sure.

When I went to Bangor Maine one of my first objective was to obtain a live lobster and do the boiled alive thing. I must say it was good, but at 6 bucks a pound I got a few bites of meat, some juice and a lot of empty shell.

Six bucks a pound??? Why were they giving it away?? Just kidding, but I'm 57 and don't recall lobster at that price for decades. A pound or pound and a half lobster will have a good chunk of just pure meat in the tail; the pincers and legs also, although they're smaller pieces and more work to get. For comparison, just the other day I saw in the local fish market cold water, wild lobster tails (only) and they were $39 a pound.

Then I tried mussels. Man, they were good and a lot cheaper too.

Yup, same here. I like mussels every bit as much as clams. Funny, a lot of people consider them to be trash and won't eat them; it's just a cultural thing, I think. They are great just steamed, dipped in butter seasoned with salt and pepper, or put into marinara sauce, there are a zillion ways to use them and I like the price. The broth is every bit as good as clam broth. I cannot tell any difference between wild and farm-raised mussels.

Shrimp: Most here are farm raised, although wild are available though much pricier and tastier. You get what you pay for.

By the way, all those shrimp, crab, lobster, mussel "shells" can be used to make a seafood base.

We have 200-300+ foot deep lakes around here (The Finger Lakes) with plenty of trout, but IMO they are not that great eating. The best fish from this area are walleyes or spring-caught bullheads.

I want to make some GOOD chowder with REAL fish stock I made myself from a fish carcass.

I have an excellent New England recipe for fish chowder if you're interested. It's guaranteed to satisfy!

[warptman]

Originally Posted by Blueberry

Hey, Warptman! Does Swanson's still have their Friday fish market? When I lived there, Swanson's would bring in fresh fish on Fridays and even had pamphlets explaining about the fish and suggested recipes. I was actually impressed with the variety, and--considering it was Bethel--the prices didn't seem too bad, either.

They don't have that anymore. The Tweto's that ran the fresh food part were let go a few years ago and that came to a stop. I loved the "fresh" shrimp they had and the lobster. Now you have to get them out of the freezer.

[Metlakatla]

The salmon I've had has been farm raised.

You are some sort of medical professional and yet you inflict this garbage on your body?

[mal_flisk]

Friends don't let friends eat farm raised salmon.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by mal_flisk

Friends don't let friends eat farm raised salmon.

That's all that seems to be available down here. I can't wait for August.

[Metlakatla]

It can be found. Balducci's in Manhattan carries some of the best.