Matlaw's Stuffed Clams: A Great Summer Choice

"She ate so many clams that her stomach rose and fell with the tide."
--Louis Kronenberger

In New England, Stuffed Clams are a traditional seafood dish, and the basic recipe consists of chopped clams and a breadcrumb mixture. The breadcrumb mixture varies from recipe to recipe, and can include a variety of spices and herbs, as well as maybe some diced veggies and/or chopped meats. In Rhode Island, stuffed clams are commonly known as Stuffies. Stuffed clams were originally created as a way to stretch one's limited food supplies as well as providing some hearty carbohydrates. Now, they are eaten simply because they are delicious.

You could take the time and prepare your own stuffed clams at home or pick up some of the pricey, pre-made ones at your local fish market. Instead, you could go to your local grocery store and buy some inexpensive, frozen stuffed clams from Matlaw's.  

Founded in the 1950s, Matlaw's is the second oldest seafood brand in the U.S. Most of their seafood products are processed at their facility in Gloucester and they also have a large Research & Development laboratory at their Gloucester facility. Besides being a largely local company, they are also dedicated to sustainability, which is very important. Their parent company, National Fish & Seafood, is a founding member of the Global Aquaculture Alliance. When you purchase Matlaw's products, you generally can feel secure that you're purchasing a sustainable seafood product.

Maltaw's has been making Stuffed Clams for over fifty years, and their product line has expanded to include many other products, such as Seafood Paella, Buffalo Popcorn Shrimp, Salmon Burgers, Panko Breaded Cod, Stuffed Scallops, and more. I've written before, on multiple occasions, about how high-priced seafood prevents many people from eating more seafood, which is one of the healthiest foods you can consume. Fortunately, the vast majority of Matlaw's seafood products cost less than $10, making it very affordable for almost any budget as one package can usually feed multiple people. You can thus receive all the health benefits of seafood consumption, at a very low price.

Matlaw's Stuffed Clam line consists of about 8 different varieties, including New England Style Stuffed Clams, Casino Style Stuffed Clams, New England Style Gourmet Stuffed Clams, Natural Style Stuffed Clams, Italian Herb Stuffed Clams, Bacon & Cheese Stuffed Clams, Chorizo Stuffed Clams, and Chili Lime Stuffed Clams. Packages vary from 6 to 12 stuffed claims, with the 6-pack priced at $4.99 so you pay less than $1 per clam.You'll find them in the frozen food section of your local grocery market. At your local fish market, stuffed clams often are priced at $2 to $3 or more each. I received media samples of three different stuffed clams and was impressed with their taste and ease of preparation.

The Stuffed Clams are very simple to prepare. Just pull them out of the freezer and bake them in the oven at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. It would be an easy appetizer or a side dish for an entree. Or, you could also make them the center of your dinner. In addition, you can prepare these on the grill. Just preheat your grill to 350-375 degrees and then place the clams directly on the grill. Close the lid and cook them for about 30-35 minutes. An easy summer grilling treat, and a great addition to the usual grilled fare.

The basic New England Style Stuffed Clams are made with chopped clams, breadcrumbs, minced celery, red & green peppers, paprika and parsley. The stuffed clam is fairly moist, with plenty of tender clam pieces and a nicely spiced taste. They taste as good as many freshly made stuffed clams that I've had. And all three of the different stuffed clams I tasted were similar in this respect. If you served these to a guest, it's doubtful they would realize these were previously frozen.

The Bacon & Cheese Stuffed Clams are made with chopped clams, breadcrumbs, cheese and bacon. These were very cheesy, with a slightly smoky flavor from the bacon, and a milder flavor than the basic version as it appears they have less spices in them.

My favorite of the three were the Chorizo Stuffed Clams, made with chopped clams, breadcrumbs, spicy Spanish chorizo pork sausage, minced red & green peppers, and celery. These were boldly flavored, with a slightly spicy kick and the added savoriness of the chorizo. I think these would have been even better on the grill. All of my dining companions enjoyed these stuffed clams the best.

At their low price, the Matlaw's Stuffed Clams are a great value. They are simple to prepare and taste delicious, as good as most freshly made stuffed clams. Though you can eat these year round, they will be great this summer, whether in the oven or on the grill. I enjoyed some of these stuffed clams with a nice French Rosé wine and the Chorizo ones would pair well with a light red wine as well.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) On Saturday, June 18, from 5:30pm-9pm, the 12th Annual A Wild Affair is coming to the Stone Zoo in Stoneham. This fundraiser features tasting stations hosted by numerous Greater Boston restaurants and caterers as well as live entertainment, a silent auction, and an opportunity to stroll among the animals. All proceeds will benefit Stone Zoo, its education programs and its conservation initiatives.Additional funds raised will support the new Animal Discovery Center.

A Wild Affair is a 21+ “tasting” event.

Ticket Prices:
Advance: $55 (April 1 - June 17)
Gate: $65 (Day of event)
Purchase Tickets Online Here

2) On Wednesday, June 15, at 7pm, Brass Union will host the next event in their “Brass Pair” series – a recurring pairing dinner where the Union Square eatery and lounge joins forces with local brewers, distillers, importers, wine makers and sommeliers – for a night of interactive cuisine and beverage.

At this “Brass Pair” evening, Brass Union will welcome Norwood-based Classic Wine Imports for a savory four-plus-course dinner prepared by executive chef Jonathan Kopacz with accompanying wines hand-selected by Classic Wine Imports sales manager, Stefanie Korman, and Brass Union’s beverage director, Paulo Pereira.

Chef Kopacz and Classic Wine Imports will present the menus as follows:

AMUSE
Avocado Toast with Lardo
Buglioni "Vigliaco" Sparkling Rose
FIRST COURSE
Softshell Crab & Mussels with Old Bay
Cantina Taburno Falanghina
SECOND COURSE
Sole with Meyer Lemon and Sorrel
Saint Michael Eppan Weissburgunder
THIRD COURSE
Rabbit with Asparagus, Ramps and Mushrooms
Paitin Nebbiolo
FOURTH COURSE
Lemon Cake with Herb Meringue
Centorri Moscato

COST: $50 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Tickets are available via EventBrite: brasspair12.eventbrite.com.

3) Celebrate National Bourbon Day on Tuesday, June 14, from 5pm-7pm, with a Pop-Up Bacon & Bourbon Happy Hour at Sólás, an Irish eatery located in the Lenox Hotel on Boylston Street. Take your love of bourbon to the next level with Sólás' extensive bourbon list, secret bottles, and specialty cocktails paired with some savory, smoky and sweet specials including:

--Loaded Tater Tots, tossed in truffle oil and grated parmesean, garnished with smoked apple bacon bits
--Grilled Baby Wedge Salad, lightly grilled, topped with heirloom cherry tomatoes, sautéed baby corn, fried shallots, and a bacon and Knob Creek vinaigrette
--57 T-Bird, a grilled 4 oz. all-beef hot topped with maple bourbon honey mustard, garnished with their world famous bacon and tomatoes relish

And for dessert:
--Warm Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie topped with maple bourbon ice cream, warm Nutella, and bacon bits

4) I've received some news of an upcoming Sake event that sounds very interesting. On Monday, June 20, at 6:45pm, Bluefin Sushi Bar, located at 1815 Mass Ave., Cambridge, will be hosting a pop-up, Seven Tastes of Sake with Otsumami.  The event will feature Chef Chris Chung, a Master Sushi Chef, Stephen Connolly, a Sake Professional & Pastry Chef Renae Connolly. The proposed Sake list is intriguing and I'm sure the food will be excellent.  Tickets cost $125 per person, tax excluded, and to make reservations, call Bluefin at (617) 497-8022.

5) In an effort to introduce new clientele to the lay of the land at The Elephant Walk in Boston’s South End, Chef/Owner Nadsa de Monteiro has put together a list of bar snacks with her own personal touch. Every Monday through Friday from 4pm-6pm, enjoy dishes such as:

--The Diplomat: Elephant Walk’s burger with PT Farm hamburger melded with a tomato-onion chutney and spicy mayo on a brioche bun ($10)
--Ripper Hot Dog: An all-beef hot dog in natural casing, deep fried and served in a brioche bun with spicy mayo, topped with a cooked tomato cumin relish ($6)
--Cambodian Sloppy Joe: Served on a brioche bun, smothered with ground pork in a sweet garlic peanut coconut sauce, raw shredded cabbage and lettuce ($9),
--Sweet and Spicy Pork Sandwich: With sliced pork tenderloin in a spicy housin-sesame-ginger sauce with onion, scallion and red bell pepper ($10)
--Grilled Corn on the Cobb: With coconut scallion sauce ($5).

“I think chefs like items like burgers and hot dogs because they are like a blank canvas to work with. While there might be a suggested rule book, you’re allowed to color outside the lines and show your own unique personality each time you cook. That’s a big part of what we do in general at Elephant Walk, but we’re also aware that our cuisine might not be familiar to many guests. Infusing a classic item that a customer is familiar with is a great and unintimidating way to introduce the flavors of what we do. At the end of the day the idea is to get more and more customers to try the restaurant and if the bar menu is the entry point their next order might be our Khar Saiko Kroeung or our Filet de Thon Saisi aux Deux Coulis Pimentés. You don’t know you have a craving for a flavor profile until you experience it,” said Chef Nadsa.

For more information or to make a reservation please call (617) 247-1500.

6) Famed North End restaurateur and chef, Anthony Caturano (Prezza), will open the doors to his new Gloucester restaurant, Tonno, on June 17. Italian for “tuna,” Tonno will be housed in the former Blackburn Tavern space and will feature coastal Italian seafood and other treasures from land and sea. Seating 99 people, Tonno has partial ocean views and is open year-round.

Chef Caturano’s culinary program at Tonno has been designed to showcase Italian seafood classics with nightly specials that reflect the catches of the day from the local waters. The menu starts with an array of sfizi and primi options ($2-16), including seafood dishes like Tonno Tartare, Octopus “La Plancha” with tomato and fregola, Stewed Clams with white beans, pancetta and grilled bread, and fresh raw bar specialties. There also are more traditional Italian offerings like a daily selection of cheeses and cured meats as well as Meatballs with ricotta, Risotto with red wine and fontina, and Arancini.

The quartet of homemade pastas come in half and full portions ($12-24), and have been adapted from Chef Caturano’s North End restaurant, Prezza: Shrimp Fra Diavolo with tagliatelle; Spaghetti with clams and oregano; Rigatoni with pecorino and black peppercorn; and, Cavatelli Bolognese.

The secondi courses present signature pesce and carne dishes ($25-38), with highlights like the Grilled Tonno Steak with white beans; Cod Oreganatta with creamy leeks and potato; “Cioppino” fish stew; Grilled 16oz Bone-In Rib Eye with braised escarole and roasted potato; and, Veal Milanese

The beverage program consists of classic Italian and house-barreled cocktails as well as a selection of craft beers. From the vine, there will be a curated list of about 110 wines that are mainly focused on Italian varietals.

As Prezza is one of my favorite restaurants, I'm very much interested in checking out Tonno to see Chef Caturano's take on seafood.

7) Les Zygomates, the wine bar and bistro located in Boston's Leather District, is hosting a special Champagne Dinner on Tuesday, June 14, from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM. This event will consist of a four-course Champagne dinner featuring the French cuisine of Les Zygomates and the delicate Champagnes of Besserat de Bellefon, hosted by Matthieu Luneau from the house of Besserat de Bellefon.

I recently wrote about the Champagnes of Besserat de Bellefon, finding them to be delicious and excellent accompaniments to food. Their Champagnes are specifically produced to pair well with food, such as having finer bubbles, which are 30% smaller than most other Champagnes. As such, this Champagne dinner should be fascinating and delicious. Check it out!

Cost: $100 (which includes tax but not gratuity)
Seating is limited, so to reserve your spot, please call Les Zygomates at 617-542-5108.

8) What is a Chop Bar? A neighborhood favorite, a spot to stop on the side of the road and grab a drink and authentic meal. That is exactly what Chef Kwasi Kwaa is bringing to A&B Burgers on June 28 at 6:30pm. Join them as A&B transforms their menu to reflect four courses of true authentic Ghanaian "street food".

Ghanaian Street Food Menu:
--Braised Goat Sliders (Served with pickled okra and green plantain chips)
--Kelewale (Fried sweet plantains tossed in suya pepper powder served with toasted macadamia nuts and mono)
--Jollof Rice and Grilled Tilapia (African style rice cooked in a goat stew served with grilled Tilapia, moko and shito peppers)
--Brofrot (Ghanaian Doughnuts tossed in sugar)

Cost: $55 per person (Alcohol and gratuity not included)
Tickets must be purchased ahead of time to attend & can be ordered here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chop-bar-ghanaian-street-food-pop-up-tickets-24820857854

9) Starting Friday, Chef Brian Poe is bringing F#@K SLIDER FRIDAYS to Bukowski Tavern in Cambridge’s Inman Square. A chef with a penchant for exotic proteins, burgers and beer, this new weekly special will feature a trio of unusual sliders with the option of a beer pairing.

Each Friday from 12-4pm, Chef Poe will serve up a rotating mix of signature mini burgers. The new burger and beer-themed series kicks off on June 10 with four-legged slider specialties of Antelope (cranberry jalapeño jus, beer cheese sauce), Camel (ras el hanout spiced, pickled turnips, tahini crema) and Bison (housemade Sriracha ketchup, Dijon mustard). The week’s beer pairing will be a local favorite, a Narragansett Tall Boy (Providence, RI).

COST: Trio of sliders: $10
Trio of sliders with beer pairing: $15

Camel??? I'm definitely interested in checking out a Camel slider.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events..
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1) North End restaurateur and chef, Anthony Caturano of Prezza, has announced he'll open a restaurant this spring in Gloucester: Tonno, Italian for “tuna.” Tonno is slated to open in May and will be housed in the former Blackburn Tavern space. Blending together Caturano’s favorite culinary styles, Tonno will feature coastal Italian seafood and a raw bar.

The 4,000 square foot venue will undergo a full renovation over the winter and the new space will be outfitted with a dining room, a lounge complete with a fireplace, a cocktail bar, a raw bar and a private events room. Seating 99 people, Tonno will have partial ocean views and will be open year-round.

Chef Caturano will design a culinary program that is rooted in coastal Italian seafood classics with specials that reflect the New England waters daily catches. Guests can expect to see items like roasted cod oreganata, coppino, octopus salad and roasted whole branzino. At the oyster bar, hyper-local varieties will be shucked and served with an array of accompaniments.

The beverage program will consist of classic Italian cocktails and a selection of craft beers. From the vine, there will be a curated list of about 150 wines that are mainly focused on Italian varietals, with some additions from Spain and California.

Tonno will open at Two Main Street in Gloucester in the spring of 2016. Tonno will be open for dinner service nightly. Stay updated on the latest developments by following Tonno on Facebook.

As Prezza has long been one of my favorite Italian restaurants, I eagerly look forward to the opening of Tonno. Chef Caturano is an avid fishermen and I expect this new seafood restaurant will be a great addition to Gloucester.

2) When your child is sick, it’s hard to keep up a normal daily routine, and even harder doing so during the holiday season. This is something that Paul Turano, executive chef/owner of Tryst located in Arlington and Cook in Newton, knows all too well, having spent time with his son at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Units during past holidays. Both Turano’s children have Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Syndrome (SCIDS), and when his son was just two months old he had a bone marrow transplant at Boston Children’s Hospital that saved his life.

This holiday season, Turano is once again giving back to the hospital that was there for his family by holding a holiday fundraiser for the Patient and Family Resource Room, a program that helps provide services to families whose children are being treated at Boston Children’s Hospital Oncology and Hematology Center.

In cooperation with Boston Children’s Hospital, Turano has set up a branded donation page online and will be encouraging holiday donations for the family resource program from December 1 through December 31. To donate, guests can visit the donation page online on either one of the restaurant’s webpages. In exchange for donating, Turano will give donors a gift certificate to Cook or Tryst (for up to $20) with proof of donation.

“I can’t emphasize how much The One Mission Resource Room helped my family and I when we were going through this difficult time. It’s because of their team and services that we were able to maintain a sense of normalcy and routine, and I want to be able to give that back to other families that are going through it,” said Chef Turano.

Funded through donations from area businesses and families, The One Mission Resource Room is staffed by a patient and family educator who can help patients and families learn about their medical treatment. Receiving treatment for cancer and other serious disorders can keep families in the hospital for weeks and months on end, a process that takes a toll on their emotions. The One Mission Resource Room ensures that families who pass through the Hematology, Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant, Neuro-oncology and Intensive Care units have the help they need at what is probably the most difficult time in their lives. It also offers a space for patients and families to relax and connect with others going through a similar experience. Whether the donated money be used for a morning coffee at the local Dunkin Donuts, or towards purchasing a generic American Express donation that can be used towards gas, or parking (daily routines that are often overlooked), each donation will help parents regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. With the extra help of these funds, Chef Turano will be putting the holidays back in the hands of these families.

HOW: Donate on http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/chefturano2015.
After donation, present your receipt at Cook or Tryst to receive your gift certificate (of equal value, up to a $20 value).
ADDITIONAL: Limited to one gift certificate per person. Gift certificates cannot be combined with any other offer, and certificates to Cook cannot be used at Tryst. Non-transferable. To receive gift certificate diners must visit Cook or Tryst. Cannot be done online or via mail.

3) On Monday, December 7, at 6:30pm, Terramia Ristorante, located on Salem Street in the heart of Boston’s North End, is celebrating the long standing history of Tenute Folonari wines with a five-course wine dinner. The Folonari family has worked in the Italian wine sector since the end of the eighteenth century and they were at the forefront of creating the “new frontier” of the Italian wine. At the end of the 1960s the family began devoting themselves strictly to estate-bottled wines and started acquiring some of Tuscany’s finest estates including Nozzole in the heart of the Chianti Classico and Cabreothat Ambrogio.

At this exclusive Tenute Folonari dinner, guests will feel as if they are in the rolling vineyards of Italy once they sample Terramia’s talented chef, Luiz Prata’s hand-crafted five course menu perfectly paired with the Tenute Folonari’s wines. The meal will start with a wild mushroom and chestnut soup with white truffle oil and goat cheese matched with a 2013 “Campo al Mare” Vermentino. The second course follows with polpette con polenta, oven baked meatballs with a creamy Fontina cheese polenta and San Marzano tomato sauce topped with parmigiano cheese alongside the 2012 “Nozzole” Chianti Classico Riserva. As the night continues, guests are treated to the bolognese, featuring pappardelle pasta with traditional ground veal, beef and a pork meat tomato ragù paired with the 2012 “TorCalvano” Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The fourth course includes the bistecca, a prime filet mignon complete with truffle potato mash, sautéed baby spinach, dolce gorgonzola and red wine reduction complimented by a 2013 “Campo al Mare” Bolgheri. The evening will finish on a savory note, with piatto di formaggi Italiani, Chef’s selection of Italian cheeses and dry fruits, which is enjoyed with a 2010 “La Fuga” Brunello di Montalcino.

The dinner is $70 per person (+tax and gratuity).
Reservations are required and can be made by calling Terramia at 617-523-3112.

Rant: Turner's Seafood, Sustainability & Cape Ann Fresh Catch

Call me a seafood sustainability skeptic.

I am coming to the realization that no seafood restaurant should actually label itself "sustainable." The issue of sustainability is a morass of questions, ambiguity, speculation, theory and guesswork. It is far from black and white and is rather a vast canvas of shades of gray. Rather than being a choice between sustainable or not, it is more appropriate to think of sustainability as a scale where the top position is an unreachable ideal. By labeling themselves as sustainable, restaurants confuse consumers, making it seem sustainability is a much simpler issue than the actuality. Plus, restaurants all have different definitions as to what constitutes "sustainability" which further confuses the issue.

I think it would be better, and much more accurate, for restaurants to simply state that "their goal is to be as sustainable as possible." That statement grants that sustainability may be an unreachable goal, but it is still an ideal worthy of pursuing. We should support those restaurants, seafood stores and such which are trying to be more sustainable, but we also should push them to be even more sustainable. No one will ever be perfect, but that is not the standard we should hold them up against anyway.

Last week, I had the opportunity to chat for a time with Kathi and Jim Turner of Turner's Seafood, with a restaurant in Melrose and a seafood market in Gloucester. They are also now partnered with Cape Ann Fresh Catch, a Community Supported Fishery (CSF). We discussed their restaurant, seafood sustainability, and the CSF, and both were very open and honest in their responses to my questions.

They consider that the seafood they serve at their restaurant is sustainable, though I am sure others might not consider that the case. It partially comes down to how the Turners define "sustainable" and their view concentrates only on fish populations. In essence, as the fishing industry is heavily regulated, they feel that if fish are permitted to be caught under those regulations, then it is sustainable. In their definition, the Turners though do not address other areas of sustainability concern, such as potential environmental damage. Thus, if those concerns were added to the definition of sustainability, their restaurant would not be considered fully sustainable. They are working though towards increased sustainability.     

If you examine the regular Turner's menu, you will find much of their seafood is from the Atlantic Ocean, albeit that does extend out to Iceland, from which they obtain much haddock.  Their fin fish, such as tuna and swordfish, are sourced from various areas, depending on availability, though they do not carry bluefin tuna. Their salmon is farmed in Nova Scotia, which some people may object to, and they don't use wild salmon because it is only seasonal and they want salmon year round. They also feel that transportation issues with some Pacific wild salmon may decrease their sustainability. Though there are studies showing that transportation often has a minimal impact on sustainability, and that other issues, like resource intensity, play a far greater role.

Their shrimp is sourced from a few different areas, including local Maine shrimp for their popcorn shrimo, Canadian shrimp for salads, and some Mexican wild shrimp. They have used some farmed shrimp in the past, though only saltwater shrimp. For their special seafood festivals, such as the Oyster and Crab festivals, they do source such items from diverse areas, and not just locally. Thus, for some of those items, they might incur the transportation issues that they allege can occur with Pacific salmon.

I inquired as well about the sourcing of their beef, chicken and produce. Some of the produce may be local, but seafood is their primary focus so not as much attention has been directed to the sourcing of their meat and produce. So sustainable meat, poultry and produce are not a major consideration to them at this time. Sourcing local is also not as important to them as obtaining "quality" food. "Quality" is the most important factor for them, and with seafood, freshness is vital to quality. Freshness is directly connected to both the method of catch as well as how it is processed, and the Turners believe this issue does not get as much attention as it should. I would agree that quality often does seem to take a back seat to other concerns, such as local and sustainable. 

To the Turners, the preferred method of catch is hook and line, as they feel it is best when the fish are still alive when they are brought aboard the fishing vessel.  With nets, fish might be caught and remain in those nets over night, or even for a couple days, and could be dead when brought aboard. Dead fish are of poorer quality, and don't possess as long a shelf life. Thus, smaller ships generally provide better quality fish, but hook and line is more expensive for the fishermen. So there are far less hook and line fishermen in Gloucester than other methods of catch.  Jim Turner points to Iceland as a model for the type of fishing community he would prefer to see, and he is encouraging the Gloucester fishing community to become more sustainable.

Since August 2010, the Turners have partnered with Cape Ann Fresh Catch, a Community Supported Fishery (CSF), which is a program of the Gloucester Fishermans' Wives Association. The basic idea is that consumers purchase shares in this program, and then receive regular supplies of fresh fish. This CSF is three years old, and began with some controversy over sustainability issues, and that controversy remains in some respects. The Turners have been trying to institute changes to the program, to resolve problems and make it more sustainable and amenable to consumers.

You can purchase shares of whole fish or fillets, or alternate weeks and thus receive both.  In addition, there is a new flex share program, where even if you purchase only fillets you will also receive some fish which normally cannot be filleted.  When the CFS program began, it seemed that most of the shares consisted of cod, but the species variety has increased over the last few years.  Now, shares roughly consist of 30% cod, haddock, and pollock, 30% flounder, and 30% other fish, such as shrimp.  Currently, the CFS acquires about 1000 shareholders each season, a number which is limited in part due to the small amount of distribution sites, though more sites will likely be added in the future. In addition, the CFS might expand into some wholesale business in the future.

One of the goals of the CFS is to obtain a better price for the fishermen.  But what about the cost to consumers?  The cost may be higher for some specific species, but for others it may be less. But, even when they pay a higher cost, this may be balanced out by other factors. The consumer will obtain fresher fish than they would at a local store and thet might also obtain species that may not be readily available at their local store. As for the actual prices, a weekly deliver of 4-6 lbs of whole fish costs $20, while 2 lbs of filleted fish costs $24. 

The fisherman in the CFS will likely tell you that it is all sustainable, though I'll return your attention to the comments at the start of this post, that sustainability is a canvas of gray. You'll find people who will contest the sustainability of the CFS for various reasons. But, it does appear that the CFS is more sustainable than it once was, and it appears that the Turners may have contributed to that change. With the Turners continued partnership, maybe the CFS will continue moving towards that ever elusive ideal of sustainability.

I asked the Turners if they were familiar with OAWRS but they were not. They also do not partner with Roger Berkowitz of Legal Sea Foods, though both work with Gloucester fishermen. Yes, in some respects they are competitors, both with seafood restaurants and both selling fresh fish, so they have some incentive not to work together.  Yet they have shared interests as well, in both encouraging sustainability as well as helping local fishermen.  So maybe it would be beneficial if there was some type of colloboration between them, as well as other local seafood restaurants.

As an example, consider the OAWRS system, championed by Berkowitz, which could use as much support from others as possible. If that system was proven efficacious, it would actually benefit all local fishermen, and not just those that work with Berkowitz. Thus, the Turners, and others who work with local fishermen, have reasons to learn about and support OAWRS. I am sure there are at least several other issues concerning seafood sustainability where collaboration would benefit all parties.

Everyone who seeks seafood sustainability should work together rather than at cross purposes. They should engage in dialogue, in fruitful discussions, in furtherance of their shared goals. Working together, much more can be accomplished than alone. The issue of sustainability is of global concern, so united efforts are necessary to deal with such a massive issue. We need to give our support to those promoting more sustainable products, to encourage them to continue working towards the sustainability ideal. But we also have to push them as well, to continue forward progress in their sustainability efforts.

The basic idea of a CFS is certainly an excellent one, and I feel more positive towards the Cape Ann Fresh Catch than I once did. There is room for improvment, but forward progress appears to have been made and more changes will come. The partnership with the Turners, though less than a year old, appears to have benefited the program and the future looks promising.  As time goes on though, I will still keep my skeptical eye on the Cape Ann Fresh Catch, in hopes that there is continued improvement.