Roadfood Digest

The Long Island Sound is at the very southern end of lobsters’ range.  It’s also at the very northern end of blue crabs’ range.  Historically, both are found in the Sound, but only lobsters appear in numbers great enough for commercial fishing.  Over the past three decades, water temperatures in the Sound have risen almost two degrees, and the annual lobster catch has dropped from about 12 million to two or three million pounds a year.  At the same time, lobstermen are seeing much greater numbers of blue crabs.  This situation is putting a great financial strain on Connecticut’s lobstermen.  Read the full story in the Boston Globe article by Gregory B. Hladky.

One interesting piece of info in the story: Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, of Noank, Connecticut does not use local lobsters.  They obtain Canadian lobsters through a wholesaler.  Said Jerry Mears of Abbott’s: “We used to have fishermen working right off our dock.  But we slowly phased that out."  The photo above is of one of Abbott’s many dining areas, from the Roadfood.com review.

Ipswich clams are here again!  A seven-week closure of the local clam beds, due to red tide, had forced local Essex and Ipswich clam shacks to bring clams in from Maine and elsewhere.  Last week, the algae infestation called red tide abated enough to finally reopen the local clam flats to commercial diggers, according to an article by Andrew Ryan in the Boston Globe.  Doug Woodman of Woodman’s of Essex says he prefers the local clams: “The quality of the clam is better.  We were getting them from northern Maine, but it's not the same, especially with fried clams. Tourists can't really tell the difference, but some of us can."

Some area clam beds remain closed, such as those in Newbury and Rowley.  Ever wonder how local clam diggers make a living when the means to their livelihood are off limits?  Read about it in this Boston Globe story by David Cogger.

The photo above shows the Woodman’s pickup counter, from the Roadfood.com review.

We are sad to report that Allen “Red” Gagnon, who purchased Red’s Eats in 1977 and turned it into what many feel is the preeminent source for Maine lobster rolls, passed away at the age of 71 last Friday.  He had been hospitalized since February.  We learned of the news through this article in The Times Record.

Mr. Gagnon worked at Bath Iron Works, ran a trailer park, and opened a pizzeria before purchasing Red’s (see Michael Stern’s Roadfood.com review).  When asked for the secret of his success, he’d say “put out really good, fresh food, and plenty of it."  Red’s Eats will continue to be operated by his daughter, Debbie Cronk.

Sponsored annually by the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., this year’s Delmarva Chicken Festival will be held in Salisbury, MD (the site changes each year).  The festival officially opens Friday, but you can get a jump on it Thursday night with discount carnival rides and games.  The highlight of the festival is the chicken cooked (by the Salisbury Lions Club) in the famous giant fry pan (pictured above circa 1950, from the Delaware Public Archives).  The Salisbury Jaycees will also be doing a chicken barbecue.

There’ll be plenty of music of all types (including our personal festival favorites, the Sweet Adelines), exhibits and displays about chickens, and an assortment of car, crafts, and arts shows.  Admission is free!  For more info, see the festival website.

The James Beard Foundation Awards for 2008 have been announced.  These are the Oscars of the food world and, in past years, Jane and Michael Stern have been nominated, and have won, multiple times; they are both listed in the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.  This year's winners include three with Roadfood connections:

The Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper, won for Radio Food Show.  As many Roadfood.com readers know, Jane and Michael Stern have a weekly segment on Lynne's excellent show.

Robert Stehling won for Best Chef: Southeast.  Mr. Stehling is the chef for Hominy Grill in Charleston, SC.  Here is Michael Stern's Roadfood.com review. More...

Bridgewater Chocolate of Connecticut makes astoundingly good chocolate confections.  We've never been to the store, but we've mail-ordered from them numerous times; a Thanksgiving favorite of ours are the pilgrim hats, which are hat-shaped candies of soft and creamy caramel in dark chocolate.  In the Michael Stern photograph above, from his Roadfood.com review, is a coconut igloo, of which Michael says, "Intense dark chocolate and creamy-rich coconut are, in my book, an unbeatable combination. Here they are in a coconut igloo, married perfectly."

TasteTV has a 1:17 video of the proprietor of Cocoa Bella Chocolates taking viewers on a survey of the Bridgewater Chocolate items in his store.  As you can see, Bridgewater specializes in taking prosaic and familiar candies and, through skill and imagination, and top-quality ingredients, turning them into uncommon treats.

Moishe's is the steakhouse of Montreal.  About the bone-in filet mignon pictured above, Michael Stern says in his Roadfood.com review, "It is a huge, ridiculously juicy hunk of delicious meat."  Meet the man behind Moishe's, as Lenny Lighter speaks with The Gazette of Montreal.  He talks about his early days at his father's restaurant, and his philosophy of running a restaurant.  Says Mr. Lighter: "When people sit down, it's less than a minute and the bread, butter, coleslaw and pickles are on the table. That's part of who we are. That's part of our brand in the restaurant. The products always have to be right. And they have to be delivered right away."

Read more in The Gazette.

May is Beef Month, and in honor of this occasion the Farm Industry News undertakes an expedition to Philippe the Original for French dips.  Needless to say, they loved it!  Read all about it here.

Western Kentucky's infallible guide to good eats, Louis Hatchett Jr., has been keeping us posted about the fate of the Bon Ton Mini Mart restaurant in Henderson, home of some of America's very best fried chicken. Yesterday Louis sent the following very worrisome note (which I have abridged):

I learned today that the Bon Ton Mini Mart will be auctioned off on
June 1, 2008.

More...

CNN Money has an article about how the the ethanol boom and the weak dollar is causing a substantial price increase in consumer staples like flour and dairy.

[Read More on CNN Money]