Culinary Events

Behind the Scenes at CAIA: SENA 2016

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) would like to thank everyone who came out to see us at Seafood Expo North America (SENA) 2016 in Boston earlier this week.

The event followed last week’s release touting healthy exports for farmed seafood for 2015. Canadian seafood farmers at SENA 2016 demonstrated their eagerness to continue to strengthen and expand their markets.

At our booth, we handed out our latest Canada Aquaculture Products – Supplier Contacts booklets, our Farming Seafood In Canada infographic booklets, and lots and lots of delicious Canadian farmed seafood!

Thanks to everyone who came by the booth, sampled our farmed seafood and asked questions! Thank you to those CAIA members who donated their time and their products for sampling. Also, a huge thank you to Chef Scott Patnode and Mike Winchester for helping make the weekend such a success!

Seafood Expo North America 2014 Recap

Another Boston seafood show has passed! Seafood Expo North America is the largest seafood trade event in North America, and every March, takes place over three days in Boston.

CAIA was excited to have the opportunity to showcase Canadian farmed seafood at our booth there. Check out tour photos below for a recap of this year’s activities.

CAIA had a blast meeting up with friends and members. Here are some photos of some of our friends who stopped by (from left):

  1. Minister Gail Shea, Fisheries and Oceans Canada visited with CAIA while sampling blue mussels
  2. Ruth Salmon gets caught up with BC shellfish farmers Gordy McLellan (Mac’s Oysters) and Brian Yip (Fanny Bay Oysters).
  3. Maurice Gallant and Amédée Savoie of Maison BeauSoleil joined us at the booth to help shuck oysters.

Our display case was a show stopper. Few people could resist stopping for a closer look at the variety of species on display.

From a live cooking station, Chef Scott Patnode prepared so many amazing samples of various farmed finfish and shellfish including: Arctic Charr, Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Sablefish, Steelhead Salmon, Atlantic Oysters, Blue Mussels and Pacific Oysters.

Special thanks to those CAIA members who generously gave their time be at the CAIA booth to help greet visitors to those which donated product for the tastings and for the display. Together, we did a great job of promoting the delicious products that are grown proudly by Canada’s aquaculture industry,

We look forward to doing it all again next year!

Sneak peek: lineup of seafood tastings at Boston seafood show

It’s the largest seafood event in North America, and now the launch of the 2013 International Boston Seafood Show (March 10 – 12, 2013) is only days away – and Canada’s seafood farmers will be there.

Look for Boston-based Chef Scott Patnode at the CAIA booth where he will be grilling, steaming and shucking delicious samples of Canadian farmed seafood.

The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) is representing members at the show and will be bringing a variety of fresh farmed seafood and serving it from a live cooking station from CAIA exhibition booth #1445 throughout the three-day event.

Canadian Farmed Seafood Tastings Schedule

Sunday, March 10, 2013

10:30-12:00

Atlantic Salmon (grilled)
True North Salmon, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Prince Edward Island

Steelhead Trout (grilled)
Sea Agra Seafood, British Columbia

12:00-2:00

Cultured Blue Mussels (steamed in cream/beer sauce)
Atlantic Aqua Farms, Prince Edward Island

2:00-3:30

Chinook Salmon (grilled & candy smoked)
Creative Salmon Co. Ltd., British Columbia

3:30-5:00

Oyster Bar
Atlantic Oysters – Maison BeauSoleil, New Brunswick
Pacific Oysters – Mac’s Oysters Ltd., British Columbia

Monday, March 11, 2013

10:30-12:00

Organic Blue Mussels (steamed in cream sauce)
Badger Bay Mussel Farms, Newfoundland and Labrador

12:00-2:00

Arctic Charr (grilled)
Icy Waters Arctic Charr, Yukon

2:00-3:30

Sablefish (grilled & smoked)
Sable Fish Canada, British Columbia
Sea Agra Seafood, British Columbia

3:30-5:00

Oyster Bar
Atlantic Oysters – Little Shemogue Oyster Company, New Brunswick
Pacific Oysters – Fanny Bay Oysters, British Columbia

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

11:00-2:00

Farmed Seafood Chowder

It will be an aggressive cooking schedule but Chef Scott Patnode is up for the challenge. He will be joining the CAIA team throughout the show to prepare samples for retailers, distributors and importers from around the world to taste first hand.

Canada has a reputation for quality seafood grown in clean, pristine waters and to the highest standards. Visit us at booth #1445 to try a sample and see for yourself!

A Seafood Celebration on the Bay of Fundy

2012 St. Andrews Seafood Forum and Festival, June 5-10

This week seafood professionals, seafood lovers, foodies, chefs and researchers will unite in the southern New Brunswick to experience Bay of Fundy seafood as they never have before.

The 2012 Seafood Forum: Perspectives on Sustainability will run from June 5-8 and is a remarkable opportunity for seafood professionals and researchers to exchange information and discuss the evolving topic of sustainable seafood.

The 2012 Seafood Festival will follow on June 8-10 which will welcome visitors from around the Maritimes and New England to kick off the summer tourism season with a full schedule tours of salmon farms, special seafood menus in local restaurants, seafood and wine pairings, music and the biggest lobster boil, clam bake, salmon BBQ and seafood feast that one can imagine.

This region of New Brunswick is an ideal host for these annual celebrations. It boasts some of the world’s best North Atlantic lobster grounds and is the birthplace of Canada’s east coast commercial salmon farming industry. Bay of Fundy fishermen and fish farmers produce a diverse array of other seafood – including herring, shrimp, scallops, dulse, clams and mussels.

Chef’s event in Boston dishes on Canadian farmed mussels (and we’ve got the recipes)

I was recently invited by the Mussel Industry Council (MIC) to attend a sustainable seafood presentation at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Cambridge, MA.

The event was coordinated by the Consulate General of Canada in Boston together with MIC and the Lobster Council of Canada to showcase Canadian mussels and lobster.

Chef Alain Bossé, The Kilted Chef, and Chef Jose Duarté, executive chef and owner of Taranta led an informative and entertaining demonstration while students helped prepare and serve samples.

The chefs shared their photos and experiences of visiting a mussel farm in Prince Edward Island. They gave praise for the sustainability and quality of the Canadian-farmed mussels with special mention of the consistency in their plumpness and size, sweetness and texture.

Not only do mussels contain ultra-healthy levels of protein, iron, antioxidants, zinc, vitamin C and selenium – they are so easy to prepare.

The Canadian Seafood Survey found that people aren’t eating enough seafood – in particular, Canadians consume shellfish less often than finfish, with 24% saying they never eat it.

I took some photos of the creative mussel dishes served which I’ve shared below – along with the recipes as created by Chef Bossé. I hope they inspire you to experiment with this nutritious protein.

Citrus Honey Canadian Farmed Mussel Salad

Mussels

  • 1-2 lbs Fresh Canadian farmed mussels
  • 1⁄4 cup Yellow peppers diced
  • 1⁄4 cup Red peppers diced
  • 1⁄4 cup Red onions diced
  • 2 oz Arugula
  • A few sliced smoked almonds
  • ½ oz Crumbled goat Cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Citrus Honey Vinaigrette

  • ½ Shallot, chopped finely
  • ½ cup Honey
  • ½ cup Freshly squeezed lemon zest
  • Juice and zest of ¼ of a lime
  • ½ cup Vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • Chopped Italian parsley or chives to taste

Put mussels in a small pot. Add wine, green onions and garlic. Cover and steam for about 3 to 5 minutes on high heat until mussels open Let cool and remove the mussels from the shells.

Vinaigrette: In a bowl mix mustard, salt, pepper and garlic. Add honey, lemon juice, shallots and oil and whisk until it emulsifies. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (For best results prepare vinaigrette the day before.) Toss the mussels with the arugula, peppers and onions and dress with the vinaigrette, top with goat cheese and sliced almonds, garnish with chopped chives and lemon zest.

Thai Sweet Chili Canadian Farmed Mussels

  • 2 lbs Fresh Canadian farmed mussels
  • 2 oz White wine
  • 1 tsp Finely chopped red onion
  • ¼ Lime
  • 3 tbsp Sweet chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp Fresh chopped cilantro

Place mussels in a sauté pan. Add the white wine, red onion, sweet chile sauce and cilantro. Squeeze the juice from the lime into the mixture and drop it on top. Cover pan and allow to steam until the mussels start to open. Stir occasionally to ensure the chili sauce coats all of the mussels. Serve in a large bowl with your favourite bread for dipping.

Atlantic Canada Lobster and Mussel Bruschetta

  • ½ lbs Fresh Canadian-farmed mussels
  • ½ lbs Atlantic Canada hard shell lobster meat chopped
  • ¼ cup Red onion, finely chopped
  • ½ oz Fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 4 oz Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Coarse sea salt
  • 2 Cloves of fresh garlic, rasped for best results
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve on your favourite toasted and buttered crusty bread. Crumble feta cheese on the top then broil and garnish with chives and lemon.

Thank you to MIC, the Consulate General of Canada in Boston and the Lobster Council of Canada for inviting me to share in this culinary and learning experience.

Mussels are can be found produced locally in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and in British Columbia. Try some today!

To learn more about mussels and to find Canadian growers visit our Canadian Farmed Mussels webpage.

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