February 4, 2004: Chinatown Markets 2
I'm not so much for Chinatown seafood. I've never bought anything at the fish stalls along Grand Street, probably because I'm a little dubious about the sanitation standards in some of the shops. Also, I really don't know anything about fish- the only thing I like is oysters and shrimp. If, however, one of my readers is knowledgeable about Chinatown seafood, I would be willing to attend a cooking demonstration. Any volunteers? [Bonus- this is the 500th post on Bluejake! And in only 11 days, Bluejake will be beginning it's third year!]
Comments
ok- new york fish experts- can someone tell me what those strange orange fish in the wrappers are in the second picture from the top? are those even fish? i'm not entirely sure.
they look to be in the shrimp section, no? maybe i'll ask my mom.
Jake
They look to be huge lobster tails, however, I may be mistaken.
As for the phish in Chinatown, I can vouch for them. When I to lived in the East V. I used to buy the seafood down there quite often. I would ask the shops to pack the bags with extra ice so the phish wouldn't lose any of their freshness during the travel back up on the 6 train.
I've shucked oysters that I bought there, but a bit of warning...shucking is a bitch if you don't have the right tools. That's why they sell the oysters so cheaply. I also really like the clean squid which I used to make "fruite de mare."
Pretty much, the basic rule with seafood is...smell it! if it stinks like the fish, it's not all that fresh. Also, take a look at the eyes, if they're murky, then the fish has been out for while. But if they look clear, you're good to go.
Hope that helped. Peace.
thanks gil, those are great tips. i think you might be right about the lobster tails- it's just that on the front they look like they have eyes! my god! tails with eyes!
great photos all over this site. why don't you get exhibited at Choire's Debs & Co.
That would be "its" not "it's."
Hey Jakey, I could definitely show you some fishy cooking.
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