Born on the Bayou | September 7, 2020

Fresh & Local:

Back to School?

Crescent City Farmers Market is a “one stop seafood shop” for all of your seasonal favorites including: gulf shrimp, blue crabs, catfish, black drum, frog legs, and alligator, just to name a few. Every week, CCFM proudly hosts three veteran Louisiana seafood vendors, each with their own signature products: Pete and Clara’s Seafood, Four Winds Seafood, and Des Allemands Outlaw Katfish. The fearless, fiesty and phenomenal fisherwomen who represent these businesses at the market can answer all of your questions. On any given day you could ask where the shrimp were caught, how best to pick a crab, or how to perfectly filet a fish and they will have an answer right away. Catches are abundant right now and we are swimming in soft shell beauties, so get while the gettin’ is good.

You can find fresh Louisiana seafood at all of our markets and can look forward to new additions as we resume new vendor onboarding! *cough* oysters *cough*

Good Food Word of the Week:

In addition to running farmers markets, a critical component of Market Umbrella’s work is to enhance food and nutrition access and awareness in our community. The Good Food Word of the Week seeks to shed some light on this part of our work and also to demystify the jargon.

Bycatch

This week’s Good Food Word is Bycatch – Bycatch, in the fishing industry, is a term for a fish or other marine species that is caught unintentionally while catching certain target species or sizes of fish, crabs etc. Bycatch is either of a different species, the wrong sex, or is undersized or juvenile individuals of the target species, but to New Orleanians, bycatch means good eatin’. Four Winds Seafood, master fishers of bycatch, know the value of a croaker, excitement of gourmet calamari, flavor of a tender, flaky broiled flounder, and the celebration of a good ole crab boil. Find the “Shrimp Lady” Kay at all of our weekly markets, including Bucktown - arguably the best place to find local seafood.

Picks of the Week:

Not Your Average Omega

Here in Southeastern Louisiana, we take pride in the quality of our local seafood and the people who bring it to our CCFM markets. Whether you love boiled shrimp, baked catfish, or raw oysters, seafood is not only delicious, it is sustainably caught and nutritious! Finfish and shellfish are rich sources of the essential fatty acid, Omega 3, which is necessary for both cardiovascular health and brain function. Essential means it is not manufactured by our body so we must obtain it from foods we eat. An important nutrient for everyone, it is especially important for expecting and breastfeeding mothers and the USDA recommends two servings of seafood a week. CCFM has the catch of the day covered with a variety of fish and other local seafood available at Bucktown, Parkway and Uptown markets.

If you are a Medicaid or WIC eligible mom new to breastfeeding (or know someone who is), Market Mommas Club enrollment is still open! Connect with other breastfeeding moms for lactation support during your breastfeeding journey and receive $80 to shop at the Tuesday Uptown market. Learn more here.

Help us Spread the Word!

While we are grateful hurricane couple Laura and Marco spared New Orleans, fellow Louisianians to our west were less fortunate. The governor’s office reported over 10,000 people were displaced by the recent hurricane activity, with most evacuees being lodged right here in New Orleans. The state of Louisiana is not authorized to release DSNAP funds until September 10, but those impacted can still pre-register to receive these extra funds. DSNAP spends just like regular SNAP and can be used at our markets! Plus, DSNAP purchases are eligible for Market Match, doubling SNAP dollars spent to purchase additional fresh fruits and vegetables. Help us to spread the word to those impacted, including evacuees who may be in the area who need extra dollars for fresh food!

Catfishin’

Fried, baked, stuffed or blackened, there is no denyin’ catfish is a staple of traditional Southern cuisine. Whether it’s Friday night Lenten suppers or the summer doldrums, catfish is readily available most any time of year and peak catfishing season is happening now! Des Allemands Outlaw Katfish has your wild-caught catfish connection bringing you fresh and frozen catfish filets, along with crawfish tails, crab, and gator meat, at the Tuesday Uptown market.

Vendor of the Week:

Tribute to Clara Gerica of Pete & Clara’s Seafood

Pete & Clara’s Seafood is everything beautiful about the Crescent City Farmers Market: a family in white boots that know the waters and the community they feed alike. The Gericas have been with the market since its inception and, as many of you know, Clara Gerica passed away on September 11th, 2017, forever leaving a void in our hearts. The Gericas have always been, and will remain, a fundamental pillar in the growth and stability of our market. Clara was a friend to all and always had the best interests for others in mind, making her a great vendor representative at CCFM and advocate within the local fishing industry. The Gerica family is in our thoughts this week as we reflect on the legacy that Clara left behind. Pete and daughter Chris Gerica thrive on at the Tuesday Uptown and Sunday Parkway markets.

Recipe of the Week:

Catfish Court-Bouillon

When I think of catfish court-bouillon, I vividly remember running through my Mawmaw’s house while she was elbow deep in supper prep. She would shake her wooden spoon in frustration and holler “eh, las bas!” as I knocked things over in my haste to flee outside and leave the front door wide open. Friend of the market and James Beard Award Winner Chef Donald Link brings me back there with this super simple recipe. Pick up some Louisiana wild catfish from the market and enjoy!

- Cristina Berthelot, Market Manager

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook or even Twitter and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!