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03 Dec
Virgin Oysters Rock!!
Posted by jules
These days you have a lot of choice when it comes to oysters. The New South Wales and Victorian coasts are dotted with oyster farms, Tasmania pumps out some pretty nice product and even Queensland has some nice rock oysters. But of all the regions you can buy oysters from, CoffinBay in South Australia would have to be one of the standouts.
Oysters thrive in waters of high quality, and if there is one thing thatCoffinBay has over most waterways it is its nutrient rich, pristine waters. CoffinBay enjoys an upwelling of nutrient rich water from the Southern Ocean and a lack of inflow from inland rivers ensures that land based pollutants, metabolites and particulates don’t diminish the water quality.
But water quality isn’t the only thing an oyster needs to reach your table with a high level of quality. How the oyster is handled and processed is also extremely important. We make sure that the oyster processor or farmer has the highest level of accreditation, including AQIS and HAACP where possible. And then it’s important to identify the type of pacific oyster you want. The Virgin Pacific Oyster is the oyster that really stands out in the crowd. The ‘Virgin’ oyster fromCoffinBay is a small oyster displaying excellent meat to shell ratios’, a soft velvety texture, sweet salty aftertaste and a fresh smell. At Joto, we prefer the 14 month old oysters as they offer the right size for most menu purposes (about the size of a Sydney Rock Select).
We have selected as our preferred supplier an oyster farm that exports their oysters all over the world, and their oysters have been independently judged and have won numerous industry awards.
I have been out visiting Sydney restaurants over the last six months, and I have found a disturbing trend that I feel I need to mention. It comes down to the very core of my personal values, and those Joto is founded upon.
For those of you who have dealt with Jules, Joto and our family over the years, you would know that we always operate in an honest manner, with a high level of personal and professional integrity. We do not offer under-the-table kickbacks, we don’t supply anything but the best products, and we correct any mistakes we make when invoicing or weighing your fish.
Not all suppliers share these same values. One example is offering a service where they charge only ‘whole fish weights’, and then they clean or fillet the fish for the customer. In this situation, the customer implicitly relies on the honesty and integrity of their fish supplier.
An example of this practice is where the supplier sells Barramundi fillet. The supplier invoices the whole weight of the Barramundi, say 4kg, and then provides the customer the fillet. The customer should, based on the average filleting ratio, receive 50% or 2kg of fillet at the end of the process.
However, when we checked with several of our customers, we discovered that often the return on their fish was significantly less than 50%. The difference was sometimes in excess of 10%. This means that some suppliers are adding a 10% to 20% ‘hidden cost’ and passing it on to their customers.
What does this mean? It means that when you compare the prices of two suppliers; make sure that you are comparing apples with apples. If the prices seem too good to be true, they probably are. In this case it is what they do after they get the fish that makes the difference.
If you have been approached or are using a supplier where you feel they may be misleading you, please contact Daniel on 0424 163 886 and he will assist you in assessing the situation and identifying any deceptive or misleading behavior.
1.Are you comparing apples with apples?
2.Why are they offering you ‘whole fish weight’ supply?
3.If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.
Something has been weighing on my mind for some time, and I know that it is an issue to many chefs; sustainability. In an environment with so much competition, financial challenges and financial pressures, who has time to think about how their fish is caught and where their fish comes from?
The challenge here is finding sustainable fish species that are consistently available at a reasonable price. Over the long term this can be a very difficult thing to achieve.
If we consider aquaculture to be a ‘sustainable’ practice (and this is debatable) then you have a lot of options:·
Hiramasa Kingfish·
Suzuki Mulloway
Farmed Barramundi
Farmed Tiger Prawns
Farmed Southern Bluefin Tuna
Oysters
Victorian farmed roe-on Scallops
Farmed Rainbow Trout
Farmed Atlantic Salmon and Ocean Trout.
to name a few.
Farmed products can vary in how ecologically considerate they are; another option is to purchase fish from well managed wild fisheries.
Australia has worlds’ best practice countrywide.All States have specific guidelines on catch method, by-catch management, licensing and quotas. Unlike many international fisheries, we have well funded fisheries departments collecting real-time data showing stocking levels – this is very important. In most Asian fisheries, it’s “all in until all gone”. Fish sourced from local producers is definitely more sustainable.
You can also buy from Marine Stewardship Council approved fisheries. There are 38 MSC certified fisheries globally.
Australia has just two; the WA Rock Lobster fishery and the Coorong and Lakes fishery in SA.
New Zealand’s Hoki fishery is also MSC certified.
You have choices and you should be discerning, but at the end of the day, Australian fisheries are managed well above the international norm.
This summer, the big issue for Chefs will be getting the most benefit out of your dollar. One of the best things you can do to minimise your fish cost is to take advantage of the market conditions and run a few fish specials.
Joto’s specials allow you to take advantage of your suppliers over-ordering, or market price variations. In addition, specials are often the fish that has just arrived at the Markets or to the factory, and can quite often be the freshest of the fresh fish available which translates to longer shelf life. So check out your Joto Specials, currently sent out to you by fax and email on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
IMPORTED PRODUCT
At the present time Joto Fresh Fish is trialing Sashimi Grade Tuna from Indonesia. The value proposition is generally high, given the consistently high price of local tuna. So there may be a place for fresh fish imports from countries like Indonesia, as long as quality is maintained.
It’s been a long winter this year, and a challenging one as well. Quotas have been changed, fish that we expected to be present hasn’t materialized, and the weather has wreaked havoc on supply.
Fish from New Zealand has been particularly problematic this year, and much of the East Coast of Australia has suffered storms and high winds.
What has this meant in buying terms? Simple; Low supply and higher prices. And often we end up having to pay top dollar for quality stock which can cause some price challenges later.
And that’s the challenge, buying fish at the right price for you, our clients, whilst still maintaining the highest level of quality under Joto’s strict guidelines.
So we buy longline fish where possible, even if the ‘iki’ net caught fish is available. Longline fish costs more, usually between $2 and $3 more, but the shelf life and quality is much better.
And here’s the rub. If I buy snapper at $2.50 higher than the cheaper stuff, the fillet cost will be $6.65 more than the guy down the road buying ‘lower quality ‘iki’ snapper.
So keep this in mind. When someone walks though your door offering to undercut your supplier, ask yourself: do they share your commitment to quality and serviceor are they just offering you cheap fish?
Why don’t you meet me at the markets one day and have Jules or Dan take you on a tour?
If you would like to visit the markets with your staff, groups of up to 5 people are welcome. Just call Daniel Vautin and make an appointment. I would love to see you there.
The Eyre Peninsula of South Australia, encompassing the Spencer Gulf, Gulf St Vincent and the West Coast up to Ceduna, is inarguably the best managed fishery in Australia.
If you haven’t been down there, you can expect to see some of the cleanest waters in the world, a spectacular coastline, and a passionate people. And this is illustrated by the fantastic seafood they provide us every day.
The South Australian King Prawn season is a perfect example of exemplary fisheries management. Trawlers have strict conditions imposed, including restricted mesh sizes to reduce by-catch, the use of ‘crab bags’ to reduce impact on mega-fauna, only fishing at night and generally over shorter periods than other prawns fisheries, and fishing in waters over 10m.
The ‘crab bags’ are an excellent innovation along with short (usually 1 hour) shots. This means that the catch is on deck and immersed in seawater and then sorted very quickly. By- catch is removed and back into the water much faster than other fisheries ensuring a much lower mortality rate.
By reducing when and where the trawlers can operate, and regulating
the methods used, the South Australian King Prawns industry has set the bar for other prawn industries.
So if you’re thinking of putting prawns on the menu, why not give the Western King Prawns (Melicertus latisulcatus) from the Eyre Peninsula a try.
Call me to discuss this product, and many of the other beautiful prawns for your spring menu.
The season for Tasmanian commercial scallops is upon us. Finally, those tasty and tender scallops, with the beautiful deep shells and bright orange roe are available to ponder their short lives on your customers table.
The season is expected to be a short one however; with only two paddocks available for harvest at the start of the season and barely two more at the end (should they show signs of being ripe for harvest).
If we can not get fresh scallops, we will be able to get some frozen product, which still maintains a high level of quality and, on a slow defrost, hold their colour and weight well.
So if you want to special something special like Spring Bay Scallops in the half shell, get on the phone and call (02) 9557 0533 to pre-order for Thursday delivery.
Don’t delay; stocks are severely limited this season.
Please be advised that due to new quota restrictions in South Australia, vongole will not be available in commercial supply until mid-October at the earliest. We are looking at alternative products at the moment, but there are currently no options that we feel will meet our quality standards.
If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to discuss an alternative ,ollusc, please contact Daniel Vautin on 02 9557 0533.
Good riddance winter and hello spring. The sun is shining once again and now we look at what beautiful and fresh seafood will become available to temp your customers.
So what can you expect to put on your menu and what will you put on your Specials Board?
For the menu: you have a great number of options, and generally it is advisable to go with farmed products because they are more consistent. So here’s the low down on your menu staples:
Farmed Atlantic Salmon from Tasmania – prices will be stable and fish will be well conditioned.
Barramundi from WA, Qld, Bali and NT. Have you tried the Cone Bay Barramundi? Wild Barra will likely drop off during this period.
Blue Eye Trevalla is generally available, but you will have to wait for the NZ quota release on Oct 1 to see prices settle.
Coral Trout peaks during Spring, so it can be a menu option but you need to plan ahead for the fish to be delivered by the box from Townsville and Cairns.
John Dory, that spectacular fish should be plentiful, although prices are expected to remain high.
Farmed Silver Perch should be available and consistent.
Also farmed Yellowtail Kingfish and Suzuki Mulloway will be plentiful as the farms gear up for the inevitable upturn in demand during summer.
Snapper: Pink, Goldband and Ruby should be plentiful, although I would keep your menu non-specific.
Ocean Trout will remain available and of consistent quality.
Tuna – Big Eye Tuna peaks during spring but be prepared to supplement with imported and/or frozen product at times.
Farmed Plate Barramundi (600g to 800g) and Plate Snapper (400g to 500g).
Flathead – but be prepared for a high level of price volatility.
For your specials board: expect plenty of King George Whiting and Sand Whiting, Mahi Mahi, Ocean
Jackets, Spanish Mackerel and Grey Mackerel, Red Emperor, various reef fish, Deep Sea Bream (Morwong), Red Fish, Whole Sardines, Wild Mulloway (Jewfish), various Flounders, Garfish and so on.
Vongole should be back on in October and good quality mussels with thick meat and shells. Also the Blue Swimmer Crab season peaks in October to November, and all the other crabs (excepting spanner) should be plentiful.
Lobsters will be tricky in September but mid November will see the big volumes come through. And expect some HerveyBay scallops to come though shortly.
When changing your menu, your best bet is to call Jules or Dan at Joto Fresh Fish and get some expert advice. Plan spring with your fishmonger so that you can continue to satisfy your customers with the best product available.
Joto Fresh Fish and the team are honored and proud to have so many of our customers recognised at the 2009 Good Food Guide Awards.It’s great to see that all your hard work and dedication to fine produce and service has paid off.
So congratulations to Joto’s finest chefs:
Restaurant of the Year: Quay
Best New Restaurant: Berowra Waters Inn
Three Hats: Bilson’s, est., Marque, The Pier, Quay & Tetsuyas
Two Hats: Aria, Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Buon Ricordo, Berowra Water s Inn, Guillaume at Bennelong, Level 41, Lucio’s, Pilu at Freshwater, and Restaurant Balzac.
One Hat: Bistro CBD, The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay, Civic Dining, Flying Fish, Glebe Point Diner, Grand National, Longrain, Milsons, Otto, Pier Tasting Room, Restaurant Arras, & The Wharf.
The Silver Service Award: Lucio Galletto of Lucio’s
We all know how tough it has been for you to balance the cost of obtaining top quality produce with current economic pressures, such as rising interest rates and contracting margins.
So a pat on the back from the boys here, and we look forward to helping you do it all again over the next 12 months.
