OLYMPIA — The quota count is in and more shrimp fishing is on the way for many marine areas in northern and southern Puget Sound in early June.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced additional opportunities to harvest spot shrimp from 9 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Wednesday in Marine area 9 (Port Townsend Bay, Edmonds, Admiralty Inlet).
This opening is one of the additions to previously announced shrimp fishing dates and times still underway in June.
“In some areas, such as areas around major urban hubs, there is a large demand on shrimp, requiring us to closely monitor and sometime limit fishing to conserve shrimp fishing opportunities for the future,” said Katelyn Bosley, Puget Sound crustacean biologist. “Now that we’ve had a chance to close and count, we are happy to find that in some areas recreational shrimp quota remains, which will allow more people to get out and have another go at catching spot shrimp in early June.”
The exception are areas near Elliot Bay and Bainbridge, Marine Area 10, where shrimp fishing will remain closed.
Beginning today in Puget Sound, the daily limit for shrimp is 10 pounds of all shrimp types, with a maximum of 80 spot shrimp if an area is open to spot shrimp harvest. Only pots with a minimum 1-inch mesh are allowed when retaining spot shrimp. In areas where additional spot shrimp fishing is allowed, pots may only be set or pulled between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
In other marine areas without designated hours, WDFW managers remind shrimpers that traps can be set one hour before official sunrise during any open period. The pots must be removed from the water in these same areas by one hour after sunset at the end of an open period.
A valid 2021-22 combination license, shellfish license or Fish Washington license is required to participate in the fishery.
More information on recreational shrimp seasons, and a description of the marine areas, is available on WDFW’s recreational shrimp fishing section of the website: https://ift.tt/3yRzL4v.
Lower Hoh River to open for gamefish
OLYMPIA — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is opening the lower Hoh River, below the Oxbow Boat Launch for game fish from today through June 30.
The opening goes from the Olympic National Park boundary near the Hoh River mouth upstream to the Department of Natural Resources Hoh Oxbow Campground boat launch.
Statewide minimum size and daily limit is in effect. Wild rainbow trout must be released and cutthroat minimum size is 14 inches. The area is closed to salmon fishing.
Only one single-point barbless hooks are allowed. Bait is prohibited and all wild steelhead must be released.
Fishing from a boat is allowed, but fishing from a floating device with an internal combustion motor is prohibited.
This opening provides opportunity for gamefish while protecting spring/summer-run Chinook salmon, according to the WDFW.
Fishing remains closed on the Hoh River upstream of the Oxbow Boat Launch to the Olympic National Park boundary and on the South Fork of the Hoh River outside of the Olympic National Park boundaries. These sections are scheduled to reopen July 1 under permanent regulations and remain open through August 31.
BUDA, Texas (KXAN) -- A Buda, Texas family is sharing their heartbreaking story after almost losing their young son in a bathtub accident.
Life hasn't been quite the same for 18-month-old Ezera Saucedo since early this year. Just four months ago he was walking, talking and playing with his brothers. But now, he is bound to a wheelchair and IVs, and medications are commonplace.
The McHales held their annual Crab Feast on Sunday, May 23. As usual, son John McHale made it all possible.
I provided the picnic table and the grill.
John arrived with a half-bushel of crabs from Wild Seafood in Jessup and the accouterments necessary for the feast: pop-up canopy, large shade-curtain, 30-inch-wide craft paper for the tablecloth, 5-gallon painter's buckets for shell-trash, two electric fans to keep the bugs away and cool the crabbers, crab knives and Old Bay.
Hotdogs were cooked on the grill.
Family arrived with potato salad, coleslaw, deviled eggs, meatballs, veggies, corn-on-the-cob and other tasty picnic-style vittles.
There was beer.
The guests included my sisters Rosie Nickodemus (who did her first crab) and Stella Thelen (who wouldn't) from Saginaw, Michigan, my local children and grandkids, and a few cicadas.
Neighbors & other good people
The anonymous winners of a $731.1 million jackpot—the largest in Maryland lottery history—finally claimed their prize.
Sandra L. Christensen, 78, active member of Oxon Hill Lutheran Church and Cornerstone Lutheran in Carmel, Ind., died Oct. 13, 2020. She was known for pencil drawings of historic buildings and churches in Southern Maryland. She was the widow of Edward Christianson. Survivors include children, grandchildren and great-grands. Services were in Indiana; burial will be at Arlington.
Town of Morningside
Morningside has two meetings coming up: Work Session, Tuesday, June 8, 7p.m., Town Meeting on Tuesday, June 15, 7 p.m., both at the Town Hall. For information: 301-736-2300.
Karen Rooker, Clerk-Treasurer for Morningside, emailed this information to correct the tax report I had in last week's column:
"The tax increase that is mentioned in your column is from Prince George's County. The Town is not raising taxes. The tax rate is staying the same, however the Town will see a slight increase in revenue because we did not lower the taxes as to receive the same amount as last year. So if someone is paying more, it is due to the increase in property values in the Town not because the Council raised taxes."
Our talented schoolkids
Virtual Talent Show winners at Benjamin D. Foulois, in Morningside, are: Best Overall Performance, Brynn Brown; Most Creative Performance, Madison Streets; Funniest Performance, Solomon Sloan; and Most Challenging Performance, Braxton St. Hill.
Mykha Lizette Floresca and Jaina Dotson, both of Oxon Hill High School, were among 300 students from Calvert, Charles and Prince George's counties to win awards for projects during the 2021 Maryland History Day competition. Mykha placed 1st in Senior Individual Exhibits for her project, "Talking to Ourselves: Blueprints of the Mind." Jaina won for her documentary, "Communication in History: Posters and Protest Signs in the Black Freedom Struggle."
Changing landscape
The New State of the Art Medical Center is opening on June 12 in Largo. It will provide improved access to primary and ambulatory care services, and serve as a tertiary care center for critically ill patients. I'll tell you more about it in next week's column.
There's a big field recently cleared on Auth Road. I think it used to house what I called the Weather Building. Will be watching to see what it becomes.
The cicadas have been singing and the trees are cluttered with exoskeletons. But I've only seen about 10 live cicadas in my yard and am feeling rejected.
A home at 5811 Suitland Road recently sold for $234,000.
One Maryland One Book
OMOB was started in 2007 by Maryland Humanities. Each year a book is chosen, and Marylanders are encouraged to read it.
The 2021 selection is "The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay" who wrote one essay each day over a year and took the time to find delights in everyday life. I'll check it out.
Among my favorite OMOB reads over the years are: (2018) "Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA Evidence," by Tim Junkin; (2015) The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown; and (2013) "King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village," by Peggielene Bartels and Eleanor Herman.
Go to the One Maryland One Book website for a good OMOB selection for your Book Club.
Emma Moreno, worked Presidential Inaugural Committees
Emma Tamez Moreno, 84, of Upper Marlboro, Census Bureau executive, died April 23. She was born in San Antonio and married her high school sweetheart David in 1955. As a military family they were stationed in France, California, Panama City, the Philippines and Andrews AFB.
After moving to Maryland, she worked for the Census Bureau, served as the Deputy Director of the Bureau's Congressional Affairs Office 1992-1996 and as Special Assistant to the Director of the Census Bureau 1992-2000. After retiring, she became Director of Federal Affairs for the League of United Latin American Citizens.
Emma worked with the Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts, multiple Presidential Inaugurals, her local senior center and Brookfield United Methodist Church in Upper Marlboro.
She's survived by husband David, three children, two grandchildren, and her sister, Eileen Laskowski. Services were at Lee Funeral Home with burial in the Brookfield UMC Cemetery. Exploring new places was her favorite hobby.
Milestones
Happy birthday to Fay Norton-Cummings, June 6; Malik Reed, June 6; Trisha Reamy, June 7; Ryan Fowler, John Nichols, June 8; Robin Murphy and Rev. Frank Ways, June 9; Laura Smith Jenkins, June 10; Fannie Dimes and Meghan Trexler Decker, June 11;
Pedro Swann and Jennifer Jenkins McClelland, June 11; Keenus Clark and Shirley Profhit, June 12.
Happy 27th anniversary to former Morningside Council Member Carol (Kline) and Dr. Tom DeGraba, June 4; and to Bucky and Debbie Tretler, their 45th, June 5.
It was simple then, a whole different world back in the late Forties, living in Annapolis, between the Chesapeake Bay, Weems Creek and the Severn River. We were 11, my twin brother Noel and I, and newspaper boys for the then Evening Capitol, so we had bikes as ready for the summer as we were since summer anywhere near the Bay meant crabbing.
The year before, our older brother Johnny taught us how to catch them. At our age we thought crabs looked ferocious, despite their blue back fins and dark blue-green shells. Their claws looked like they could chomp fingers but we quickly learned how to pick them up from behind as some of Johnny’s catch scuttled around our kitchen floor to our mix of laughter and screams.
Noel and I were surprised how easy crabbing was. All we needed besides our bikes was a bushel basket, a crab net with a long handle, a ball of string, a pocket knife and sliced chunks of eel from a bait shop and hot dogs we’d steal from the ice box (that’s what we called the ‘fridge back then).
Off we’d go, early morning, to our favorite spot – a railroad trestle over the Severn and in sight of the Naval Academy and the Bay. (We had favorite piers as well over on Weems Creek.) We made sure we had everything we needed the night before. We would leave our bikes by the bridge (no locks necessary back then), slide down the riverbank and climb out on the structure underneath the train tracks. Not too far from shore, but far enough to drop our lines in deeper water. The crabs seemed to like the cool shadows of the trestle, especially on really sunny days. And we loved the rattle-clatter noise when the B&A train between Baltimore and Annapolis passed overhead. The crabs obviously could care less.
Once we reached a good spot we went to work (I’d call it fun now). We’d cut an appropriate length of string, knot it around a squishy-smelly chunk of eel and drop it in the river, tying the other end to the beam we were standing on. We did this about eight times, spacing the lines far enough apart and using some hot dog pieces on the last two. That done, we’d check to make sure the bushel basket was secure and the crab net handy.
Then we’d wait a bit. Sometimes we could see a line jiggle with some “action” but the real fun was when, checking the lines, our fingers told us we had a nibble. One of us would slowly and gently inch the line up till we could see the crab picking at the bait, right there below us, oblivious to its imminent fate. The other would dip the net and bring it in. Almost as easy as picking an apple off a tree.
We went from line to line and in what seemed like no time at all, even after letting a number of small guys go, the bushel basket would be filled with jittery, blue-green creatures. Getting the basket home was a special problem. We’d wet the catch down with river water, toss in some seaweed and cover the basket with a scrap of heavy canvas; then one of us would have to balance it between bike basket and handlebars while the other managed the rest of our crabbing gear. Happily I can say we never had a spill.
At home, Mom was delighted … until a few crabs escaped the basket and skittered across the linoleum floor. The steamer pot was on the stove and the other crabs were in the sink, getting rinsed before being tossed, very carefully, into the pot.
When it was full, Mom would shake Old Bay Seasoning all over them and they would squirm and claw the air and each other until she poured a can or two of National Bohemian beer (National Boh, to the locals) over them and they would quickly quiet down.
Steaming the catch was the easiest part, the aroma of the seasoning and beer filling the house. All that remained, in the cool of that evening, was a summer crab feast. Newspaper spread thickly over a picnic table in the back yard, little hammers to crack the shells and picks to get to the moist and tasty crab meat, especially in those once scary claws, corn on the cob and, of course, piles of wipes.
Noel and I dove in, feeling as proud as a couple of Eastern Shore watermen.
The cost of damage to India's east coast shrimp farming industry is expected to surpass INR 10 billion (€115.5 million/$137.9 million) in the state of West Bengal alone, after a powerful cyclone hit last week, flooding ponds and destroying crops.
Thousands of hectares of shrimp ponds in Odisha and West Bengal on India's east coast were devastated by cyclone Yaas, which swept in from the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday, according to several shrimp farming experts on the ground in India.
Cyclone Yaas was packing gusts of up to 140 kilometers per hour (87 mph), the equivalent of a Category 1 Atlantic hurricane, as it made landfall, reportsCNN.
Estimates of between 2,000 and 5,000 hectares of shrimp farm destruction were being made in various LinkedIn posts from industry experts, who described the event as "a major blow" for Indian shrimp farmers in the region, who are currently carrying out summer crop stocking.
West Bengal alone accounts for almost 15-20 percent of India's aquaculture exports, according to The Times of India.
Embankments in East Midnapur alone, in the south of the state, were breached in over 130 places, Seafood Exporters Association of India President Rajarshi Banerji told the newspaper.
"Seeding was complete up to 80-90 percent," he said. Most of the shrimp crop had grown and was ready for harvest; 25-30 percent of that matured crop has been lost," he said, adding that the value of this crop loss in Midnapur alone is reliably estimated at around INR 9-10 billion.
"This does not include damage to farms, embankment, infrastructure, tools," he said.
A rescue package is now necessary, according to Banerji, who says damaged farms will not be able to be used for shrimp culture for the rest of the year. "West Bengal was expecting its highest all-time prawn crop of 1 lakh tonne (100,000 metric tons) this year. That prospect is damaged severely."
Raj Somasundaram, CEO and cofounder of Hatch-backed tech startup Aquaconnect, cited "huge losses," while colleague and regional manager Abhishek Dwivedy described 4-5 meter high tidal waters worst affecting Bhadrak, Balasore and Kendrapara, last week.
His estimates of impacted area was 2,200 hectares, but Manoj Sharma, president of Gujarat Aquaculture Feed Dealers Association and vice president of Gujarat Aquaculture Association drove his estimates higher, to 5,000 hectares across the two states.
At least three people died and tens of thousands were made homeless when the cyclone hit, inundating hundreds of low-lying villages, officials said.
It arrives just days after another cyclone tore up the western coast, triggering mass evacuations and piling pressure on authorities battling a deadly second wave of the coronavirus.
In West Bengal, an eastern state that borders Bangladesh, authorities said around 1,100 villages had been flooded by storm surges, leaving at least 50,000 homeless. "But the figure may rise as reports are yet to reach us from interior areas," state minister Bankim Hazra told Reuters.
In neighboring Odisha, around 120 villages had been swamped by heavy rain and sea water whipped up by the cyclone but people in most areas had already been moved to storm shelters, the state's top bureaucrat, Suresh Mahapatra, told Reuters.
Weather officials in Bangladesh said the storm was likely to swamp low-lying areas of 14 coastal districts, bringing tides 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) higher than normal. They advised fishing boats and trawlers to stay in shelter.
While the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh is the largest shrimp producing region in India, Odisha and West Bengal have seen substantial growth in recent years.
It's the second year in a row that India's summer shrimp stocking has been hindered, with a survey conducted among hundreds of India's shrimp farmers last year revealing major challenges throughout the industry.
Then, it was in large part to a slowdown in global shrimp exports and a nationwide Indian lockdown that shuttered many of the country's processors, resulting in a glut of shrimp with no one to process it.
What followed, as lockdowns began to relax, was processors still operating at reduced capacity, resulting in poor market absorption and low prices, Aquaconnect's Somasundaram told IntraFish at the time.
Let’s be honest: Shrimp are great when you don’t actually have to deal with them in their raw glory. All those little legs and shells and veins — who wants to mess with that slippery stuff?
Fortunately, cleaning fresh shrimp is a lot easier than most of us make it. This week we’re going to teach you the quickest method to do it, and explore how to safely store shrimp if you aren’t cooking them right away.
Forget painstakingly peeling off shells by hand and carefully running a paring knife down the shrimp’s back to pluck out the vein — technically the shrimp’s digestive tract and not a vein at all — in a process that can take forever if you’ve got more than a pound to prepare.
The easiest and quickest method to peel and devein a shrimp in one swift movement is as simple as grabbing a fork from your utensil drawer. There’s no need to buy specialty tools or sharpen your knives.
Here’s how it works: Hold the shrimp — this only works if the heads are already removed, as most fresh shrimp are sold in stores — in one hand with the back of the shrimp facing away from your hand. With your other hand, place the bottom tine of the fork under the shell right at the spot the vein appears.
Fresh shrimp are easy to peel and devein with the help of a fork.
Nora Carol Photography, Contributor / Getty Images
Now, just gently push the shrimp along the fork, which will simultaneously clear out the vein and pop the shells off, leaving a quickly cleaned shrimp ready for the skillet, gumbo pot or however you’re using them. There may be a few spots of the vein left, but they’ll be easy to pick out or rinse away under cold water.
There’s good reason to clean shrimp yourself. For starters, you’ll save a dollar or two per pound if you’re willing to do the work. Also, the leftover shells can be simmered into a hugely flavorful shrimp stock perfect for a batch of paella, risotto, fideo, seafood stew or just about anything else where you’d want an intense taste of the sea.
Fresh shrimp are highly perishable and need some special attention if you’re not going to cook them right away. For starters, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it’s only safe to keep them refrigerated for two days at the most, and they have to be in a refrigerator set at 40 degrees or cooler.
Fresh shrimp should be stores on ice in the refrigerator for no more than two days.
Staff photographer file photo
To be safe, fill a colander with ice and set that inside a large bowl. Place the shrimp on top of the ice and cover it loosely with wax or parchment paper and set the bowl in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Be sure to periodically drain the melted ice out of the bowl as you don’t want the shrimp sitting in the water as it melts. Shrimp can be stored in the freezer, but at a cost. Even when well-packed inside plastic bags, they’ll lose some moisture and their texture will suffer once thawed out.
The Europe shrimp market reached a volume of 813 Kilo Tons in 2020. Looking forward, the publisher expects the Europe shrimp market to exhibit moderate growth during the forecast period (2021-2026)
Shrimps are small marine animal with thin and fragile legs. They are generally found near the seafloor, in rivers, lakes, as well as in certain coasts. Shrimps are one of the most flavoured and delicious delicacies from the seafood congregate.
They also play an important role in the food chain and are a vital source of food for larger animals like fish and whales. They are low in fat, high in protein and are a moderate source of omega-3 fats, altogether increasing their demand among the consumers.
The rise in the demand can also be attributed to the benefits they provide like improved bone and brain health, weight management, lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, relieved eye fatigue and lowered blood pressure.
A major catalyst driving the demand of shrimps in Europe are its numerous health and nutritional benefits. Shrimps contain astaxanthin, a carotenoid nutrient that can act as a potent antioxidant and protects skin from premature aging. They are also loaded with selenium, which activates the enzymes needed for healthy muscle metabolism and also activates the enzymes that fight cancer growth.
Moreover, they serve as an excellent source of carbohydrate free food which can lead to weight loss. The demand of value added and convenient shrimp products is also witnessing strong growth. Ready-to-eat shrimp products comprise of products which are cooked, breaded, canned, etc. Most of these products are usually fully processed such as shrimp paste, chips and pickle.
However, some products are half-cooked and require to be baked, fried or cooked like breaded or canned shrimp. The demand for cooked and breaded shrimp has risen over the past years. In Europe, consumers live hectic lives and feel considerable time pressure. As a result, they prefer meals that are easy to prepare and ready to cook. Moreover, there is a rising trend towards more ready-made shrimp products.
Market Summary:
Based on the environment, the market has been segmented into farmed shrimp and wild shrimp. Wild shrimps currently dominate this market.
The European shrimp industry is largely dependent upon imports.
Based on the species, the market has been segmented as penaeus vannamei, penaeus monodon, macrobrachium rosenbergii and others. Currently, penaeus vannamei dominates the market, holding the largest share.
On the basis of product category, the market has been segmented as peeled, shell-on, cooked, breaded and others. Currently, the peeled category dominates the market, holding the largest share.
Based on the distribution channel, the market has been segmented into hypermarkets and supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels and restaurants, online stores and others. Supermarkets and hypermarkets currently represent the biggest segment.
Key Questions Answered in This Report:
How has the Europe shrimp market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the Europe shrimp market?
What is the breakup of the Europe shrimp market on the basis of environment?
What is the breakup of the Europe shrimp market on the basis of domestic production and imports?
What is the breakup of the Europe shrimp market on the basis of various species?
What is the breakup of the Europe shrimp market on the basis of product categories?
What is the breakup of the Europe shrimp market on the basis of distribution channel?
What are the various stages in the value chain of the Europe shrimp market?
What are the key driving factors and challenges in the Europe shrimp market?
What is the structure of the Europe shrimp market and who are the key players?
What is the degree of competition in the Europe shrimp market?
Key Topics Covered:
1 Preface
2 Scope and Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Introduction
5 Global Shrimp Market
6 Global Farmed Shrimp Market
7 Europe Shrimp Industry
8 Market Breakup by Environment
9 Market Breakup by Domestic Production and Imports
ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the results of the 2021 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, which annually estimates the number of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay.
The 2021 results showed that the spawning age female abundance increased from 141 million spawning age female crabs in 2020 to 158 million spawning age female crabs. This year’s survey estimate is above the long-term average of 126 million spawning age female crabs.
“Protecting spawning age females is a critical component to maintaining a healthy and sustainable blue crab population,” Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio said. “We are pleased to report that the cooperative management efforts of our Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions have continued to conserve female crabs within a healthy range.”
Scientists and managers use target and threshold abundance estimates to establish a healthy level of spawning age female abundance based on available historical information. Recently scientists reevaluated the healthy range of spawning age female abundance through a stock assessment analysis and updated the target and threshold spawning age female abundance estimates. This year, the number of spawning age females estimated to be in the Bay is well above the updated threshold of 72.5 million, but slightly below the updated target of 196 million.
The total abundance of blue crab in the Chesapeake Bay in 2021 was 282 million crabs, a below average total for the 32 years of survey results, which is largely attributed to low juvenile abundance. The number of juvenile crabs in 2021 was 86 million, which is the lowest recorded juvenile abundance since the start of the survey. Additionally, the results showed there were 39 million adult male crabs, below the long-term average of 77 million.
Although the specific cause of this year’s low abundance of age-0 crabs cannot be identified, large variations in annual juvenile recruitment to the Chesapeake Bay are normal for blue crabs. After spawning at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, young crabs develop in the ocean over the continental shelf and rely on winds and currents to be transported back into the Bay where they settle and grow. Therefore, annual juvenile abundance is largely driven by environmental factors.
“Blue crab fishery managers will need to keep a close eye on juvenile and male abundance over the summer through our monitoring efforts and to exercise caution moving forward into next year, as these crabs recruit to the fishery,” said Mike Luisi, director of Maryland DNR’s Monitoring and Assessment Division of Fishing and Boating Services.
The Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee will review the survey results and provide their scientific advice for management during their May meeting. Following their advice, DNR will begin discussions with the Blue Crab Industry Advisory Committee to provide guidance concerning the course of action for 2021 that promotes the health of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population and its fisheries.
The Winter Dredge Survey has been conducted cooperatively by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science since 1990, and the results are reviewed annually in an effort to have consistent management efforts across the jurisdictions. Throughout the survey, biologists use dredge equipment to capture, measure, record and release blue crabs at 1,500 sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay from December through March. Detailed results are on the DNR website.
When it comes to controversy in newspaper cartooning, political cartoons got nothin' on a new addition to the Comics page.
At best, and with luck and time, a new comic might eventually earn the affection of readers who begrudgingly accept the deviation from the ancient comic strip status quo. At worst, it could incite enough vein-throbbing villagers and baying dogs to turn any average American street corner into to set of a Frankenstein flick.
Well, you dear, sweet-hearted, highly-intelligent and unbelievably good-looking readers, I'd like to humbly introduce you to “Shrimp & Grits”, an all new nationally syndicated comic strip (drawn by yours truly) that officially launches this week. And if we can all agree to leave the tiki torches and pitchforks in the garage for just a minute, I think you'll like the cast of characters once you get to know them.
There's 7-year-old Shrimp Dubose, whose pursuit of spiritual enlightenment through fishing is being forever interrupted by the internet-driven insanity of modern living. Like a ball of tangled monofilament, Shrimp sees the intrusion of technology into nature as the tragic downfall of humanity and more generally, the most annoying aspect of day-to-day survival.
And the most common agent of that annoyance is her reluctantly adopted pet, a Facebook-addicted alligator named Grits. Whether it’s flirtations with online dating or a website scheme to sell online toilet paper in advance of the next pandemic, Grits is proof that not even the swamp is safe from the invisible tentacles of trending tweets, viral videos and internet advertising.
Along the way, you’ll meet the whole Dubose family (Floridian cousins to the famous North Carolinian Duboses who were immortalized in the panels of my uncle Doug Marlette’s classic Southern comic strip, Kudzu).
There’s Capt. Hugo Dubose: A soft-hearted shrimp boat captain and oyster pub owner raising a daughter who’d rather gut a fish than take ballet class.
There’s Shrimp’s older brother, Crawford “Crawfish” Dubose: A 20-something struggling to keep up with the newfound obligations of becoming a baby daddy and coming to terms with the fact that being “woke” takes on a whole new meaning with 3 a.m. diaper changes.
Shrimp's mama, Molly, died of cancer when she was younger, but she makes regular appearances in the strip by way of a cherished box of letters she wrote to her baby girl to serve as a reliable source of wit, wisdom and male-management instructions to help navigate Shrimp through the murky waters of growing up.
Shrimp’s indomitable granny is there to help, too. “Big Mama” Dubose is a heat-packing, politician-loathing Constitutionalist who can cook, hunt and cuss better than anyone in town. And we can't forget about Big Mama's prize hens, Dolly, Patsy and Loretta; three fabulous, free range ladies with a taste for red wine and George Clooney.
It's all set in the fictional town of Pensaloco — an old-school Florida fishing village that’s stuck somewhere between the old-timey pines of the Panhandle and the bedazzled bikinis of South Beach.
For better or worse, Florida is world famous. Whether through tourism or humiliating headlines, the Sunshine State never fails to provide the rest of the nation with entertainment, and I hope this 100% Florida grown comic is no exception.
As a dude who grew up doodling in this state, there are bits and pieces of many parts of Florida that have seeped into the comic. I still draw the lanky, brontosaurus-necked palm trees that I remember from childhood, poking their heads above scrub along the St. John's River on undeveloped ranch land in Central Florida. The fictional Gulf Coast setting is canopied by the sort of moss-drenched trees that shade much of Gainesville, and Big Mama's front porch looks like something straight out of Micanopy, Milton or Cedar Key, or any number of our state's magical destinations that still stand as vestiges of authentic, Old Florida.
And Pensacola peeps will recognize the dollar bills and moose head on the wall at "Molly's Oyster Pub" as imagery inspired by our famous steak-slinging saloon, McGuire's. (McGuire's first appeared in Jeff MacNelly's legendary strip "Shoe" after the legendary cartoonist visited Pensacola and took part in all three of the pub's advertised pastimes: "feasting, imbibery and debauchery." So maybe continuing the tradition will mean a little luck for Shrimp & Grits.)
But whether you're in Pensacola or Portland; Florida or Finland, the hope is that “Shrimp and Grits” will just be a little humor and home cooking for high speed times. I know we're all getting wi-fi blasted into our brain stems 24-7, but comics are a cool break from all that. Even if it's just for a minute, they give the mind a chance to calmly wander and the eye a chance to focus and pause on one frame at a time.
Besides, who doesn't want to see a comic about a talking alligator who's obsessed with becoming a Kardashian?
And as an added bonus for both readers and the cartoonist, there's no politics! (For the most part anyways, Big Mama has been known to cuss a liberal, or two.)
As important as it is to draw pictures that illustrate just how absurd and fraudulent politicians are, there's way more to life than politics and way more interesting topics than Matt Gaetz.
Shrimp & Grits will be a wander through all the other stuff in life, and candidly, that's a whole lot more fun for the guy drawing the pictures, as well.
Shrimp & Grits is syndicated by Creators.com and it officially launches Monday here at the Pensacola News Journal, Northwest Florida Daily News and Panama City News Herald. If you don't see it in your local paper, break out your tiki torch and raise heck! Or you can just look for "Shrimp and Grits Comic" on Facebook and Instagram to follow along on what Shrimp would describe as your "stupid smart phone."
In other words, don't feed the alligator. But feel free to friend him on Facebook! On behalf of the entire cast of characters, welcome to Shrimp & Grits and we hope you enjoy the visit!
Wait a tick, there’s more. We all know it takes two to tango, and a dearth of males, however, is a cause for mild concern. This year’s survey found just 39 million adult male crabs, almost half the long-term average of 77 million. Although crab managers view the current overall population as stable, it’s understandable how many of us interested in the health of one of the Bay’s most popular species may have some qualms.
Local Flavor loves any event that feeds the giving spirit as well as appetites, and the 30th annual Great Chefs: Take Two fits all that criteria.
The event, set for Thursday, June 3, at 7 p.m., takes place virtually this year. Last year’s three-decade celebratory event was canceled because of the pandemic, but organizers couldn’t let this milestone go unnoticed. They adapted the annual Women’s Resource Center event into a free virtual program.
Great Chefs will present cooking demonstrations from chefs of local restaurants including Paradise Soulfood & Sweets, Colarusso’s Coal Fired Pizza, Andy Gavin’s Eatery & Pub, the Cabin Bar and Grill, and Lackawanna College’s 409 on Adams restaurant.
One dish guests can expect to see is the Cabin’s “Soon to Be Famous” Crab Cakes. Made with jumbo lump crab meat, peppers, scallions and a blend of spices, the crab cakes are a hit at the Taylor restaurant, owner Mike Gentile said.
“They’re pretty popular,” he said. “We sell a lot of them.”
Gentile opened the Cabin in June 2019. All of the restaurant’s food is “freshly made from our family to yours,” he said, and, in addition to crab cakes and other seafood dishes such as ahi tuna, shrimp scampi and salmon dinners, the Cabin’s menu has something for everyone. Gentile said the restaurant is known for its Italian specialties and chicken dishes plus its burgers, wings, award-winning sauces and fresh salads made with a garlic balsamic Parmesan dressing customers can’t resist.
“People come back just for that dressing,” he said.
While sharing fabulous meals is second nature to Gentile, he jumped at the chance to participate in Great Chefs because of its mission and as a way to give back.
“Immediately after they reached out, I said yes and was excited to get involved,” he said. “I’m going into my second year, and when COVID hit, I really couldn’t do anything for the community. This is one of my first times I’m actually able to get out there and offer something. It’s great.”
Featuring WNEP-TV “Home & Backyard” host Jackie Lewandoski, Great Chefs also includes special entertainment and a chance for viewers to participate in an online basket raffle. For more information, to preview basket raffle items and to access to the event, visit greatchefs21.givesmart.com.
The biggest component of the fundraiser, however, is its mission. Funds raised benefit WRC’s safe housing program, which prioritizes emergency housing options for adults and children who are in immediate danger, are in a potentially dangerous situation or are homeless because of violence. It also gives viewers a chance to hear from survivors who benefited from WRC’s services.
The center as a whole provides shelter, a crisis hotline, advocacy and other services to victims, both male and female, of domestic violence, sexual assault and related dangerous situations in Lackawanna and Susquehanna counties. These lifesaving services are imperative to residents and their families, and a fundraiser such as Great Chefs, which offers something to the community while also helping the WRC, is a win-win.
“WRC relies heavily on community support to maintain our services to adult and child victims of domestic and sexual violence,” said Peg Ruddy, WRC executive director. “We decided to go virtual since we could not afford to go another year without fundraising dollars to meet the need in the community.”
The 19-year-old daughter of “Moneyball” writer Michael Lewis and former MTV correspondent Tabitha Soren died in a Northern California highway crash.
Dixie Lewis was a passenger in a car driven by her friend and former Berkeley High School classmate, Ross Schultz, 20, who also died in the Tuesday afternoon accident, according to her family and authorities.
Every Saturday, Chef Mark McEwan, one of Canada’s most celebrated chefs, serves up everything you need for a special weekend meal, including a recipe and expert at-home cooking tips.
My favourite thing about this recipe is that it’s very simple and a crowd-pleaser: it’s rather old-school but never gets old. I did this very dish last week for our family when had our new grandson to the cottage. We went through 60 shrimp in very short order; it was so easy and delicious. But anybody can make this happen!
Shrimps are so simple: just buy 13 to 15 raw shrimp, follow the recipe and don’t overcook. They literally take a minute or two per side. Fresh shrimp are rare in the markets, so the best solution is to buy a quality shell-on frozen shrimp (look for a 20 count per pound or less). The side here is a great use for our asparagus season, which is very short. It’s always good to use local! This particular recipe is bulletproof — and you never have leftovers.
Chef tips:
1. My go-to beverage pairing for this dish is easy: Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Almost any bright white will work, though. A cold lager would work, too. Think of simple pairings.
2. If you want to try another kind of seafood for this dish, scallops are a good substitute: they’re a bit more delicate to cook, but it’s the same process. Just try to not overcook: scallops do very well with a bit of undercooking. This recipe is very adaptable: green onions will work well in place of asparagus. Broccoli is another good stand-in; I cut them in an elongated fashion, incorporating the peeled stalk of the broccoli. Getting a good char on the broccoli is best.
3. Are you a shrimp newbie? Butterflying a shrimp simply means to just slightly open the natural seam on the back so they flare a touch when you grill. Do not overdo it: less is more in this case. Deveining is very simple: all you’re doing is removing the dark vein along the back of the shrimp. Most frozen shrimp are already deveined for retail. Just check each shrimp to ensure they’re clean.
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Charred Lemon Butter, Preserved Chilies, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Grilled Asparagus
Grilled jumbo shrimp
3 lemons, halved crosswise
12 jumbo shrimp (about 2 lb/1 kg)
2 tbsp (30 mL) warm clarified butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, cubed, at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced oil-preserved red chilies
1 clove garlic, minced
leaves from 1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
To make the shrimp, preheat grill on its highest setting. Grill the lemons flesh-side down until lightly charred. Juice 2 of them and set aside the third. Butterfly (or have your fishmonger butterfly) the shrimp without severing one half of the shell from the other. Devein them, splay them open flat, and brush lightly with some of the clarified butter. Char buttered-side down, brush with clarified butter and flip them. Just before the shrimp are cooked through, remove them to a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and toss. As the butter melts, add the reserved lemon juice, chilies, garlic, parsley, and Parmesan; keep tossing until the sauce binds and the shrimp are well-coated. Season, toss again and serve on a warm platter with the 2 reserved grilled lemon halves.
To make the asparagus, preheat grill on high. Snap off the bottoms of the asparagus spears (they will break naturally at the point where they evolve from woody to tender). Blanch the asparagus for no more than 45 seconds in boiling salted water, and then shock them in ice water. Drain and pat dry. Toss in olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and toss again. Grill the asparagus until lightly charred, about 1 minute per side. Arrange unidirectionally on a warm serving platter. Then cover with the Parmesan, sprinkle generously with the fine olive oil, and finish with a scattering of cracked black pepper.
This recipe serves 2.
Chef Mark McEwan is a Toronto-based chef, entrepreneur, mentor and writer of best-selling cookbooks. He is a freelance contributor for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @chef_MarkMcEwan
FLINT, MI — A soup dish known for its distinct taste and ingredients is a hot seller even in the warmer months for the Gumbo Trap.
Gumbo Trap, established in 2017, serves gumbo with chicken and sausage, seafood gumbo with shrimp, chicken and sausage and an elevated seafood gumbo option with shrimp, chicken, sausage and crab legs.
The gumbo gets served over Jasmine rice and paired with sweet honey cornbread.
Princess Greene, owner of Gumbo Trap, prepares the meals at West Court Church of God, 2920 W. Court St., in Flint.
Customers can arrange to pick up their meals from her home. To place an order, visit here, or call 810-546-4760.
When Greene began her business four years ago, she noticed a congregation of customers outside her door and she jokingly referred to her business as a “trap” because of the attention it was getting.
“When I looked outside it was like a line of people,” Greene said. “We had a line of like six or seven cars waiting to get this gumbo and so I was like, oh we are trapping over here so I said, wait a minute, how about I call it the gumbo trap?”
The name has stuck ever since.
Greene said she believes the gumbo does well year-round because there aren’t that many options in the Flint area to get the soup associated with Louisiana.
Customers can order a cup of gumbo for $5, or large for $20.
In the summer, Greene also serves jambalaya, shrimp and catfish po’ boy sandwiches, cod bites, and garlic parmesan fries.
On Sundays, Greene makes a special dish called cornbread soul food platter. It consists of cornbread with roast and gravy packed in the middle and paired with macaroni and smoked gouda, mustard and turnips greens cooked with turkey. The soul food platter costs $15.
“I try to keep it a little light in the summer,” Greene said. “But still the seafood gumbo, that’s always going to be my number one seller.”
Greene is open for business from 1-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Samuel E. Wright, the South Carolina native who famously voiced “Sebastian the Crab” in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and had an acting career spanning five decades, died this week. He was 72.
“My beautiful, strong, loving daddy is off to his next adventure,” one of Wright’s daughters, Dee Kelly, wrote Tuesday on Facebook. “My heart has so much to say but I’m still processing the fact that the light that was and is my daddy will not be able to physically be here with me.”
Born in Camden, South Carolina, in 1948, Wright got his start in acting while a student at South Carolina State University in the 1960s, according to the school, where he helped launch an acting department. A standout athlete, Wright also performed in shows including Tennessee Williams’ “Summer and Smoke” and the Greek tragedy “Medea.”
“Sam was a very kind heart. He was a sweet young man,” said Sandra Salley, who served for nearly 40 years as the drama department’s secretary. “He was very lovable.”
Moving to New York City in 1968 to try his hand on the stage, Wright ultimately landed roles in more than 18 Broadway productions, replacing Ben Vereen in “Pippin” and becoming an original cast member of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” He was twice nominated for Tony awards: in 1984 for “The Tap Dance Kid,” and in 1998 as the original “Mufasa” in “The Lion King.”
There were movie roles as well — Wright played jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie to Forest Whittaker’s Charlie “Bird” Parker in the Clint Eastwood film, and he frequently showed up on the small screen: In the 1970s, Wright portrayed the purple grape in an iconic series of Fruit of the Loom underwear commercials.
In 1984, Wright co-founded the Hudson Valley Conservatory, a performing arts school in Walden, New York. On its Facebook page, the organization announced the creation of a scholarship in Wright’s memory, saying it was “overwhelmed with the love being sent our way.”
But it was in 1989 that Wright received a role that would introduce him — or at least his voice — to new generations: that of “Sebastian the Crab” in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Wright was awarded a best original song Grammy for “Under the Sea,” which also achieved double platinum status.
“As a kid, I was fascinated with ‘The Little Mermaid’ and more so now after learning that Mr. Wright was the voice that brought so much joy into our lives,” said Davion Petty, S.C. State’s alumni relations director.
A family service was held for Wright on Thursday. A memorial visitation was planned for Friday in Walden, New York.
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This story has been corrected. Wright was 72, not 74.
Milton Chamber of Commerce has postponed the Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Festival due to inclement weather.
The festival will now be held Saturday, June 19 around the Milton Historical Society grounds on Union Street.
The event is making its return this year after being cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival was scheduled for Saturday, May 29 but with thunderstorms forecasted throughout the weekend, the chamber decided to push the date back.
Milton Chamber of Commerce has postponed the Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Festival due to inclement weather.
The festival will now be held Saturday, June 19 around the Milton Historical Society grounds on Union Street.
The event is making its return this year after being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival was scheduled for Saturday, May 29 but with thunderstorms forecasted throughout the weekend, the chamber decided to push the date back.
Maryland’s shores welcome back the annual return of the horseshoe crab – Limulus polyphemus — in one of the world’s oldest and largest wildlife migrations.
For an estimated 350 million years, these prehistoric creatures have migrated into Maryland’s coastal bays from their winter habitats to spawn along the coastline and subtidal habitats. Although called “crabs” they are in fact arthropods.
The height of horseshoe crabs spawning revolves around late spring and early summer high tides, culminating on or around each full and new moon in June. On average, one spawning female horseshoe crab will deposit 20,000 eggs into the sand.
The horseshoe crab’s blue copper-based blood is critical for biomedical research — the animals are collected by specially permitted fishing operations, have blood drawn in a biomedical facility, and then are released back into the water.
Also, horseshoe crab eggs are a natural part of the diet for migratory shorebirds preparing to return to their summer nesting grounds in northern Canada.
Despite a horseshoe crab’s armor and menacing tail, they are gentle creatures that do not bite or sting, and can only survive outside of water for a short amount of time.
