Gulf Crisis Update

Bummer.

I would like to give a special shout-out to our friends at British Petroleum for crashing our Oyster Tuesday party. For years we have rocked months without "r's" and rolled through over eight hundred thousand oysters from over 13 different "mer-riors," with nary a hitch. The time of year has not mattered, the region has never given us pause. We were here to shuck oysters. We were born for it. We threw festivals to commemorate the bivalve, we threw deals around willy-nilly. Nothing could stop us.

And then along came Jones... Guess who is crashing the party (once again)? We solemnly regret to inform that, in spite of my previous post, we will be forced to increase the price of the Gulf oyster due to the current issue in the Gulf. This will affect our Tuesday special. Please don't start hoarding your canned goods and bottled water just yet -- there is a light at the end of the tunnel. At the moment, we are able to provide Gulf oysters at $1.50 per and at 5.50/9.50 on Oyster Tuesday.

And remember to keep our Gulf fishermen in your hearts and thoughts throughout these trying times. As hard as this experience has been on us, it is nearly insurmountable for many of them. This century has been very unkind to Gulf fishermen, and it is unlikely to get any better.

EFFECTS OF THE OIL SPILL IN THE GULF AND OUR SEAFOOD

Lately, we have been fielding a lot of questions concerning how the tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico affects our seafood supply. We are grateful for everyone's concerns and for the opportunity to address this issue.

First and foremost, it should be noted that blu seafood and bar sources its seafood locally whenever possible. While we like to treat our guests with fresh-caught fish from exotic locations such as the Hawaiian Islands when possible, a great majority of our fish comes from the Eastern seaboard. The North Carolina coast has a wonderful bounty of seafood all year long and we enjoy bringing our guests as much as we can from these waters. At the moment, all of the oil has been contained in the Gulf, and no one is anticipating our waters being affected.

However, one of our most popular menu items is oysters, and we sell hundreds of Gulf oysters per day. The Gulf of Mexico supplies nearly 67% of our nation's oysters, and Louisiana provides a large percentage of them. Our primary seafood distributor -- Inland Seafood -- expertly deals
with oyster farms and, as one is shut down due to this calamity, they are sourced from another one. Every oyster farmer out there knows to pull their beds before there is even the slightest chance of danger, so there really is no chance of shucking a 30 weight oyster... never you fear. However, this eventually should affect the market's supply.

In the meantime, we continue to provide Gulf oysters while we can, but have plenty of oysters from cooler climes. Expect to see lots of Chesapeake and Canadian (and even a few gigas from the West Coast when possible) throughout the summer, and hopefully we will be spared from the effects of this tragedy.

But we should keep in our minds those who are not so lucky. There are many families that are dependent on the bounties of the sea who will be devastated by this. We can only hope that there are people out there who are put into position to make sure this never happens again, and who are able to 'fight the real enemy.'

Happy as a Clam...

See what's in my hand?







Stay tuned for more clams!

COCKTAILS!!

That's right, I said COCKTAILS!!!

If the video above does not appear, please click here to view. Trust me, it's a keeper.

And Mango Mojitos aren't the only stars of the party this season. The barstaff at blu seafood and bar are rocking the Spring season of 2010 with an all new Mojito and Margarita Bar!!! That's right, you can chose from several different options to flavor your margarita or mojito. Try out some pomegranate, peach, elderflower, and much, much more. There's word of adding coconut to the mix, so keep posted.

DOLPHINFISH

Since our menu changed in April, and our last post was posted, we have been flooded with e-mails and phone calls with concern about our new menu item: Annatto-Rubbed Dolphinfish over Cuban Black Beans with Mango Salsa. Most of the concern has arisen due to people's love for dolphins, the cute mammal from the sea, and how we could dare serve a fillet of one here in Durham.

Rest assured, no one is eating Flipper. DOLPHINFISH is the Floridian name for the fish commonly referred to as "Mahi-Mahi." In fact, Coryphaena hippurus is known by many names across the country, and across the planet as well. The Hawaiian name -- and most common along the mid-Atlantic states -- is "Mahi-Mahi," while Californians refer to the same fish as "Dorado." Other cultures have many other names for it, including rakingo, maverikos and calitos. But blu seafood and bar's cuisine is deeply aligned with not only the Floridian style of cooking, but more specifically, Key West cuisine. And in Florida and the Keys, Dolphinfish reigns supreme on seafood menus.

Our Dolphinfish is caught fresh off the coast from Virginia all the way down to Florida, with much of it coming off the shores right here in the Old North State. So while you can enjoy Mahi all up and across North Carolina, be sure to drop in to blu seafood and bar to get your fresh fillet of Dolphinfish.

Dinner starts at five.

ANNATTO -- Seed of the Gods

Four times per year -- about every season -- the menu at blu seafood and bar changes to reflect the new bounty of fresh produce and seafood. For many, these quarterly occasions are highly anticipated and marked with great expressions of joy. blu employees are especially excited, as it gives us the opportunity to work with new ingredients and preparations that keep us on our toes.

One such ingredient is ANNATTO, which could be regarded as one of the most versatile ingredients on the planet. So versatile, in fact, that it wasn't until recently that it was used for cooking.

The annatto seed is a derivative of the achiote tree, which grows in tropical regions of the Americas. The earliest recording of its use stretches back to Brazil, where it was used as a body paint. The tribes in question believed that the annatto seed held powers that, when used as a body paint during ancient ceremonies, would protect the tribes from evil spirits. Insect repellent was another popular usage. Annatto was also used by Aztecs for painting and recording manuscripts.

It is believed that the Jamaicans, around the 18th century at the earliest, are the first to use annatto in food preparation. They are noted for using the ingredient for both a food coloring and a cure-all for upset stomachs. It was later used to color cheeses, particularly cheddar and brie, giving them the darker colors to which consumers had grown accustomed. (It should be noted that less ethical cheese dealers would color lower grades of cheese with annatto so that their goods could be passed off as higher grades of cheese.)

But the annatto's versatility lends itself to much more in the kitchen. Its taste is subtle, often remarked as being earthy, peppery, and a whisper of sweetness. Its aroma is strong, also peppery and offering a hint of nutmeg. Although it's primarily used as a natural food coloring, the subtlety of its flavor often adds depth to foods with Carribbean flair.

If you are dying to discover what all the fuss is about, blu seafood and bar can give you an immediate annatto fix. As of April 7, blu is featuring on its Spring menu: Annatto-Rubbed Dolphinfish with Cuban Black Beans and Mango Salsa. Chef Tim Lyons has takes the annatto seed, forms it into a paste, then mixes it with sour oranges and garlic. This mixture is then brushed onto the fish before it is pan-roasted. The flavor is not too overpowering, but your first bite will definitely transport you to Latin America. And it's also worth it to note that, thanks to the powers of the achiote, your dolphinfish will be completely free of all evil spirits.

Dinner starts at five.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

One of our nation's most popular fine dining traditions is Oysters Rockefeller. This baked oyster dish appears on many seafood menus across the nation and nearly all of them feature fresh shucked oysters, parmesan, bacon, and spinach. But what do we really know about Oysters Rockefeller? Where did it get its name? And would you be surprised to know that the dish you are ordering is perhaps not the real Oysters Rockefeller?

Oysters Rockefeller was created in 1889 in New Orleans, by Jules Alciatore. Jules' father, Antoine, is the namesake of the world renown French Quarter restaurant, Antoine's. Since 1840, Antoine had been serving Snails Bourgignon, an homage to his French homeland. However, at the turn of the century, after his son Jules had taken over the restaurant, there was a shortage of snails in the US. That, combined with a decline in the American taste for escargot, led Jules to search for a compromise. In 1899, Jules substituted fresh local Gulf oysters for the snails, and Oysters Rockefeller was born.

The recipe for Antoine's Oysters Rockefeller is a closely guarded secret. So secret, that only the family members know it and over the course of the last 100 years, no one has divulged even a hint. What is known is that Jules wanted the dish to have a green color, so as to represent greenbacks. Also, the richness of the sauce led to the name of the dish, which honored the richest man in the US at the time: John D. Rockefeller. However, the Antoine's version of the Rockefeller does not include spinach, like all imitators do. No one knows exactly how the green enters the dish, but it is commonly argued that the color is provided by the presence of scallions, parsley, watercress, or perhaps all three. A little Herbsaint (an anise-flavored liquor resembling Pernod) is added in the baking, as well as cheese and a thick butter sauce with bread crumbs. At Antoine's, they are listed on the menu as Huitres en Coquille a la Rockefeller.

What we commonly order at just about every other restaurant is actually a variation on the Italian oyster dish Ostriche alla Fiorentina, which notably uses spinach.

Here at blu seafood and bar, we proudly serve our Oysters Rockefeller with freshly shucked oysters from Appalachicola, Florida. For the topping, we reduce shallots and white wine, reduce heavy cream, add fresh spinach and parmesan cheese, then puree the mixture. That is ladled over the oyster while still in its half-shell, then topped with rendered apple-wood smoked bacon and freshly grated parmesan-reggiano cheese. A squeeze of lemon and a few minutes under the broiler are all that's left and voila: Oysters Rockefeller!

HINT: An order of Oysters Rockefeller is only $5 if you order it during our Happy Hour from 5-7 at the bar at blu. And when the menu changes for the Spring on April 7, Oysters Rockefeller will still be on the menu!