Writing a blog is getting easier and a bit more fun; I have had several positive compliments and I have seen a direct link to whatwasI promoted and what was sold (lobster tails sold out).

          This week chicken gets a turn; we sell a lot of chicken; but, first a thumbnail history lesson. Chickens were domesticated about 3500 years ago in Asia. There is hearsay evidence that domestication occurred 6-8 thousand years ago and that Indigenous Americans domesticated chickens as well. Those claims cannot be documented by archaeological proof; but, there is no doubt, the Aztecs domesticated turkeys and they subsequently were exported to Europe and then back to North America. There is a common myth that chickens are cowardly, hence the expressions we use for cowardice like “chicken” and “chicken-hearted; the latest euphemism is TACO trump. TACO stands for trump always chickens out. Despite the use of chicken for cowardice in the vernacular, chickens, especially roosters, are brave and will attack much larger predators and fight to the death to defend their flock!

          Many customers have told us our chicken tastes better than the supermarket variety and have asked why.  There are a number of factors involved: genetics, feed, husbandry and processing.

Genetics: most meat birds are known as a Cornish cross; this is a cross between a Cornish white and a Plymouth Rock white. There blood lines have been selectively bred to yield birds that gain weight rapidly, convert food efficiently, develop large breasts and yield juicy tasty meat. Individual breeders can line breed to produce other characteristics; but basically most chickens start out on an even footing in terms of genetics. At this point there is no genetic modification, gene editing or cloning involved.

Feed: Most meat birds are fed a similar diet of grains, minerals, etc. There is however an opportunity to improve the rations to yield better flavour. Some farms feed anti-biotics as a prophylactic for disease control. There was a feed study done years ago that proved feeding anti-biotics increased the meat yield and it became common practice to feed anti-biotics. Later studies revealed the harm of consistently feeding anti-biotics. Our chickens are not fed antibiotics.

Husbandry: Husbandry is the art and science of taking good care of animals on the farm. Obviously smaller scale farms have more and better contact with the birds than huge corporate factory farms. The key desired outcome is happy chickens in a low stress environment. Stress is the major contributor to poor quality meat. Many farms are still caging chickens; some are free range and many are using a free run system.  The disadvantage of free range rearing is that wild birds are carriers of avian flu and free range birds are more susceptible to catching and passing the virus. Britain has banned free range rearing in commercial flocks and has gone to free run facilities.

Processing  Processing has two parts: one is getting the birds to the abattoir in a low stress method and second is how the carcass is treated after it is killed. Most free –run farms hire people on a quota system to catch and crate the birds prior to shipping to the abattoir. This is obviously stressful to the chickens. Then they are packed into crates that are too small and shipped great distances to large abattoirs—just a little stressful. If you see an open sided truck speeding down 401 in stormy weather, they are not chickens we sell.

          After the birds are killed it is important to chill the carcasses as quickly as possible to retard bacterial growth. Most abattoirs dip the chickens in an ice water bath laced with chlorine. The abattoir we use air chills the birds by hanging them in a large room and blowing cold air over them. The skin tends to be a little ivory coloured instead of bleached white.

          So, our Mennonite Co-op abattoir and  Mennonite farmers near the abattoir check all the boxes to give us quality tasty chicken.

In my next chicken blog I will explain the cuts we carry and the ones we don’t

 

 

            Well that wraps up this week’s blog

         

          I have attached a recipe below for Chicken Supremes

 

 

CHICKEN SUPREMES a La RUSSE

This recipe originated with Jacque Pepin’s recipe for Cornish game hens a La Russe. I have modified it for Chicken Supremes. A Chicken Supreme is a restaurant cut of chicken; it is a skin on breast with the drummette bone of the wing left in place. They weigh about 8 oz. which makes a nice individual serving. Our chicken Supremes are rather special as they come from a Mennonite Co-Op poultry abattoir that chills their birds using an air chill method rather than the common practice of immersing the birds in a tank of Chlorine laced ice water. The birds are raised without the use of drugs and hormones in their feed and in close proximity to the abattoir, so the stress of shipping is minimized.  An unstressed bird is a tasty bird; the skin on these birds will be more golden than white as the chlorine bleaches the skin.

YIELD- 2 portions

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp. each of oil and butter

2       Chicken Supremes

2 Tbsp.      Dry rub for chicken*

Use a prepared rub such as CLUB HOUSE Roasted Garlic and Peppers or Montreal Chicken Spice

METHOD

Ensure you have a non-stick skillet or a cast iron skillet that will hold 2 chicken supremes and another skillet or heavy pot that can be placed on top of the chicken to weigh it down. (I use a non-stick skillet for the chicken, then a circle of parchment paper and a cast iron pot with a heavy rock in it to weigh the chicken down) The chicken has to be pressed down.

Heat the skillet on medium-low heat with the oil & butter. Rub the skin side of the chicken with the rub and place skin side down in the skillet. Brown the chicken until it has a nice dark crust—about 8 minutes. Flip chicken over and put a lid on the skillet and brown for an additional 7 minutes. (no weights) The chicken should have an internal temperature   of 170 degrees F. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

In closing note: we are trying to give you the best bang for your buck and we have introduced several new items that are “good value-good price” and we will be searching for and adding more through out the year. We have a list of bulk specials that save money and our reward system is equal to a 5% rebate.

Regards       

Don & staff

 

 

 

          As you are aware I am an amateur blogger; but I read a professional blogger’s blog and his tip was to talk about your dog as people are always interested in dogs. So, my dog is a west Highland terror; most Westies are friendly but my “Duncan” thinks he is a guard/attack dog with strangers. I have recently changed his diet to raw dog food, which brings up the point that we now sell raw dog food. We carry two types: one is a mix of chicken, turkey and beef in1 lb tubes and sells for $35.00 for 10 lbs. The other is beef, beef organs and some bone meal. It comes in 2.5 lb blocks at 10 lbs for $45.00. Naturally Duncan likes the $45.00 one.

          Next week or so will be Valentines and we have a lobster tail special and other fresh fish from Feb 12 to 15th.

          Last week I mentioned, some ways to reduce food costs.  These include: reducing waste, choose value over price, and menu planning. I discussed reducing food waste as it is probably the most effective. It is estimated that 40% of food is wasted between the farm gate and the table.

          Choosing value over price is also an important tool to save on food. I have tried to create an arithmetic formula for value; but failed miserably.  Basically value means getting the best bang for your buck and that often is reflected in buying good quality at a good price. There is no sense buying cheap hamburger if in the end you have a pan full of water and fat with no flavour in the meat. To quote my red-neck son-in-law

“cheap meat ain’t good”

And good Meat ain’t cheap”

We have a number of bulk specials listed in our website to assist with menu planning and budgeting.  

          I have attached a recipe below that originated from a customer who had purchased a Wagyu steak and found it delicious; but rich. He thought it would be better to serve it as an appetizer to share with friends .

 

STEAK APPETIZER

Yield 12

INGREDIENTS

1 lb              Wagyu steak cut ½” thick (or other tender steak)

                     Salt & pepper to season

1                   French baguette

3 oz.             Garlic butter -- homemade or as purchased

3 oz.             Herbed cream cheese –homemade or as purchased

2 Tbsp                    Ground ginger –freshly ground or as purchased or horseradish

 

METHOD

Gather all your ingredients (mis en place)

If your steak is thicker than required you can slice it thinner or use a meat hammer to flatten it out.

Make or purchase your garlic butter and herbed cream cheese.

Cut 2” medallions from baguette; butter both sides with garlic butter, brown under broiler or toast in a cast iron pan. Hold tented under foil in a 200 degree oven.

Pepper and salt steak, quick fry in hot cast iron pan, set aside in warm oven.

Spread cream cheese on baguette slices, cut steak into 2” x 1” diamonds (to fit on baguette), Place on top of baguette slices, top with 1/2 tsp of minced ginger in a circle the size of a dime.

Serve warm.

         

In closing note: we are trying to give you the best bang for your buck and we have introduced several new items that are “good value-good price” and we will be searching for and adding more through out the year. We have a list of bulk specials that save money and our reward system is equal to a 5% rebate.

Regards       

Don & staff

 

 

 

DONS BLOG #2-26 JAN 20 2026

 

          This is my second attempt at a blog and it is easier to say you are going to write a blog every week than actually doing it. So, I hope this blog is informative and entertaining.

          This is the time of year “those in the know” are supposed to make a forecast on the upcoming year especially on inflation and food pricing. So, I got out the baking soda and lemon juice to clean and polish my crystal ball. Under good lighting I carefully peered into the crystal ball and it was all cloudy. So next, I thought I would try my rear view mirror; 2025 wasn’t pretty when it comes to inflation and meat prices! For 2026 I expect beef prices will spiral up about 5% by August and then level off. I expect chicken prices will rise about 2% over the year. Canadian poultry is controlled under our Supply Management system so you don’t see huge spikes as in beef; just gradual small increments. Pork, lamb and game meats will probably rise about 2% depending on swine flu epidemics and feed prices. Seafood is hard to predict as it is volatile according to the seasons and weather. We took a pretty big hit in the fall of 2025,so I expect stability (except seasonal) for 2026

          Well that is my best guess; but we are living in uncertain times. So, brace yourselves prices are going up. However there are a few things you can do to level or decrease your food costs. These include: reducing waste, choose value over price, and menu planning. I will expand on each of those plans in future blogs.

          In closing note: we are trying to give you the best bang for your buck and we have  introduced several new items that are “good value-good price” and we will be searching for and adding more through out the year. We have a list of bulk specials that save money and our reward system is equal to a 5% rebate.

 

 

Regards       

Don & staff

There is some controversy re. placing stuffing in the turkey vs. cooking it outside the bird. Health authorities seriously frown on cooking it in the bird because of the risk of salmonella contamination. It tastes better cooked in the bird. If you elect to cook it in the cavity of the turkey: ensure that the cavity is very well rinsed; after making the stuffing ensure it is chilled before you put it in the cavity. When you remove the stuffing ensure it has reached an internal temperature of 165-180 f. If you plan to cook it outside the turkey moisten it with turkey or chicken stock, cover it well with foil in an oven proof panand bake to an internal temperature of 165-180 F.

 

YIELD   Fills a 12-15 turkey                                                                       

 

Qty.                 INGREDIENTS

6 Cups             Stale bread torn in pieces

1 Cup              *Cooked wild rice

1 1/ 2 Cups      Onion chopped

1 1 /2 Cups      Celery chopped 1 / 2 “ dice

1 1 / 2 Cups     Sliced mushrooms

1 oz.                Duck fat or butter                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

1 Tbsp             Mixed spices (poultry spice mix or sage and spices of choice)

1 Tsp               Sea salt

1 / 2 Tsp.         Fresh pepper.

 

 

METHOD

Combine bread and wild rice in large bowl. Sauté onions, celery & mushrooms in duck fat, combine with bread, add spices and mix well. Allow to cool then stuff cavity of fowl. If to be used for stuffing in a pan add 1/ 2 cup turkey or chicken stock to moisten.

* Wild rice needs to be well cooked ¼ cup dry will cook to one cup using a 4:1 water to rice ratio. Simmer about 45 minutes until it blooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Cook Black Cod (Sablefish) Easily at Home

by Kyle Lee March 28, 2022

Have you ever tried Black Cod, also known as Sablefish? If you haven’t, then you’re missing some tender and buttery filets in your life. It’s rich in flavors and can be anyone’s favorite, provided that you cook it the right way, of course!

Not sure how to cook Black Cod? Then continue reading this post, and you’ll find some of the best ways to cook this fish to enhance its flavor while preserving its natural texture. You’ll thank yourself for reading this guide before trying out the Sablefish recipe!

WHAT IS BLACK COD/SABLEFISH?

Sablefish is a fish found in the deep waters of the Pacific Coast. It’s also called Black Cod, but for reasons. Some of these are:

This fish isn’t related to the Cod fish in any way. It resembles one of the members of the cod family because of its long slender body.

• Black Cod or Sablefish has black scales on its body.

Due to the slender body like Cods and black scales, it is known as Black Cod. This fish has a high oil content which provides its characteristic buttery flavor. The flavor of this fish also makes it a nice butterfish.

HOW TO BAKE BLACK COD IN THE OVEN

Who can resist an easy-to-prep and straightforward Black Cod meal? Well, at least we can’t! Roasting your Black Cod in the oven is as easy as it sounds, provided, of course, that you pay attention to a few precautionary measures.  

You just have to preheat your oven to 450 degrees beforehand. Then you can add your Black Cod along with your desired taste of seasoning.  You’d like to bake for around 10 minutes. The baking time depends on the size of your filet. Although Black Cod is a very forgiving fish, thanks to the fat in it, you don’t want your Black Cod to be overcooked. Food thermometer is a good investment in this case, especially if you like cooking. When the internal temperature reaches 145 F, you know for sure that your Black Cod is ready. Take out the fish from the oven and transfer it to the serving dish.

The good thing about baking Black Cod or fish in the oven is you can throw in some potatoes, bacon, or any side dishes you have in mind in the oven too. Your side dishes will enhance your experience of the dish; of course, the sides are, in the end, purely up to personal preference. A tip from us, each food requires different baking time. If you have multiple dishes in the oven, make sure you time it well so everything can be cooked perfectly.

HOW TO GRILL BLACK COD IN A PAN

Grilling your Sablefish in a pan sounds slightly more challenging than just baking it. However, once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize that it’s worth every effort you put in there. 

While it isn’t exactly hard per se, it does require a bit more involvement than the baking process. Get your Black Cod filet down to room temperature before cooking it. Just like any other fish, season your Black Cod as you like. Due to the buttery texture, even the traditional salt and pepper are sufficient. . 

After seasoning the Black Cod, oil your pan. Non-stick pan comes in handy here. When the pan is hot, put the Black Cod to the pan, skin-side down, and let the pan do its work until the skin is brown and crisp. This process takes around 4-5 minutes on medium heat depending on the size of your filet. Once the skin is golden brown, turn your fish over the other side and leave for another 3 minutes. If you have a thermometer, you can poke the thickest part of the fish filet to check the doneness. When the internal temperature reaches 145 F, take off the pan from heat and transfer your pan-grilled Black Cod to a serving dish. Grilled Black Cod goes well with any salad. The buttery texture makes your salad meal taste luxurious. 

HOW TO BROIL BLACK COD

Once you’ve nailed down baking and grilling your Sablefish, the next step to bringing out the fish’s flavors is learning how to broil. Like the other methods mentioned above, broiling isn’t a complex task once you get familiar with it.

To put broiling in a more straightforward way, such that even beginners will be able to nail their Sablefish, you’ll have to: adjust your broiler’s (or oven broiler; it doesn’t matter) heat to a high. Next, you’ll have to cover your broiler pan with aluminum foil and place your Sablefish skin-down on the pan. It can take around 10 minutes for the fish to get ready.

You can check whether the fish is raw by inspecting its surface; it should be charred well. Furthermore, you should also be able to insert a skewer with no resistance, even when retracting it.  

HOW TO STEAM BLACK COD

Some people prefer steamed fish to enjoy the pure flavor of the fish. Steamed fish is also a heart-warming dish for a lot of families. Steaming Black Cod is not as hard as you might think. You just have to season your fish according to your liking and place it down in a steamer along with your other components.

Our favorite is to steam Black Cod with soy sauce and a few slices of ginger and garlic. You can also add some Shiitake mushroom for some umami flavor. Add some coarsely chopped green onions on top for extra fragrance. 

Once you’ve set down all your components, boil some water in a pot. Once the water is boiling, put your steamer in on the pot and wait for your fish to be thoroughly steamed. It can take up to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish that you’ve chosen. Pairing your steamed Black Cod with some dipping sauce enhances your meal experience too.

HOW TO SOUS VIDE BLACK COD

Sous vide is a water bath method to cook food in a low temperature for some period of time. Preparing a Sous Vide Black Cod is a slightly more technical matter. You’ll need to season your fish and seal the pieces accordingly (you can use a vacuum sealer to accomplish this task or the water displacement method) after deboning them. 

Once you’ve sealed your seasoned fish, you can place it to cook in water that has been heated to 125 F beforehand for a period of 20 minutes. At this point, your fish is already cooked. That being said, we recommend you to finish it off on a pan, especially if it is a skin-on filet. Take out the Black Cod from the vacuum bag, heat some butter in a pan and lay down the fish, skin-side down on the pan. There you have it, your sous vide Black Cod is complete.

TIPS FOR COOKING BLACK COD

Sablefish have to be handled a little differently when it comes to cooking them perfectly. You’ll have to take care of minor aspects of the process to make sure that it comes out perfectly, for example: 

If you want to leave your Sablefish to marinate or even cook, you should do so in a glass pan as the fish can absorb the metallic feeling of metallic bowls. 

Black Cod, as stated, should be handled a little differently in comparison to other fish; they should be cooked a little longer in comparison to avoid too much softness. 

Black Cod ”gaps” much faster than other fish. Unlike other fish, however, your Sablefish “gaping” does not indicate that it's done. Instead, you should cook it for a long while. Sablefish are hard to overcook and ruin, so you can definitely up the cooking time to ensure that it’s well done.  

THE FAMOUS NOBU'S MISO BLACK COD

Originating from Nobu: The Cookbook, Nobu’s Miso Black Cod recipe is, by no doubt, one of the best experiences you can hope to have with Sablefish. The recipe, which was devised by a Japanese chef named Nobu Matsuhisa, has gained massive popularity for a reason. 

Contrary to its massive popularity, the preparation process is relatively simple. To start off with the recipe, you’d have to soak your Black Cod in a sweet-salty marinade for days on end and broil just before serving. 

It is an excellent recipe for a weekend meal prepared in between weekdays, and it truly brings out all the good aspects of a Sablefish by deeply seasoning it and

INGREDIENTS

Rub

2 Tbsp.                   Brown sugar

1 Tbsp.                   Sea salt

1 Tbsp.                   Black pepper

1 tsp.                      Garlic powder

Meat

2                             Rib or butt pork chops (fatty cut is better)

1/ 2 Cup                 Smoky Apple butter BBQ sauce

 

Method

Preheat air fryer to 425 degrees F. Spray air fryer basket with non-stick spray. Coat both sides of chops liberally with rub. Add chops to basket and cook at 425 F for 5-7 minutes. Turn chops over add more rub and cook for another 5 minutes. Line a shallow oven proof dish with foil, allowing enough foil to enclose chops. Cover foil with a ¼” layer of BBQ sauce, place chops in pan, cover chops liberally with BBQ sauce, close foil loosely over chops and bake in preheated 375 F oven for 7 minutes. Open foil up to expose chops and cook 4-5 minutes under broiler. You want to caramelize the BBQ sauce but not burn it.

 

NOTES RE AIR FRYERS

Air fryers come in various sizes and heating capacity; mine is quite large and cooks hot. You may have to adjust your cooking time depending on your unit.

You can use this recipe in a conventional oven; just allow more time.

YIELD 2

INGREDIENTS

2                             Jumbo shrimp

1 / 4 cup                 Water

1 / 2 Cup                Butter

2 Cloves                 Fresh garlic, pressed

1 / 2 Tbsp               freshly ground black pepper

 

METHOD

Choose a shallow pot or small deep skillet that will hold 2 shrimp without crowding. Remove the shells from the shrimp and set aside.  Add the water to the pan and bring to a simmer, add the garlic and pepper. Add the butter in chunks to melt slowly; do not allow the butter to boil; use a thermometer to ensure you do not exceed 180 degrees F. When butter is melted add the shelled shrimp; the butter should almost cover the shrimp. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes and then flip. Cook about 2 more minutes. Do not overcook; internal temperature should be 120 degrees F.

Serve on top of a perfectly grilled Angus strip loin steak or Angus Rib-eye steak with some of the garlic butter drizzled over the shrimp.

Jumbo shrimps we feature are actually fresh water prawns; they cook up much like Lobster tails. One thing I suggest is that you brine them in a sea salt brine of 1 Tbsp & 2 Tsp. of sea salt per 2 cups of water; this adds a little of the sea flavour they don’t have.

          My favourite cooking method would be to poach them in salted water for about 8 minutes. The internal temperature should be 120 degrees F. Cool them enough to remove the shells, slice them into medallions and serve them warm dipped in drawn brown butter.

          Another favourite is “Butter Poached.”

Servings 2-4

Ingredients

6-8 Cups      Spring mix greens (sub other salad greens to taste)

1-2 Cups      Canadian Cold water shrimp cooked

1 Cup           Vinaigrette dressing—recipe follows

 

Vinaigrette Dressing recipe

Yield 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup               White wine or cider vinegar

1 tbsp.                Dijon mustard

1 / 4 Tsp.                Sea salt, fine

1 / 8 Tsp.                White pepper

Pinch                      White sugar

3 / 4 Cup                Extra virgin olive oil

 

Method for Salad Dressing

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously; refrigerate.

Or use an immersion blender in mason Jar.

 

METHOD for SALAD

Wash greens in cold water, spin dry and place in stainless steel bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Prepare dressing and refrigerate. Chill salad dishes.

Service: portion greens into chilled bowls, add shrimp to cover top. Pour salad dressing over top of shrimp. Garnish with shredded cheese if desired

Servings 2-4

Ingredients

6-8 Cups      Spring mix greens (sub other salad greens to taste)

1-2 Cups      Canadian Cold water shrimp cooked

1 Cup           Vinaigrette dressing—recipe follows

 

Vinaigrette Dressing recipe

Yield 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup               White wine or cider vinegar

1 tbsp.                Dijon mustard

1 / 4 Tsp.                Sea salt, fine

1 / 8 Tsp.                White pepper

Pinch                      White sugar

3 / 4 Cup                Extra virgin olive oil

 

Method for Salad Dressing

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously; refrigerate.

Or use an immersion blender in mason Jar.

 

METHOD for SALAD

Wash greens in cold water, spin dry and place in stainless steel bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Prepare dressing and refrigerate. Chill salad dishes.

Service: portion greens into chilled bowls, add shrimp to cover top. Pour salad dressing over top of shrimp. Garnish with shredded cheese if desired