The Midcoast Fishermen’s Association (MFA) of Port Clyde held its annual haddock bake on August 9. Attendees of the event were welcomed at the door of the Martinsville Grange with appetizers of bacon wrapped scallops and Maine shrimp tarts. Over 400 attended.
Volunteer head chefs Rhonda and Doug Anderson followed these tasty appetizers with a feast of Port Clyde Fresh Catch haddock topped with Maine-shrimp Newburgh sauce, served with a salad, homemade biscuits, potatoes in parsley butter, and tables of beautiful desserts, from homemade blueberry pies to strawberry trifle to chocolate bread pudding.
Among the many attendees was Franco Roi of Saint George. Franco said of the feast, “To me, it was truly excellent. I could taste the freshness of the fish in the meal.” Franco enjoyed his meal so much that he called the MFA two days after the event to find out where he can buy Port Clyde Fresh Catch locally. In addition to the Cod End market in Tenants Harbor – for those who like to cook their own fish – diners who want to support sustainable fisheries management can find Port Clyde Fresh Catch in fine restaurants from Port Clyde to Acadia by visiting www.portclydefreshcatch.com.
In addition to the haddock bake, this month the MFA also starts delivering Port Clyde Fresh Catch seafood to Community Support Fishery (CSF) subscribers on Mount Desert Island. Shares will be available for pick-up from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. each Wednesday through a six-week subscription beginning August 27th and running until October 1. The pick-up location for this CSF will be the MDI Co-op Buying Club in the West Eden Common, Town Hill. People interested in shares should contact Claire Bissell, the MFA’s event coordinator, for more information at claire@midcoastfishermen.org or 372-0628.
All donations from the haddock bake fund the MFA’s work, the last fleet of groundfishermen still in existence between Portland and the Canadian border. More information about the Midcoast Fishermen’s Association is available at www.midcoastfishermen.org.