It all begins with sourcing the freshest produce the sea has to offer. The 125 miles of coast line on Martha’s Vineyard provides an ecosystem teaming with life.
Sea Bass and warm mermaid farm yogurt
Every season brings a diverse and delightful plethora of fish
Finned Fish
As far as island fishermen are concerned finned fish season begins in late April with the arrival of the alewives. From there follows the mackerel, stripers, sea robins, squid, tautog, sea bass, and bluefish. These species are left to their own devices until the arrival of the late summer tunas and confused tropical fish. The deeper waters off the Vineyard begin to team with yellowfin, bigeye, and bluefin tuna, while our inshore waters fill with bonita and false albacore. Needles to say our Vineyard waters are teaming with delicious, beautiful finned fish.
Shellfish
Vineyard shellfish are second to none. Year round the Vineyard ponds and estuaries are teaming with shellfish species. These bivalves filter our waters and provide some of the most pristine conditions for aquatic life to flourish. The Vineyard boasts oyster farms in three distinct Vineyard estuaries. With island wide anticipation, Tashmoo pond will be home to Tisbury Oyster Company giving us a fourth distinct oyster flavor profile. Oysters, mussels, quahogs, steamers, razor clams, conch, periwinkles are truly what the Vineyard tastes like.
Crustaceans
There is nothing more New England than eating a Menemsha lobster with your closest friends on the beach. We are blessed to have commercial lobstermen in every town on the vineyard. As much as we love lobster, the crab has been under appreciated recently. Often, especially in cooler months, pot fishermen catch a great deal of Jonah or Rock crabs. These crustaceans have a sturdy shell but their sweet, briny flesh is our favorite. They are a quarter of the price of lobster and a mainstay for the adventurous islander.
WHOLE FISH
