MEICHIADAI – Gray Large-eye bream
Meichidai is not a widely known fish in the seafood market, but it is one of the best fish during the summer season. Many white meat fishes, such as Madai, have less fat content in the summer, and this lowers its quality of taste. However, for Meichidai, summer is when it has the most fat and tastes the best. Meichidai is a rare fish on the market, but when it is available, we use the “Asajime” method the same morning and ship it.
知る人ぞ知る夏の一押しの魚です。真鯛など脂が落ちる夏に脂がのるメイチダイは大型でも40センチまで大体700グラムが福岡から出る一般的なサイズです。貴重な魚のためなかなか手に入りませんが、入荷がある時は活魚を朝締めで出荷します。
HAMO – Pike conger
Many rivers flow into the Shiranui Sea of Amakusa where pike eel, growing in a location with ample food thanks to the freshwater, are called golden pike eel and have excellent marbling. Fished by long-line, pike eel here is known for quality far-exceeding the rest of the nation.
天草の不知火海はそそぐ川が多く、淡水の影響により餌が豊富な場所で育ったハモは黄金ハモと呼ばれ、脂ののりが最高です。はえ縄漁で獲られたこのハモは全国で抜き出た品質が知られています。
ANAGO – Sea eel
Anago that is raised on the western offshore of Tsushima with abundant, high quality food, has a larger body than the common anago with better fat content as well. It really is the golden anago like its name says.
対馬の西沖でとれたアナゴは良質な餌を食べているために魚体が大きく、脂がよく乗っている黄金のあなごです。
TACHIUO – Beltfish
Beltfish are caught throughout the year and it is said that their texture and flavor do not vary much depending on the season. However, its spawning period is between June and October, so it is generally considered most delicious around that time as well. We hope you will try out our very fresh beltfish as sashimi or sushi. While it has the fattiness like fatty tuna, it also has a plain and light flavor that we recommend having with ponzu sauce or other condiments. Lightly grilling it on the top will also bring out a new delicious flavor.
年間を通して漁獲される魚で、季節によって身質や味は大きく変わる事は無いといわれていますが、その産卵期は6～10月という事もあり、一般的には食べ頃もその頃に重なると言われます。鮮度が高い物は、ぜひ刺身やお寿司でお試し下さい。トロのように脂がのっていながらも、あっさりと淡白な味わいには、ポン酢や薬味などを合わせて食べるのがおすすめです。また炙っても違う美味しさが味わえます。
KAWAHAGI – Filefish
Thread-sail filefish and black scraper fish (membo in the local dialect) with long faces are caught in the Chikuzen waters. The name kawahagi (peel skin) comes from the preparation that requires the skin to be removed. Catches of black scraper fish (horse-faced scraper) have increased in recent years and are an ingredient for processing dried fish. Sashimi and braised preparations are favorites, but nabe-pot preparations are also popular. The full, round flavor of their liver is also coveted.
筑前海ではカワハギと、顔が長いウマヅラハギ（方言：メンボ）が獲れます。カワハギの名は「皮をはいで調理する」ところからきています。身は刺身・煮つけにして美味しく、なべ物などにもします。
またキモ（肝臓）はその濃厚な味わいが珍重されています。
ISAKI – Japanese Grunt fish
The best season for Isaki comes around early summer, which is when Isaki ride the Tsushima current through the offshore area of Iki Island and arrive at the Chikuzen Sea to lay eggs. Isaki travel in flocks, and these flocks are often seen in places like artificial reefs. It is a white meat fish with a unique flavor and the perfect amount of fat, which can be enjoyed especially with the large-sized Isakis.
イサキは産卵のため、対馬暖流に乗って壱岐沖を通り、旬を迎える初夏頃に筑前海にやってきます。身は白身で、特に大型のイサキは、特有の風味と適度な脂の乗り具合でたいへん美味しく、刺身・塩焼・ソテーで賞味します。
SUZUKI – Japanese Sea bass
They are a light white fish which is ideal prepared as arai (a washing technique used to shed extra fat), grilled with salt, or in the French meuniere style.
白身魚の代表格です。洗いにして食べられたり、焼き物に良く使われますが、フレンチでも良く使われる素材でもあります。クセのない味わいは、納得の美味しさです。
ISHIDAI – Rock porgy
Thinly sliced striped beakfish is translucent with a firm texture, an ever-delicate sweetness, and an “Umami” flavor. It has a much richer flavor than Japanese sea bass and flathead, the most notorious of summer fish. Ways to enjoy this fish include: “Arai” style slices, simmered fish, steaming, salt-grilling, meuniere, and “Ushiojiru”salt broth. Also good is to remove the skin, boil and make thin slices with a garnish of julienned ginger and scallions with lemon juice, or wrapping them on bamboo skewer and grilling until crisp, seared with soy sauce or salt and lemon juice.
薄造りにしたイシダイの身は透き通り、歯ごたえがあってほのかな甘味と確かな旨味が広がります。同じく夏魚の代表のスズキやコチよりも濃厚な味わいです。洗いや煮付け、蒸し物、塩焼き、ムニエル、うしお汁などでどうぞ。皮はゆがいて細切りし、ねぎしょうがの千切りをあしらってレモン汁で、あるいは竹串に巻いてカリカリに焼き、醤油をたらすか塩とレモン汁でも。酒の肴に最適です。
ISHIGAKIDAI – Spotted knifejaw
Sliced spotted knifejaw is a delicious white-fleshed fish very similar to madai (red seabream) with a tough and springy texture that makes it very chewy and gives it a light fragrance of the ocean when served as sashimi. When the white flesh is dry-aged, it becomes surprisingly fatty with strong umami, and tastes particularly delicious between the skin and flesh.
石垣鯛の切り身は真鯛と非常に似た美しい白身ですが、硬く引き締まっており刺身にすると強い歯ごたえとほんのり磯の香りが感じられます。その白身は成熟した魚のものは意外なほど脂がのっていて旨みも強く、特に皮と身の間が美味です。
ISHIGAREI – Stone flounder
Stone flounder in the summer is known for being very fatty and delicious. The transparent white flesh has just the right chewiness that makes the flavor spread throughout your mouth every time you chew. The firm and chewy texture is very fresh in your mouth, making it suitable for the summer. We hope you will give it a try.
夏のイシガレイは脂がのっていてとても美味しいことで知られています。透明感のある白身には適度な弾力があり、噛みしめるたびに美味しさが口中に広がります。シコシコとした食感が涼やかで、夏ならではの味わい。是非お試し下さい。
KISU – Smelt / Whiting
Kisu, which migrate toward towards the shore to lay their eggs, are allowed be caught beginning in May, and from that time you can see lots of fresh fish of this species in stores. Kisu prefers the clean sands at the bottom of the ocean. The beautiful waters around Shiga Island abound with high-quality kisu. To maintain the freshness of this fish, fisherman learn the technique of releasing the hook from the fish without touching it.
産卵のため岸近くに回遊してきたキスを獲るそうごち網・流しさし網漁業が5月に解禁されて、新鮮なキスが店頭にならびます。きれいな砂の海底を好む魚で、綺麗な海が広がる志賀島は良質なキスが良く穫れる漁場となっています。
MAGOCHI – Flathead
Flathead – summer’s premier fish – is also known as tessanami when prepared as a thinly-sliced sashimi. They are coveted for their flavor that rivals that of blowfish. Flathead is delicious when prepared as tempura or as a fish hot pot.
夏を代表する高級魚。真ゴチは薄造りの刺身は別名「テッサナミ」と呼ばれ、河豚（ふぐ）に匹敵する美味しさであると評価されています。天ぷら、ちり鍋も絶品です。
HIRAMASA – Yellowtail Amberjack
This fish doesn’t have as much fat as Buri, but has more fat and “umami” content compared to kanpachi.
ブリほど脂は多くなく、カンパチよりも脂、旨みが多い魚で、鮮度の良い物は刺身でこりこりした食感を、一日ほど寝かしたものは、まったりとした旨みを味わえます。
YAZU/INADA – Young Yellowtail
Yazu is a “Shusseuo” name of young yellowtail in Fukuoka area market. It has less fatty meat compare to Buri. It has elegant sweetness and satisfying texture.
ブリの若魚で、地方によっては違う呼び名になります。脂が乗ったブリに比べるとさっぱりとした爽やかな味わいで、ハリのある食感が特徴です。価格も手頃で刺身・照り焼・から揚げなどが美味です。
TOBIUO – Flyingfish
Tobiuo is in season. The market price of this fish is reasonable all year long. Tobiuo sashimi is very delicious. Other recommended cooking methods for this fish is to eat it as dried fish or as “Namerou” (a type of “tataki”)
トビウオが美味しい季節です。手頃な価格で買える魚です。刺身にしても十分に美味しく、その他干物などにも良く使われます。なめろうなどにしても美味しさを味わえます。
SAZAE – Turbo cornutus
Although turban shells have horns, those caught in the calm-waters of the inland sea have smaller one or have none at all, while those from the open seas have larger horns.
In Fukuoka Prefecture, research is being conducted on mass-producing farm-raised spat in order to increase resources. Although shell-grilling is the most common way of enjoying turban shells, they can also be enjoyed as sashimi or marinated in vinegar.
サザエの殻にはつのがありますが、波静かな内海のものはつのが小さかったり、なかったりしており、外海のものはつのが多くなります。福岡県では資源を増やすため、人工稚貝の量産研究を続けています。
サザエといえば壷焼きが有名ですが、刺身・酢のものなどでも賞味します。
MADAKO – Octopus
Although they are exceedingly rare in Japanese waters due to increased importation as of late, the difference in flavor speaks for itself. Despite the higher price, common octopus caught in Japanese waters are the preferred choice.
最近は、輸入物が増えて日本近海物は数が非常に少なくなっていますが、味の違いは歴然。日本近海物はやっぱり旨い。値段だけの事はあります。
AORI IKA – Bigfin reef squid
Aoriika is known as the king of squids, and its sashimi is considered to be of the finest quality in the squid family. Its flesh is rich in sweetness and is very soft but also has a good amount of strength in texture. It is a very popular and crucial item used in Edomae style sushi and tempura.
「イカの王様」とも呼ばれ、イカ類の刺身の中では最上のものとされます。肉質は柔らかくも適度な弾力に富み極上の甘みがあり、江戸前の寿司や天ぷらの寿司種として欠かすことのできないものです。春から夏の季節に産卵のため沿岸にやってくるところを多く漁獲されます。
KENSAKI-IKA – Swordtip squid
The ‘live-preparation of Yobuko squid’ is well-known throughout Japan. The sweetness of the meat and the crunchy texture are sure to get you hooked. Although it is very complicated to distribute squid that is still alive, veteran squid fishermen use their highly-honed skills to deliver squid to the ports while they are still alive. Well-trained local distributors will then ship the squid to the U.S. while maintaining the highest quality freshness.
日本全国的に有名な「呼子の活イカ」。そのコリコリの歯ごたえと甘みがたまりません。獲れたイカを生きたままで流通させることは非常に難しいとされますが、呼子や玄海地区では熟練したイカ漁師の高度な技術にによって、生きたままで港まで運ばれます。それらを習熟した地元流通業者の手により、最高の鮮度を保持したままアメリカに出荷いたします。