Where is it Coming From?
Here at Miss Mary, we are always asked where our seafood comes from. So, we've made just the page to answer all of your questions!
Featured will be the products we have for the season and some favorites that we sell often.
If you have any more questions or want to learn more, there will be a link at the end of each section, or you can come to the store and we'd be happy to get you some supper!
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna is an important species in the commercial fishing industry. Not only does tuna provide a source of income for those who work in the seafood industry, but they are also one of the top predators in the marine food chain. The species maintains a balance in the chain, and therefore the marine ecosystem. Our tuna comes from the east coast in the Southern Atlantic
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What does it taste like?
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light in flavor; slight fishy taste
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sushi grade!
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What is the texture?
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steak-y
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lean fish; low in fat content
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For more information, check out the World Wildlife website or the NOAA Fisheries website.
Scottish Faroe Salmon
Scottish Salmon is the only Mariculture, farm raised, fish that we sell. It is raised in an archipelago off the north coast of Scotland called the Faroe Islands. This fish is a higher quality than wild salmon because of the conditions they are raised in. They are given a high-protein feed and raised in spaced-out cages to allow them to become strong swimmers which raises their fat content.
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What does it taste like?
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mild taste
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mariculture, farmed salmon is less fishy than wild-caught
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sushi grade!
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What is the texture?
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flakey
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buttery
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For more information, check out the Faroe Island official website.
Mahi-Mahi
Mahi also goes by dolphin fish for two reasons:
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The name mahi-mahi is the Hawaiian name for dolphin fish and also translates to "strong strong."
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These powerful swimmers typically like to swim in front of and alongside boats.
These strong swimmers like to stick in warmer waters, anywhere from the Caribbean to the Southern Pacific. We get our Mahi from southern waters.
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What does it taste like?
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semi-mild and slightly sweet
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What is the texture?
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flakey
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries website.
Cod
Cod is a cold water fish that comes in from the North Atlantic and Pacific. Not only is this shallow water fish used for its edible flesh, but their livers are also processed to make cod liver oil which is an important source of vitamin D, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids. Being low in calories and high in protein, it's one of the healthiest fish in the sea!
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What does it taste like?
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mild taste
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What is the texture?
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flakey
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lean and delicate
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries (Pacific and Atlantic) website.
Halibut
Halibut is the largest flatfish in the marine ecosystem. They are bottom-feeders and can reach lengths of about 15 feet long. Our halibut is harvested from the Southern Atlantic. The biggest whole halibut Captain Tony has cleaned in the store was over 65 pounds!
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What does it taste like?
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mild and sweet​
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very subtle (great for those who don't like a fishy taste!)
What is the texture?
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flakey
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thick and firm (firm enough that steak-y lovers like it too!)
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries website.
Swordfish
The swordfish is the one of the ocean's fastest, strongest predators. They get their name by the long, pointy bill growing from the front of its head. Our swordfish comes from the Southern Atlantic.
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What does it taste like?
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mild-tasting
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What is the texture?
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steak-y
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This is a great fish for seafood beginners or people who don't like a fishy-tasting fish. We found it works great for fish bites and kebobs.
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries website.
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Rockfish (Striped Bass)
Rockfish isn't actually a single fish, but a name that covers over 70 species of swimmers. The most common type that is widely known as rockfish, and the type we sell in our store, is called Atlantic Striped Bass (or striper). We get our rockfish from fisherman who harvest along the East Coast of the Southern Atlantic.
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What does it taste like?
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delicate and slightly sweet
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What is the texture?
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flakey
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lean meat with a firm texture
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries website. For more localized information, visit the Chesapeake Bay Program website.
Flounder
Our flounder is caught in the Atlantic off the coast of North Carolina, which
means it's a summer flounder. This type is different from winter flounder by:
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their coloring,
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the regions of where they're caught,
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what they eat,
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and more!
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What does it taste like?
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mild
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slightly sweet undertone
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What is the texture?
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flakey and delicate
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low levels of oil and moisture
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries website.
Monkfish
This fish may not look very appetizing, but it's one of our favorites. Also known as the "poor man's lobster," this fish has a meaty texture with a taste very similar to lobster.
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Our monkfish comes from the upper-mid Atlantic and is a bycatch from trawl boats. They spend most of their life on the ocean floor and can withstand a wide range of temperatures.
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What is the texture?
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mildly sweet; not fishy!
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What is the texture?
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meaty​
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries website.
Corvina
Corvina is a general, umbrella name for many species of fish. Most of these species are found in temperate, tropical waters off the coasts of Central and South America. Our corvina comes in from the Pacific. This fish is known as being very healthy (6 oz = 30g protein).
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What does it taste like?
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mild, sweet taste
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popular for ceviche
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What is the texture?
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flakey and firm
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For more information, check out this Chef's Resources page.
Golden Tilefish
Golden Tile has the nickname "clown of the sea" because of its colorful scales. It's also distinguishable from other tilefish species by the large flap, or crest, on top of their head. Their main diet is deep water crabs, which gives them their sweet flavor. Our Golden Tile comes in off the coast of Florida.
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What does it taste like?
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sweet taste due to their diet
What is the texture?
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flakey and delicate
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For more information, check out the NOAA Fisheries website.
Calamari
Calamari is the Italian word for squid and is very popular in Mediterranean and Asian dishes. Mediterranean cultures like to use them in things like pasta, risotto, and soups. Asian cultures usually either deep fry or grill them whole and sell them at street stands depending on the region. Here in the US, it's common for the rings and tentacles to be deep fried and served as an appetizer. The calamari we sell is from the East Coast of the United States.
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What does it taste like?
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mild and sweet
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What is the texture?
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meaty and chewy
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For more information, check out the Spruce Eats website.
Shrimp
Our shrimp is a species that lives off the coast of the Carolinas and caught primarily near the Outer Banks, NC. There are three different colored species (brown, pink, and white) and several different sizes (16/20s to 36/40s). The size and growth rate of a shrimp depends on its environment, namely the salinity, temperature, and rainfall.
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What does it taste like?
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sweet
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What is the texture?
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meaty
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For more information, check out the official North Carolina website.
Scallops
Scallops are a class of mollusk and one of the sweeter, meatier variety. We carry two types in the store:
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Sea Scallops - Fresh and Chemical FREE from the trawl boats in the upper-mid Atlantic
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4 sizes:
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U-10s,
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U-10/20s,
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U-20/30s,
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and chunks (broken pieces of large sea scallops)
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Bay Scallops
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much smaller than sea scallops
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better for pasta or salads
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What does it taste like?
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briny, slightly sweet and buttery
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the smaller the scallop, the sweeter the taste​
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What is the texture?
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meaty and tender
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For more information, check out the Eating Well website.
Rappahannock River Oyster
The Rappahannock River is one of four rivers in the Chesapeake Bay. Here at Miss Mary, we're watermen at heart. With the oyster and the blue crab being staples of the Northern Neck, we ensure the best quality and taste for you, our customers! Our oysters are wild caught from the Rappahannock, harvested by Captain Tony and Shawn Rose on the deadrise, the Lady Lindsay.
What do they taste like?
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slightly briny (salty) taste
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almost buttery
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What is the texture?
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meaty​
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For more information, check out this Chesapeake Oyster Guide and see how oysters from the other areas of the Bay taste.
Clams
Clams are just another type of mollusk we stock in the store. We sell several different sizes in the store, more commonly the small and medium sizes.
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Littlenecks (small) & Middlenecks (medium)
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farmed on the seaside in Hog Island
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better for pastas and salads
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also known as "steamers"
Topnecks (large) & Cherries (extra large)
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wild-caught from the Bay
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better for chowders
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What do they taste like?
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briny (salty) taste
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What is the texture?
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meaty
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For more information, check out this Seafood Watch website.
Mussels
PEI (Prince Edward Island) Mussels are in most grocery stores and restaurants in North America. These mussels are found along the Atlantic coastline from Virginia to the Arctic. PEI Mussels are known for having the best quality mussels. They're our personal favorite, not only because of the amazing taste and health benefits, but also by how they're farmed and harvested. This industry practices sustainability in more areas than just the environment.
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What does it taste like?
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very buttery
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slightly sweet
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What is the texture?
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meaty and tender
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For more information, check out the official PEI Mussels website.
Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab
Here in the Northern Neck, the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab is seen everywhere from t-shirts to picnic tables. They're not found exclusively in the Bay, but they come here during the spring and summer months to mate and spawn. After mating, Sooks (females) migrate towards of the mouth of the bay to spawn, which is why you might see more Jimmies (males) later in the season. A soft crab is just a crab that has grown out of its shell and sheds, a process called molting. Here at Miss Mary, we sell crabs harvested by our own Captain Tony on the Miss Mary and by Shawn Rose on the Lady Lindsay.
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What do they taste like?
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sweet and slightly briny (salty)
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What is the texture?
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Depends on the crab meat! You can get large lumps (jumbo lump), smaller lumps (lump), or more shredded meat (backfin/claw meat).
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For more information, check out the Chesapeake Bay Foundation website.
Lobster Tails
The lobster tails we get in from the coast of Maine are some of the best in the country. These tails come from cold waters, which is a big difference from warm water lobster. Cold water lobster are known for their sweet, briny taste. These crustaceans grow a lot slower, which means the meat is usually more tender, and they often end up bigger than warm water lobster.
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What does it taste like?
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sweet and briny (salty)
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What is the texture?
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meaty and tender
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For more information, check out the Lobster Anywhere page.
Snow Crab Legs
Snow Crabs are a larger species of crab that live in frigid waters in the northern parts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They have four pairs of walking legs and a pair of strong claws. They can live up to 20 years and eat just about anything they can catch. The Snow Crab Legs we get in the store are harvested from the Pacific Coast of Canada.
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What does it taste like?
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sweet and briny (salty)
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savory​
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What is the texture?
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meaty and firm
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fibrous
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For more information, check out NOAA Fisheries website.
King Crab Legs
King Crabs are usually larger than Snow Crabs, but they have one less pair of walking legs. Their claws mimic the Fiddler Crab in that they have one large claw and one small. The bigger claw is for catching and crushing prey, the smaller for more delicate handling of their food. Like the Snow Crab, they prefer colder waters but they don't live as far north. The King Crab Legs we have in the store are harvested off the Pacific Coast of Alaska
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What does it taste like?
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sweet and mild
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comparable to lobster
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What is the texture?
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meaty and firm
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For more information, check out NOAA Fisheries website.