Nantucket Scallops

[Wineack]

I believe that the Natucket Scallop season started Nov. 1. Have there been any sitings yet? I always look forward to my first sweet little scallops of the season.

[Bivalve]

"Nantucket" scallop is a bit of a misnomer. These scallops are also harvested on the Cape (Pleasant Bay, Wellfleet Harbor, and areas around Falmouth) as well as in salt ponds in RI. They are my single most favorite food in the world. Whole Foods, Foleys and a few other markets have them (slightly cheaper on the Cape). Just don't overcook them - you might as well eat actual pencil erasers.

[typhoonfish]

That's a dead horse that's been beaten

[9lives]

BiValve is responding to a 2 yr old post..more recent thread that we canbeatn..:)

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/665190

PS..My puter is not cooperative...deleting instead of moving letters.

[nobadeer]

Though the scallops are harvested on the Cape and RI, their is in my opinion a dramatic difference in taste. Not up for debate is the size, where Nantucket Bays are a little large than the Cape and RI scallops.

[Chris VR]

My parents are in town and really want some great scallops this weekend. Can anyone recommend a local restaurant serving them right now? They're not interested in preparing at home.

[itaunas]

I haven't had them, but Rendezvous in Central square is serving them and probably East Coast, but with RV you can get a reservation.

[9lives]

Locke Ober had them on the menu this week.

[steinpilz]

Whole Foods on River Street in Cambridge has them ($25/lb) but they looked a little dried out.

[nfo]

Oleana had them as a special last Friday. Quite tasty - I think I prefer a good diver scallop though, since you can get a nice sear on those before they're cooked.

[Splendid Spatula]

Saw them at New Deal on Saturday. Think they were $25ish/lb.

[almansa]

Just be warned - many wholesale purveyors sell Long Island bay scallops under the guise of Nantuckets. LI's wholesale for around $16/lb - true Nantuckets for around $9 more. There is a dramatic difference in quality. The retailers, themselves, are unaware, and simply think they got a good price.

Believe it or not, the wholesale meat and seafood businesses are corrupt beyond belief. I keep trying to get someone to do an article about it, but I think writers are scared.

[Chris VR]

That's interesting- having grown up on Long Island I have no objection to Long Island scallops, which I always enjoyed for their sweetness. I'll take your word for it that they're inferior to Nantucket scallops but they're heads above the Chinese scallops I usually see around here. I wouldn't mind picking some up, especially if they were priced correctly.

[almansa]

I have nothing against Long Island scallops my fellow Melrosian, I just get frustrated with misrepresentation. And yes, they are far, far better that the Chinese pencil tops.

[Chris VR]

Oh, I'm right there with you! Sounds like some schmuckery going on in the pricing areas, and I'd be interested to see more info from a media source on this (see if you can get Bruce Mohl from the Globe interested?) I wasn't taking offense at a perceived dis on the land of my youth- just thinking I should try to get some if I can find them priced appropriately. Any neighborly tips on what markets get from non-sleazy wholesalers?

[coll]

When you say Long Island scallops, do you mean Peconic scallops or just the local dry ones that are normal size? The price is about right, $16 for Peconic wholesale, but there are so few harvested that fish stores here are only allotted a few lbs each season by their suppliers, if they can get them at all. There's plenty of regular local dry scallops available all year round for about $8/lb, and I could see those maybe being exported off the Island.
Unfortunately I've never had the opportunity to have Nantucketts and Peconics side by side, to compare, so I can't commment on that.

[Karl S]

Thanks for distinguishing. Peconic bay scallops are rarer than Nantucket's by far.

[Chris VR]

Yep, pretty sure it's Peconics I'd be looking for. Ah well! Thanks for the info.

[Karl S]

Peconic Bay scallops were once as fabled as Nantucket's, and I would be surprised they are really selling outside of the East End of LI because the supply is even less than Nantucket's, IIRC.

[Spike]

they don't hold a candle to Digby (Nova Scotia scallops)...enough flavor to make it through even a cream sauce ;-)
They're even imported into the Boston area but I can't find the importer info that I dug up a few years ago :-P

[Karl S]

I've had Digby scallops in Nova Scotia and can't say there's a pronounced difference, at least to me.

[vinovino]

I know Foley Fish & Captain Mardens are stocking them.

[raddoc]

Had some at Teatro Fri night, in a truffle sauce. Tasty, tasty.