Where can I find affordable bottarga

[sky21]

I had gotten it at Surfa's in Culver City before but recently noticed that they raised their prices and now it's nearly $100 (I forget for what quantity...looked like it could've been about 6 oz).

[Professor Salt]

I'm pretty sure I've seen it at Claro's Italian Market. There are several locations in L.A. and Orange County. Don't know what they charge, or what the quality is like, though.

[trojans]

Gordons fish market on pico near doheny sells mullet bottaraga two sacs for I think under $40.00

[DWB]

A quick search yielded this http://www.almagourmet.com/store/inde... Have no experience with this product or vendor. Bottarga di Tonno, 3oz $25

[sky21]

Much appreciated!

[Will Owen]

If my memory isn't making things up (it does, you know) bottarga is cod roe. Atlantic cod (which is what the Mediterranean people get) is grossly overfished, to the point where it might be a good idea to shoot anyone found eating it...okay, maybe not, just chastise them severely. Anyway, all cod fisheries are looking a bit vulnerable these days, and since the ratio of captured roe to caught fish is slim to start with, we're talking hens' teeth here, aren't we? I've resigned myself to eating salted any-damn-fish in the place of real baccalá, since that's pretty much all I can get, and I guess eventually we'll have to find a viable substitute for bottarga too, won't we?

[sky21]

Good to know. I previously had mullet roe bottarga. I've been wondering if I should attempt to make my own.

[condiment]

Bottarga is properly the dried roe of the grey mullet, and is never cheap. Cod roe is actually pretty abundant and inexpensive, at least by the standards of roe in general, although Atlantic cod is a good fish to avoid at the moment.

I've gotten very decent bottarga at Guidi Marcello in Santa Monica.

[Will Owen]

I'm happy to learn that it's not cod after all. I must confess to having been ignorant of the grey mullet...except for those worn by some elderly rednecks I've seen ;-)

Looking at the bottarga on the site link from DWB, below, the mullet stuff at $79/lb is a relative bargain, since the tuna variety works out to about $133/lb. About how much do you pay at Guido Marcello?

[condiment]

Last time I bought it, it seemed to be about $24 for a couple of lobes. The stuff is dried, and hellaciously strong - you either grate it or shave off thin strips with a vegetable peeler. A pound would probably be enough for several years!

[sky21]

condiment! thank you! WHAT A LITTLE GEM! i got a pack, along with some other things i couldn't resist, and had it last night. it was $20 for 2 lobes (3-4 oz or so). i love the little frozen glasses of the limoncello dessert.

i had forgotten about sorrento italian market in culver city and although they were out at the time, the price they gave me was a fair bit lower...have to see the weight, though.

again, THANK YOU! guidi marcello has become an instant favorite.

[Pigeage]

With the tragic overfishing in the Med we are seeing skyrocketing prices. I haven't found it much cheaper in NYC. Thankfully a little goes a long way.