Seasonal calendar

When will tasty mussels be back? When is delicate skrei in season? And when is it time for fresh zander? Like fruits and vegetables, fish also has its seasons. Some species are available all year around, but others are only available or are especially tasty during certain times of the year. We have put together a seasonal fish calendar of which fish are in season when for those of you who would like to shop conscientiously.

Spring

  • The trout
  • The trout belongs to the family of salmonids (salmon-like). Different types of trout are distinguished according to their habitat and appearance. Lake trout and brown trout are freshwater fish that can be found around the globe – also due to intentional distribution by humans. Sea trout live on the coasts of Europe but migrate up the brooks for spawning. Rainbow trout were originally native saltwater fish on the coasts of North America. The trout on the market is mainly from cultivation, so it is available throughout the year in consistent quality, even in organic variants. Natural-caught trout are, however, in season in the spring. The meat of this fish is particularly spicy, tender and suitable for almost any kind of preparation.

 

Summer

  • Monkfish
  • The monkfish (also called angler or Lotte) belongs to the family of the anglerfishes and is distributed in almost all temperate and tropical areas of the oceans. It's also called the onion of the sea because it has seven layers of skin which protect it from the cold and which have to be removed before preparation. The first part of the dorsal fin is extended to a movable fishing organ which it uses to attract prey. Its firm, white flesh is very aromatic and has no bones. Monkfish fillet is great for frying, grilling and steaming.
  • Tuna
  • Tuna are native to all the world’s oceans. They are known as fast swimmers and successful hunters. The dark-red to brownish flesh is practically free of bones and is great for roasting or grilling. Our center-cut tuna loins are from our yellowfin tuna come from the Maldives. Small boats with 8 to 10-man crews catch the yellowfin with hand-held lines and fishing rods – just like 100 years ago. As a result, the catch is deli friendly and is also free of bycatch. Strict quality checks and 100% traceability guarantee the premium quality of our yellowfin tuna.
  • Plaice
  • The plaice is a flatfish, like the halibut, the sea and the red tongue and the turbot, and lives on the seabed. Its white, firm and delicate flesh is best for frying and is the tastiest from May to July. The main season starts in early summer with the coveted “May plaice.” “May plaice” are young, especially juicy plaice that are caught in the spring.
  • King prawns
  • These crustaceans with extremely tender and delicious meat are sold under many names: Shrimp, prawns, gambas. They are a very popular and widespread delicacy that were previously only a delightful, exotic dish from far-away lands. King prawns are especially large crustaceans. A king prawn weighs on average between 56g and 75g. Black tiger shrimp are another special genus of giant shrimp, which are bred in Asia and are especially popular. All varieties of king prawns are particularly suited to grilling. They are also very versatile and can be enjoyed cooked, fried, caramelized, as curry, in soups or pure – they’re always a real treat! Since shrimp and king prawns come almost exclusively from aquaculture, they are available all year round. We’ve placed them in the summer season due to their special suitability for grilling.
  • Lobster
  • Lobsters can be roughly divided into two separate types: The American lobster and the European lobster. The former lives on the North American East Coast from Canada to North Carolina, while the latter lives on the European Atlantic Coast of Scandinavia to the Azores and the Moroccan Atlantic Coast, as well as in the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Northwest Coast of the Black Sea. The main season for lobster is during the summer months, where they frolic in the shallow coastal waters. In winter, they retreat into waters to over 450 meters deep. The very fine, white and extremely aromatic and also sweet-tasting lobster meat is very popular. In Germany there is only one legally permitted preparation method for live animals: put the whole lobster in bubbly boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes until the skin is deep red. 

Fall

  • Dorade
  • Dorade belongs to the seabream family, which includes over 50 kinds altogether. Best known is probably the dorade royal. The main habitat of the dorade royal is the Mediterranean, where it lives in water up to 150 meters deep, especially in the warmer coastal waters. The largest catching nations are Italy, Greece, Turkey and Egypt. Dorade royal is also bred in aquaculture now. They are best suited for grilling whole or prepared in salted dough in the oven. Although the dorade royal is available year-round, it tastes best the period from July to October.
  • Haddock
  • Haddock, as well as cod, saithe and whiting belong are cod-like fish. Like the cod, the haddock is also very temperature sensitive. This makes it an active wanderer who changes its location depending on the water conditions. It is distributed from northern Norway to Iceland and Spain. Its white fillet is pleasant and distinctive in taste. It is classically steamed and served with mustard sauce, but is also very good for frying. Eating haddock is particularly recommended in the cooler months because like most Nordic fish it has nice, solid flesh.
  • Zander
  • Zander belongs to the freshwater fish. It is a very skilled hunter found in larger lakes and rivers. The lean, firm fillet is great for frying and steaming. Zander originally existed mainly in the larger lakes and rivers in Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, from the Aral Sea to the catchment area of ​​the Elbe.Today they are also found in large parts of Western Europe and also the USA.
  • Mies mussel
  • The name of the mussel is derived from the Middle High German word “Mies” and stands for moss, because mussels cover the seabed much like a moss carpet. These moss carpets, or mussel benches, can grow to be several kilometers long and consist of several million creatures. The habitat of the mussel extends from the Pacific across the northern Atlantic to Portugal and Carolina. It can also be found in the Mediterranean. In France, mussels are also bred on ropes and posts. The mussels taste best during their spawning season in the cooler months of September to February, because they are particularly meaty at this time and their creamy-salty, slightly mineral flesh has a special refined flavor.
  • Spiny lobster
  • Spiny lobsters belong to the crustaceans and are found in rocky, 30 to 100 meter deep coastal areas around the globe with moderate water temperatures. The European spiny lobster is mainly found in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The Mauritanian, however, is found in the North Atlantic and in the western Mediterranean. The Mauritanian, however, is found in the North Atlantic and in the western Mediterranean. Outside these months, catch levels are rather low. Spiny lobster meat has a slight sweetish taste and is suitable for many typical preparations, such as cooking, roasting or grilling.
  • Scallop
  • Scallops can grow to a maximum of 15 centimeters in size and, in contrast to most other mussels, are able to move intentionally. The habitat of this creature extends around the globe – from the tidal zone to a depth of 200 meters, where young scallops stick to the ground, while older one move freely in the water or dig into the sandy ground. The scallops traded in Europe are predominantly from the waters off the north coast of France to the coasts of Scotland and Norway. Scallops picked up individually by divers are especially sought after. Scallops are available year-round. However, if you want to use the corail, then you should only buy them from the end of August to November. 

Winter

  • Salmon
  • Salmon is prevalent in all seas of the northern hemisphere. They are mainly bred in aquaculture. While farmed salmon are bred all year, winter is the main season for wild salmon. Its reddish flesh is very versatile. It is suitable for frying, stewing, grilling and smoking. In addition to farmed salmon, there are also different types of wild salmon, such as humpback salmon, keta salmon, red salmon and king salmon. In terms of taste, however, they are in no way inferior to the slightly higher-yielding farmed salmon. 
  • Sea bass
  • Sea bass is considered a bass fish and sometimes mistakenly mistaken for the wolf fish. The sea bass lives from southern Norway to Senegal, in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. It is a greedy and very nimble predator fish. Sea bass is sold all year round but, like most saltwater fish, tastes best in winter. Filled with a few fresh herbs and cooked with a salted coating in the oven, it's a special treat.
  • Hering
  • Ther hering is also knowns as the “silver of the sea” and is used in many dishes. The herring family includes sprat, sardine and anchovy. Delicious maties are produced from the herring catches of the early summer. In winter it is extremely popular as fried herring or pickled herring, especially during carnival and mardi-gras. But it is also a delicacy when cold-smoked as so-called salmon herring or hot-smoked as bückling. The meat of the herring has a strong, characteristic taste and a firm lamellar structure.
  • Redfish
  • The redfish is related to the sea scorpion, which is also recognizable by its spiked dorsal fin. It is particularly easy to recognize by its strong red to golden shimmering color. The habitat of the redfish is mainly the Atlantic Ocean. The largest fish stocks are found off Iceland, Greenland, southern Scotland, western Ireland and off the northern west coast. Although the redfish is available throughout the year in consistent quality, it is still counted among the winter fish. The fish is appreciated for its juicy meat which tastes nutty and savory. Since the redfish's meat breaks down relatively easily, it is usually prepared in a “protective cover” made of egg or beer batter. It is not well suited for roasting or grilling because of its consistency.