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Business & Tech

At the Farmers Market: Smart Fish Company

Beyond fresh produce and from under the sea, there are other interesting food attractions at the farmers market.

There was something fishy at the Calabasas Farmers Market last Saturday. Literally, that is.

Amid all the summer produce, blooms and prepared food, Smart Fish Company was tucked in a corner of the crowded and perennially busy market. The Los Angeles-based company has been in business for more than 10 years, bringing the freshest fish and seafood to various farmers markets, restaurants, hotels and households.

Top-selling and in-season fish

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The wild Alaskan salmon fillet is in season and very popular, according to employee Ali Ben.

Robust, rich and flaky are the best ways to describe this versatile and full-flavored fish, which can be baked, broiled, deep-fried, grilled or seared.

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According to Ben, they also have the farmed version of this nutrient-packed fish is also high in omega-3 oils and various minerals.

The sweet, mild and delicate barramundi is also in season. Broiled or grilled and served with rice or potatoes are some of the ways to do justice to this premier freshwater fish from Northern Australia.

“We also sell a lot of the sashimi tuna and the farmed salmon,” said Ben.

Other fishes in the ocean

Smart Fish Company also carries the hugely popular wild Chilean sea bass.

“A lot of hotels and restaurants have it in their menus,” said Ben.“ Oven baking usually brings out the mild and pleasant flavors of this fish.”

Some fishes are available year-round like the Dover sole, black cod, Pacific red snapper and Pacific halibut, all from California. Ben suggested grilling, broiling or pan-frying these varieties.

From Greece, there was the orata or European sea bream, known for its fine flesh. The sweet and nutty branzino or European sea bass, reputed to be a favorite in the UK, was also available.

Aside from fish fillets, wild scallops and shrimps were also among the selections at the farmers market.

For quick but tasty appetizers, Ben recommended the ready-to-serve marinated anchovies, the sashimi tuna and the Hamachi yellow tail.

Consistency and a solid reputation over the years have earned the Smart Fish Company much-coveted stamps of approval from esteemed organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council, CleanFish, the Aquaculture Certification Council and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Smart Fish Company also delivers to a select geographic area in L.A. on Fridays.

“Check our website to find out if we deliver to your area, what the fresh catches of the day are and also the current prices,” Ben said.

The Calabasas Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday at 23504 Calabasas Road, across the street from the Sagebrush Cantina.

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