Browne Trading Company

Warmer weather seems to have finally arrived in Maine – and spring seems more “official” now that our snows are mostly gone (there’s even talk of fiddleheads soon!) And when it comes to seafood, spring (along with the winter catch season) ushers in a greater influx of wild fishery openings than the summer and fall months [...]

Recently I came across some recipes developed by our first Smoke Master, Chef Don Morrison.  Don was instrumental in establishing our Smokehouse over 15 years ago – and worked directly with Chef Daniel Boulud to perfect the production of his Chef Daniel Boulud Smoked Atlantic Salmon here at Browne Trading Co.  These recipes were featured in an early brochure we [...]

Valentine’s Day is on the horizon and for many that means enjoying caviar with someone special. We thought we’d share some ideas to stimulate those who want to do something traditional – and unique – to help celebrate. Interestingly, it isn’t easy to define what a “flight” of food – be it caviar, cheese, or [...]

If you have been a fan of our quarterly newsletters, you probably have noticed some contributions from cookbook author, James (Jim) Peterson, inclusive of some beautifully  photographed recipes. Many of you may already “know” Jim – and one or more of his fifteen cookbooks may already line your bookshelf. We are privileged to have him personally [...]

MANY MENUS CLAIM TO HAVE DIVER SCALLOPS, but few understand the meaning of the term. True “Diver” Scallops are those that are hand harvested from the ocean floor by professional fishermen who are licensed scuba divers. More often than not, chefs and customers are told they are purchasing a “Diver” Scallop without knowledge of how [...]

Rod Mitchell Grading & Packing Caviar at Browne Trading Co. During the Holiday season there will be many offers and deals for inexpensive caviar from many dealers. Many customers will face confusion when purchasing caviars of unknown origin along with mislabeled and unfamiliar names. I have put together a few guidelines to consider when purchasing [...]

For centuries, fishermen across the world used smoke to preserve the excess catch that could not be consumed fresh. While this was done under much more primitive conditions, the fundamental steps and formulas of the process itself remain largely unchanged even in the face of modern advancements and equipment.  However, while the smokers of yore [...]

Wild Abalone in the US and around the world has faced many challenges due to over-harvesting, disease and loss of habitat, and today its harvest in the US is strictly regulated.  To meet the demand for fresh abalone in the wake of the restrictions placed on wild sources, abalone farms across the world have sprung [...]

Found in both fresh and salt water environments, Marine Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms, a kind of micro sea vegetable. Phytoplankton are found naturally in all ocean systems, flourishing worldwide, they provide much of Earth’s oxygen and fix carbon from the atmosphere down into the world’s oceans. Essentially the “building blocks” for marine life, these tiny [...]