Author: Kenny & Brenna Aschbacher

In addition to 2 species of Wild Alaska Salmon, we have a small batch of Black Cod Filet and Halibut Cheeks in stock! We’ll have a nice selection available at both our favorite Phoenix Farmers Markets this weekend. Advance orders are welcome. We are now scheduling pick up appointments at our Phoenix Tasting Room (near Thomas Rd & 44th St).

Black Cod, also known as Sablefish, is a deep water, oily, delicious, buttery whitefish. It actually has more omega-3 oil than all salmon species except for sockeye. Many compare its rich flavor to sea bass. This is our favorite meal for special occasions such as our anniversary & birthdays. We highly recommend this fish due to its sustainable harvest methods, superior nutrition, and incredible flavor.

Halibut Cheeks are the actual facial muscle of the halibut and considered a delicacy by many. I like to cook them like sea scallops. On the stovetop over medium high heat, I sauté the cheeks in olive oil & butter just a few minutes per side. We typically serve halibut cheeks over a large spring green salad, dressed with lemon juice, capers, olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Cheers,

Kenny & Brenna

We’re excited to begin our fall farmers market season here in sunny Arizona. Come see us this weekend, we’ll have a great selection  of premium wild salmon, grass-finished beef and local raw honey available for you.

Our price list is current and our calendar of markets is updated through early January 2021. Please take some time to peruse our website, let us know what you find most useful. What’s missing or where can we add more helpful information?

If you’d like to place an order for market pick up, schedule an appointment or consultation, please contact us.

Stay Nourished,

Kenny & Brenna Aschbacher ~ The FishHuggers

Our family thrives on homemade sausage, it’s a favorite for any meal. We’ve tried various pre-made sausage mixes and brats over the years and have been disappointed that so many contain sugar,  too much salt or spice, or a myriad of questionable ingredients. Since some of us don’t like casings at all, we rely on our easy homemade country sausage recipe.

2 Tablespoons sage

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons honey (less or none if you prefer)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you like it hot)

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1 pinch ground cloves

2 pounds ground pork

Add ground meat to large mixing bowl and throughly mix in all dry spices and honey. If I’m planning ahead, I prefer to prepare the sausage mix a day in advance and let the spices and flavors meld in the fridge (covered) overnight, just a few hours is ok too. Making patties is fun, I usually aim for around 3oz patties to yield 5 patties per pound. If you’re extra hungry or in a hurry, skip the patties and just add the loose sausage mix into the skillet and cook until well browned or to your preference. We’ve also cooked it like a meatloaf in a cast iron pan in the oven.

We typically cook eggs and/or greens in the remaining pork fat. If potatoes are available, I shred them in the food processor the night before and soak in vinegar water overnight to fry for hash browns with my sausage and eggs the next morning. Be sure potatoes are throughly dry before frying in remaining pork fat! We enjoy this sausage with eggs cooked any style (including omelettes and frittatas), on top of salad, with mixed greens, wrapped in a tortilla, or mixed with rice.

We love the sage, marjoram, clove trio, I think it really makes the sausage. We’ve experimented a lot with the red pepper flakes. We’ve used red chile powder, cayenne, and just about every red pepper grown and dried in the Rio Grande Valley. Remember, you don’t have to limit this recipe to ground pork, you can also use beef or even a combination of your favorite ground meats. Have fun and enjoy, there probably won’t be any leftovers!

Stay Nourished,

Brenna

Happy September! It’s surely cliche, but we can’t believe how quickly autumn is approaching. We’ll be going to Phoenix sometime in October to spend a couple of months. You can still find us here in New Mexico at Los Ranchos Growers Market through the end of September (the next 2 Saturdays). We encourage advance orders for market pick up or delivery, let us know how we can help!

As you may know, we’ve always been seasonal in both New Mexico and Arizona. I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that this year has been different than any other in our almost 20 years of business, however, we intend to continue forward as usual. We will keep our calendar of markets and events current, so please reference our website frequently for updates and details. 

This is our plan for the coming seasons:

ABQ NM

Saturday, September 19, 2020: Los Ranchos Growers Market (NM) 8am-11am

Saturday, September 26, 2020: Los Ranchos Growers Market (NM) 8am-11am

PHX AZ *we may start markets a week or two sooner*

Saturdays, October 31 – November 21, 2020: Roadrunner Park Farmers Market (AZ) 8am-12pm

Sundays, November 1 – November 22, 2020: Ahwatukee Farmers Market (AZ) 9am-1pm

ABQ NM

Tuesday, November 24, 2020: Fall Beef Harvest (NM)

Saturday, December 12, 2020: Los Ranchos Winter Growers Market (NM) 10am-12pm

PHX AZ 

Saturdays, January 2 – April 17, 2021: Roadrunner Park Farmers Market (AZ) 8am-12pm

Sundays, January 3 – April 18, 2021: Ahwatukee Farmers Market (AZ) 9am-1pm

We truly appreciate each and every one of you and thank you for considering us when feeding your families.

Stay Nourished,

Kenny & Brenna Aschbacher ~ The FishHuggers

“I’ve never heard of it.” That’s the most common statement we hear from farmers market goers upon being introduced to our Alaska Keta Salmon. 

Oncorhynchus Keta is one of 5 species of Wild Pacific Salmon caught in the cold clear waters of Alaska. If you’ve ever been to Alaska or perhaps even the Pacific Northwest, you may have heard this salmon called dog or chum. Although generally regarded as one of the less desirable species of salmon, in Arctic, Northwestern, and Interior Alaska, chum/keta salmon are highly prized as a traditional source of dried winter food. In the southwestern US, many have come to appreciate Keta Salmon as a powerhouse of nutrition and a cost efficient staple. As one of the largest species of salmon, this fish has a great yield and caviar or roe from this particular salmon is highly valued around the world.

We’ll continue to use the latin term Keta to help introduce a beautiful wild salmon experience to a group of FishHuggers who know that proper handling will determine the final quality of the fish. Our keta salmon has a firm texture and a light mild flavor perfect for poaching in broth or carrot juice for 2 minutes per side for an elegant and quick dinner.

Keta has less oil than other salmon, but ten times more oil than cod. Even timid fish eaters usually like keta when lightly prepared by steam, sou vie or poaching. Also great for fish chowder, soups and salmon tacos.

Wild Salmon, regardless of species, is considered the world’s most nutrient dense food. Drop by Los Ranchos Growers Market any Saturday in September and check out our special on Keta Salmon!

Happy summer FishHuggers! Wow, we haven’t sent an email all month! We’ve been having fun expanding our vegetable and flower gardens, planning cover crops, considering fruit and nut trees and doing lots of harvesting, foraging and tree work throughout the neighborhood. Overall, it’s been an incredibly productive summer from our perspective. We’ve enjoyed spending a lot of family time together too.

The Los Ranchos Growers Market is thriving, it’s high summer and there is a HUGE variety and abundance of in-season produce and food items from all your favorite local growers. We do virtually 100% of our produce shopping at the market and enjoy cooking and eating in season. Everyone in our family has tried their hand at a new recipe or two this summer. Thanks to a couple of local dairies and a sourdough bread maker down the street, we rarely have to set foot into a supermarket or grocery store. Food security is priceless.

We plan to be at the Los Ranchos Growers Market every Saturday through the end of September. Now is the time to consider stocking your freezer for the winter. We have an excellent supply of Alaska Wild Salmon and New Mexico Pasture Finished Beef. We also have New Mexico Pork back in stock! Ground Pork, Pork Sausage, Pork Chops, Bacon, Bones & Lard. If you need assistance determining your freezer needs, please contact us, we’re here to help. We recommend ordering in advance to reserve exactly what you want. 

If you’d rather not attend the market, we’re willing to deliver your order. We have measures in place for a completely contactless delivery to your door. Please call or message us with orders, questions or further inquiry.

PHOENIX: We intend to be back at Roadrunner Park and Ahwatukee Farmers Markets around Halloween through Thanksgiving for the fall season. We look forward to seeing you then!

We appreciate you all and we welcome your feedback, input and suggestions at any time.

Eat Well,

Kenny & Brenna Aschbacher ~ The FishHuggers

We’re really looking forward to getting back to the market tomorrow for the peak of the season! Looks like a nice variety of tomatoes and cucumbers are coming in now and we can’t wait to see the selection of summer produce. It’s going to be great to see everyone and stock up on local fruit and veggies for our fridge this week. We’ll have an excellent selection of Alaska Wild Sockeye and Keta Salmon and a few large portions of Black Cod/Sablefish. If you’re interested in Keta Salmon Caviar, please let us know! Our summer harvest schedule is back on track so we’ll also be bringing a variety of cuts of our local New Mexico Pasture-Finished Beef: Steaks, Roasts & Bones, Grind/Ground Beef (lean or juicy).

Our general plan is to be here in New Mexico through the end of September this season. Please check our calendar of events frequently as we’re keeping markets updated only 2-3 weeks in advance. Please consider stocking your freezer and pantry for the winter. If you need assistance determining your family’s freezer needs or are shopping for a group or others, please let us know, we’re here to help! If you need a freezer, we have a few available, please contact us for details.

PHOENIX: For now, we plan to be back in Arizona around mid-October through early December…we will keep you posted of any changes or details as soon as we can, please let us know if you have questions in the meantime.

In Health & Happiness,

Kenny & Brenna Aschbacher-The FishHuggers

I decided to buy extra chest freezers and keep them full over 10 years ago. After a few years of seasonal fruit harvests, a few containers of peaches and bags of raspberries end up at the bottom or line the freezer doors. With more fresh fruit showing up at the markets to eat and process, I have been brewing mead with local honey and old fruit. Even fruit that is freezer burned and not fit for jams and jellies has worked out to be refreshing mead with a nose of fresh fruit.

My evolved method is with a 5 gallon food grade bucket. Fill the bucket half full with any combination of fresh or frozen fruit. Add one gallon of local honey and seal the lid. Shake the bucket a couple of times a day for 3 days. Remove lid and strain fruit pulp into a 1 gallon glass jar to make vinegar. Top the bucket off with filtered water 2 inches from the top. Add yeast or 1/2 liter of the previous batch of mead. Install a $1 interlock into the lid to release carbon dioxide (CO2) pressure and seal lid on tight. Store in a cool place for 6 to 8 weeks until it stops bubbling and “choogling”. Bottle and drink or age for 6 to 12 months for best results. A 5 gallon bucket should yield 18 liters of 13% ABV. 

My favorite meads are usually mixed with sparkling water over a jumbo ice cube, rimmed on the inside of the glass with a drizzle of honey. My favorite combinations are:

Cherry Chocolate Red Chile ~ Port

Cherry Lime ~ Dry

Pomegranate Elderberry ~ Port

White Grape and Green Chile ~ Champagne

Meyer Lemon Pucker ~ Extra Dry

Grapefruit Raspberry ~ Dry

Blueberry Blackberry Marionberry ~ Sweet

Cleaning last years fruit out of the freezer makes room to defrost as needed and/or fill back up with half a hog, half a case of salmon or a quarter beef. We’re harvesting New Mexico Pasture-Finished Grass-fed Beef on a regular basis this summer and have a hog harvest date scheduled for late July. Our Alaska Wild Salmon supply is in excellent shape and the boats are fishing now! Please let us know if you’d like to place an order or review your freezer and pantry needs.

It’s time to shift our focus to harvesting, so we won’t be at the growers market this weekend. Catch us back in Los Ranchos next Saturday, July 4th!

I’d like to tell you a little story about some boats in my life.

I have enjoyed living and working on boats and around boat people. The tightest quarters was on the F/V Halcyon back in 1997-1999. Originally a 38 foot fiberglass LeClercq, it was stretched to 41 feet to safely flood the fish hold to 23,000 pound capacity. The 4 bunks were tight to the bow with shared foot space, so you hoped for short crew with a good sense of humor. The Halcyon had an Adriatic diesel stove for heat and cooking with a small inverter for a dorm fridge and small power tools. 100 gallons of cold water allowed week long trips, at most, from the home port of Alitak, Alaska. She was the envy of the fleet in the late 1970’s and a top producer at that time. Running on low fuel and with little ice in the fish hold, the Halcyon has a shallow draft of 13 inches. She is capable of seining salmon in 10 feet of water, rolling along a sandy bottom in small seas and a light wind. When a storm popped up, we could stick it out to 4 foot seas before we would run for cover to the Alitak cannery or anchor up and ride it out with a nap and a few good books (Hugo’s Les Miserables and Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land). It was a good introduction to commercial fishing and a great boat to learn the basics of seamanship. Fishing the Halcyon with good friends you could trust with your life was like camping with a small paycheck.

The most luxurious boat of my career was the 58 foot F/V Aleutian Belle out of Kodiak, Alaska. 6 large bunks for crew with warm storage for all your gear. The captain’s quarters includes a roomy bunk with a comfy pilot house on top. The galley can serve 6 for a month at sea with hot showers and washer + dryer. Fish hold capacity of 119,000 pounds of pink salmon held at 34.5 degrees F. Diesel fuel use of about 100 gallons per day. Satellite radio & tv, wide screen, 300+ movie collection, espresso machine, all electric full size oven/stove, full size fridge, chest freezer, toaster, microwave…EVERY amenity! The Belle has a deep draft, 8 foot waterline most of the time with a heavy deep net built for heavy seas and gale force wind in deep water on capes in heavy currents to catch the most fish. Aleutian Belle fishing is a serious commitment for pros only. These guys keep running hard, 18 hour days for 90 days straight (and that’s just salmon). It earned me good money and life long friends. I had the best set of my career on the Belle, we hauled 69,000 pounds of salmon in 20 minutes!

I have a boat idea in my mind that I want to share with you. I want to create some of the boat experience without the cold water and sharks. I want a cellar underground to cure meat and ferment honey for myself and others. I want to bury a 30 foot fiberglass or wooden boat in the middle of my New Mexico farm. My style of B&B will privately sit in a sea of wildflowers and food growing all around. Is anyone interested in a farm tour culminating in a landlocked sailboat with appetizers made on site beside an oak fire with a glass of boat made Sovereign Meade I make from local honey and hand picked fruit? Entertainment to education, or maybe a bit of both, we call it: edutainment. What is the value of this experience? From farmy to fancy…

Common topics and salons:

Commercial Fish Training 101

Smoke Salmon like a Pro

Knife Sharpening and Ax Throwing

Sovereign Meade Prospectus

Honey Ice Cream Prospectus

Hunter-Gatherer Stories: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Spontaneous Healing through Food and Fellowship

Church of Food

Sustainable Living

Thanks everybody, have a great week! Now I’m hungry, I’m going to fix lunch.

Cheers,

Kenny Aschbacher-The FishHugger