Taste and Explore our East End Merroir 

Thursday, August 10, 6-8pm

Suffolk County Marine Environmental Learning Center

3690 Cedar Beach Road, Southold, New York

$125 Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance. 

Our knowledgeable friends at Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program study our local waters looking for solutions to keep them healthy, productive, and sustainable so they remain that way for years to come. Commercial and recreational harvesting of seafood is a way of life on Long Island so preserving the viability of this industry and essential food source is critical for our community and marine resources.

You are invited to meet the Cornell Fisheries and Aquaculture specialists – passionate, informed people who are the heart of Suffolk County Marine Environmental Learning Center in Southold. Learn about Cornell’s “Choose Local F.I.S.H.” Fresh. Indigenous. Sustainable. Healthy. This initiative encourages all to discover the variety of local fish choices Long Island has to offer. Learn why choosing locally harvested fish is so beneficial to the community, environment, and your health. Tour the amazing hatchery, learn more about the SPAT program and why oysters are among the most sustainable seafoods on earth, and find out more about local aquaculture. Best yet, taste edible delights harvested from our own merroir.

* Savor elegantly prepared fresh local fish tastings prepared by Lombardi Catering of Love Lane Market. Owner Lauren Lombardi is known for her hospitality and delicious locally sourced menus but Lauren has also long been a supporter of Slow Food East End and was previously on the board of Slow Food East End.

* Taste the succulent, distinct flavor differences between oysters harvested from farms from the Peconic Bay, the Long Island Sound and wild caught in deep waters. Enjoy: Davy Jones Shellfish, known for wild caught and farm raised oysters; Hampton Oyster Company specializing in deep-water, surface grown oysters; Montauk Pearls are seeded in Lake Montauk and followed by deep water finishing in Block Island Sound; and Peconic Gold Oysters are raised in the beautiful Great Peconic Bay between the North and South forks.
* Enjoy a variety of Long Island Wine Country Wines, celebrating 50 years of local viniculture.
* Learn to filet local fish and shuck like a pro!
* Tour the hatchery, learn more about oysters and scallops plus discover fresh, indigenous, sustainable, healthy seafood options to incorporate into your diet. You should know where your seafood comes from and why local is better than imported. We have so much to share with you!
* Ask the Cornell Marine experts all your marine and aquaculture questions.
* Meet artists and artisans who are inspired by the waters.

Your ticket purchase helps support two amazing not-for-profit organizations, Slow Food East End Feed the Forks initiatives and Choose Local F.I.S.H. – an initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program aimed at raising awareness and increasing demand for local seafood. Purchasing local seafood enables consumers to know the direct origin of their food. Increased marketing of local seafood supports the economic viability of our coastal fishing communities and small businesses, and boosts the economic value of Long Island’s seafood industry while providing consumers with fresher and higher-quality seafood. When purchasing locally caught fish, you can be sure that fish is sustainably harvested and in compliance with U.S. and state regulations which are some of the strictest in the world. Purchase your tickets today and show your support for these valuable organizations!