Jewels of the sea, otherwise known as “Day Boat” scallops, often take center stage at The Kitchen. If you have never had a scallop, let alone a day boat scallop, you’re in for a treat. Historically scallops have symbolized fertility and the divine feminine. Venus, the Roman goddess of love and fertility, emerges from a scallop shell in Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”. At The Kitchen, we present our own vision of beauty, a lovely day boat scallop just like Venus in the shell.
Scallops are known for their delicate texture and flavor and are identified by their signature fan-shaped shells. Day boats are also referred to as “dry” or “diver” scallops and are truly something special. Harvested mid December through February primarily in Maine, these scallops come from a small fleet of boats that are limited by law to fish one day at a time and return to harbor within 24 hours of their departure. The scallops that are harvested are shucked nearly immediately and put on ice, rather than being frozen and thawed as most standard scallops are. They are not treated with any chemicals to preserve their freshness and should be off-white, translucent, and may have a pinkish or orange tinge. Their flavor is extremely fresh, just as it should be.
