On November 3rd, the National Aquarium, Baltimore will welcome nationally acclaimed American coastal cuisine chef, John Shields, to headline Fresh Thoughts: A Sustainable Seafood Dining Series that celebrates sustainable and scrumptious seafood choices. The evening’s menu will feature a variety of farmed trout recipes created by John Shields especially for this event.  

According to the Seafood Watch Guide, farmed Golden Trout is listed a best sustainable seafood choice. All the trout in U.S. markets is farm-raised, mostly in Idaho and can be purchased locally.

As long time expert of Chesapeake Bay cuisine, I know there are major concerns with fish populations in the Bay,” commented John Shields. “I am committed to educating people on how to make responsible seafood choices, and trout is a great option.”

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception offering wine and regional artisanal cheeses. Then, Chef Shields will impress with a cooking demonstration showing how to prepare his favorite trout recipes. Immediately following, guests will enjoy a three-course fine dining experience overlooking the Inner Harbor that features trout appetizers and entrée paired with perfectly matched regional wine. The evening will conclude with a stroll through the Aquarium. Guests will leave with complete recipes and information on where to purchase sustainable seafood locally. 

The menu will include Barbecue Trout Sliders, Rainbow Trout Sweet Corn and Red Bell Pepper Fritters, and Smoked Trout Mousse Pate in an appetizer sampler, followed Miss Lillian’s Haitian-style Trout Fillet and Wild American Shrimp for the main course. The dessert will be Bourbon Chocolate Mudd Cake.

A native of Baltimore, John Shields is known as a culinary Ambassador of the Chesapeake Bay. He began his culinary career in California, where he opened a restaurant and became noted for introducing San Francisco Bay area residents to the wonderful regional American fare of the Chesapeake Bay.  Today, he owns and operates the award-winning restaurant, Gertrude’s at the Baltimore Museum of Art. John is also the author of three award-winning cookbooks on the cuisine of Chesapeake Bay: The Chesapeake Bay Cookbook, The Chesapeake Bay Crab Cookbook, and Chesapeake Bay Cooking with John Shields.

This is the 4^th event of Fresh Thoughts: A Seafood Dining Series, which launched in spring of 2009. Past dinners have featured rockfish, shrimp, tilapia and oysters. In September, Chef Galen Sampson of The Dogwood was the first guest chef of the series. The next event of the series will be held in January and feature a chef from Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion.

Fresh Thoughts: A Sustainable Seafood Dining Series

Tuesday, November 3: Trout featuring Chef John Shields, owner of Gertude’s.
Time: 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Cost: $79 for members, $89 for non-members
Reservations required.
Event details at aqua.org/freshthoughts

The National Aquarium is proud to partner with Dogwood, Gertrude’s, and Roy’s in conjunction with the Classic Catering People. All of these events are environmentally friendly.

»Download Fresh Thoughts, John Shields Event Release (PDF)

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