Three days after moving into my sister Erika's home in Pensacola, Mom and I made our return to Joe Patti's for our seafood fix. Before leaving Idaho, Mom and I made a vow that we would go to Joe Patti's for fresh seafood once a week in order to satisfy our seafood cravings.

It was music to our noses arriving in Joe Patti's parking lot and smelling the Gulf air and the smell of fresh seafood. Upon arriving in the shop, Mom and I immediately started looking at the huge selection of fish, and I was still looking when they called a number, and it was our number. Mom had taken a number when we first came in, and I needed to hurry and make a decision on what to get for our weekly seafood supply.

It didn't take long for Mom and I to make our decision from the huge smorgasbord of fresh fish and shellfish. Mom and I got a huge slab of swordfish ($7.99/pound) followed by some fresh wild salmon filets ($6.99/pound). Then we weren't going to leave Joe Patti's without fresh shrimp, and we settled on a pound of raw peel-yourself 21/30 headless shrimp.

After getting our fish from the fish shop, Mom and I wandered around the shop where Italian delicacies, Joe Patti souvenirs, baked goods, and spices are sold. Mom and I got hickory smoking planks for the grill ($11.99 for 2 planks) followed by some homemade bread for dinner. Then Mom and I hit the deli part of the shop and drooled over the huge selection of Italian and Greek olives and HO HO HO! the gelato. This time will power won us over, and Mom and I passed on the gelato this time. But the Alphetta Olives were calling my name. These olives were huge black pearls of heavenly goodness and at $3.99/pound, they were cheaper than the kalamatta olives they had for sale. I grabbed a pound of the olives, but I was really getting hungry being around this good food. In an container full of ice in the center of the fish shop, there were containers of shrimp salad and other goodies for reasonable prices. After getting some Greek seasoning from the spice shelf for $2.99, I grabbed a shrimp salad, and Mom and I went to pay. We spent about $53 this time around, and after getting our goodies, sat down at the bench near the registers to eat the shrimp salad before heading home.

The shrimp salad is very good and addicting. Full of pasta and lots of shrimp in mayonnaise and relish, I enjoyed every bite of this salad, and I am making this a weekly fix for me that's how good it was!

The swordfish, salmon, and shrimp Mom and I got went into Erika's big freezer in her garage. I haven't heard her protest about stinky fish in her freezer, but fresh good fish doesn't smell, sister.

Mom and I grilled the swordfish one night with lemon, olive oil, and other seasonings, and it was heaven. The salmon was also grilled, but with an orange BBQ sauce that gave the fish a tropical touch. Mom and I also grilled the shrimp with rosemary, olive oil and other seasonings, and I thought peeling shrimp was going to be a pain in the butt, but it turned out to be easy peeling 25 shrimp for marinade. But everything was soooo good, we were looking forward to next week's trip to Joe Patti's.

The last time Mom and I went to Joe Patti's was last week, and we fell to the temptations of the gelato and got a scoop each of pistachio for Mom and tiramissu gelato for me. Thank goodness for Erika having a treadmill because we needed to use it after eating that rich and delicious gelato. Heaven on the tongue for sure!

For fish, we got two pounds of shrimp, the 21/30 for Greek Shrimp Pasta Salad, and bigger ones for grilling. We also got more salmon filets and for something different, mahi mahi. Grilling this fish is the best way to enjoy the flavors of freshly caught seafood, and I am looking forward to this week's trip to Joe Patti's already.

In addition to fresh seafood, Joe Patti's has frozen seafood dinners and prepared Cajun goods like sausages and etoufee for quick meals. There is also octopus and peeled and deveined shrimp in two-pound bags for quick meals.

While we were eating our shrimp salad the first time back in Joe Patti's, I asked Mom, "Why the hell did we live in a landlocked state like Idaho for so long and miss out on this great seafood?!" You can order Joe Patti's on-line from www.joepatti.com or visit Pensacola and enjoy it fresh and at its best. They are open seven days a week from 8-6 Mondays-Saturdays and I believe from 9-5 on Sundays. Well worth your time when visiting Pensacola!

Joe Patti's runs a very large and busy business, but it is very well run, clean, and well organized by its employees. With the HUGE variety of seafood, you need to take the time to look at what they have to offer before taking a number and waiting your turn. I took a number thinking I had a while to wait, but when the lady behind the counter yelled "#8," we didn't hear her at first. "Right here!" I yelled and went up to the counter and handed her my number tag. She was very nice and wondered what I wanted to start with. I told her that I wanted to start with the swordfish and went over to where it was at the counter. Erika and I chose two small swordfish steaks that amounted to under a pound and cost us $6.86.

Swordfish done, I told the lady I wanted the prepackaged one pound shrimp bag ($5.99) followed by a good sized one pound wild salmon fillet ($5.99/pound). All of the fish looked fresh and didn't have that fishy smell. Mom warned me if I was to get fish to make sure it was wrapped well because Erika hates stinky fish smell in her freezer. One summer in Idaho, the Nez Perce Native Americans had a truck selling salmon from it. It was very fresh and good salmon, and the following summer, Mom asked Dad to pick up some since we were living in Meridian. Dad looked like we had asked him to catch and gut the fish himself and moaned, "What about the smell?!" Mom told him to put it in newspaper before freezing, and he was still whining! AUGGHHH!

Back to Joe Patti's. The prices at Joe Patti's are awesome for fresh seafood, and they have Cajun seafood dishes already made for dinners and other munchies for one to enjoy while you are there. There is a sushi bar there for those who love sushi and other Japanese delights.

Erika and I paid for our stuff ($36.80 with tax) and went over the wine shop for some wine and cheese sampling. I sampled a nice Riesling wine along with a sweet red wine that didn't light my fire. The caraway Havarti cheese was to die for and had a nutty dilly taste. Erika and I got chatting with Josie, the girl who worked in the wine shop, about the many wines including Idaho wines. I chuckled about the Vampire Wine (a Merlot) they had to offer. "Does it bite you later at night?!", I joked to Josie and Erika.

Tummies full of cheese and bread, Erika made our way out of Joe Patti's. We grilled the swordfish for dinner that night with olive oil, lemon, oregano, salt, and pepper, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven, it was that good!

Joe Patti's is open 8-6 Monday-Saturday and 9-5 on Sundays. I plan on returning before going back home and pray they ship their seafood!

The day after I arrived in Pensacola, Erika and I went to Joe Patti's Seafood Company. Upon arriving in the parking lot, I said to Erika that the name sounded like something out of The Sopranos. Erika said that there were some rumors about Mafia involvement in some businesses in Pensacola, but not as heavy as New York or the infamous Patriarcha Family in our native state of Rhode Island.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of Joe Patti's when I first entered the establishment. It's HUGE!!! When you first enter, you are in the fresh seafood area where you can buy a wide variety of wild seafood such as salmon, swordfish, scallops, squid, etc. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Joe Patti's has provided tons of fresh seafood for locals for many years. The seafood is brought in fresh and everyday, and you don't get the farmed seafood that is dominant in the markets in Boise and Meridian, Idaho.

Erika and I spent a few minutes acclimating ourselves to Joe Patti's. After the Fresh Fish area, there is another section that sells gourmet foods such as cheese, mustards, spices, etc., and there is a souvenir stand that sells Joe Patti T-shirts, and other souvenirs. My boss Art was raving about cedar plank grilled salmon with planks that his daughter's boyfriend he had given him from some high-falooting place in the Mall that cost over $20 a pop. I found four cedar planks for my home use at Joe Patti's for $13. SOLD!

After checking out the Gourmet section, Erika and I returned to the fresh seafood area. Erika's doctor told her she needed to eat more fish in her diet, and to a girl who has hated fish her entire life, that is like a death sentence. Erika told me that she wanted to help choose the fish with me, and at first I thought I was hallucinating. "Huh!? You eating fish!? Am I hearing you right, sis!? I know I listen to Led Zeppelin full blast, but I think my hearing is OK!"

More on Joe Patti's Seafood Company in another entry! Please read and enjoy!

For more information or to order from Joe Patti's on-line, go to www.joepattis.com