The Sarasota Fish Stand That Wants Your Backup Fish

Most menus want to sell you one thing. The order form at Maggie's Seafood wants to know what you'll settle for.

Go down the fresh fish list on their Saturday markets page and you'll see it next to cobia. Then flounder. Then hogfish, mahi, pompano and yellowtail snapper. Same note, every time, in parentheses: "Have a second choice ready."

It's the only menu in town that plans for disappointment in advance, and I respect it enormously.

Who's behind the ice

Gary and Maggie Balch have been selling fresh seafood at local farmers markets for more than 25 years, per their own story. They don't have a store. They set up every week at the markets, and they clean, inspect and package the fish themselves in a state-certified commissary. The fish either come off local boats or from a few wholesalers they trust, and they bring it all in just for market day, so nothing sits around a display case getting philosophical.

They also say they know where and when every fish was caught. I don't know where my car keys were caught.

Where to find them Saturday

From their locations page, both year-round:

• Sarasota Farmers Market, Saturday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., northeast corner of Main Street and Lemon Avenue, downtown.
• Venice Farmers Market, Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 401 W. Venice Ave.

Stone crab is back on the form

Florida stone crab is listed for Oct. 15 through May 1, in colossal (2 claws per pound), jumbo (3) and large (4 to 5). Orders are filled in the order they come in, depending on what gets caught. If you don't pick a size, you get jumbo, which is the most generous default setting I've ever seen on a form. (Brooke already did the boat-to-claw side of the season.)

Also on the list right now: wild Key West pink shrimp and Royal Reds, Florida clams by the 25, 50 or 100, crab cakes, a lobster spinach artichoke dip, and a smoked fish spread made from grouper, tripletail and, quoting the page exactly, "maybe Tuna." That's not a typo. That's honesty. The fish spread contains a maybe.

How to order, which is the fun part

• Deadline: 3 p.m. Thursday. That's tomorrow.
• What they need: which market you're going to, your name, a cell number that gets texts, and how much of what, in half-pound, three-quarter or one-pound amounts. Half-pound minimum on fish.
• How: the online order form, or call and leave a voicemail. The page says, very clearly, do not text the business number. It won't get through. They will text you. You may not text them. That's the arrangement.
• The second-choice rule: if you order something off the menu, or one of the fish with the note, and you skip the backup, you won't get a call back. So pick your pompano, and then emotionally prepare for the mahi.

Want your fillets bagged separately? It's 50 cents a bag. I'm only telling you so you're not surprised at the tent.

While you're downtown

The Sarasota market's Dog-a-ween costume contest is Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to noon, so next week's shrimp run comes with dogs dressed as shrimp, probably. More local fishmongers are on Gigly under local fish, and Maggie's is in there too. The rest of the week's costumes are in the Halloween Finder, and Sandy has everything else this week.

— Marina