Rick Moonen's chat at Google. Great stuff. His presentation traces his career and the evolution of the Sustainable Seafood movement.

Chef Greg Griffie - Interviewed in SeafoodSource.com. See, Q&A: Boston chef looks to sustainable fish. Chef talks about Green Chefs, Blue Ocean and a couple of outstanding examples of aquaculture done right.

Some good news out of Europe: Top French Chefs Take Bluefin Off the Menu. It's about time.

 

And I chatted with Time Magazine Environmental Hero Casson Trenor this past week, from his boat somewhere in the South Pacific. They're tracking illegal fishing and hoping to intervene. Keep up the good work Casson! Maybe I'll see you in Paris for the Seafood Choices Alliance conference and awards.

 

 

 

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This is a very good post and a fun video by Alan Richman featuring his field trip to CostCo with Eric Ripert. Yes, that's right, Eric Ripert. Chef and Co-owner of Le Berndardin and host of his show "Avec Eric". On Eric's show he goes to the farm, the market, the cheesemonger and with inspiration and fine foods, he produces a meal. Alan Richman decided to create "Avec Alan" and take Eric where Westchester-ites go for their culinary inspiration: CostCo. (Please don't tell my mother-in-law, I'll never hear the end of it!) Thanks to Carolyn Jung for the tip!

Avec Alan, click here to go to the article and embedded video.

 

Now, this may fall into the category of too much information, and undoubtedly I will one day regret sharing this with you. But, I must, because it involves a dream I had with Eric Ripert. I know what you're thinking and everyone I've told this story to, giggles, blushes and tells me THEIR dream with Eric would be very different.

You see, mine was more like a nightmare.

I was in the kitchen avec Eric. Were we pawing each other and breathing heavily? Looking at each lustfully across the pass? No. I was standing beside the famous and famously nice and charming chef, with a knife in hand at the cutting board. He asked me to cut "brunoise."

I bring my knife down on whatever vegetable it was and suddenly, the knife acts like it has a mind of its own. Instead of cutting beautiful, small, even dice (AKA brunoise) I'm hacking huge uneven chunks like some one eyed zombie in a horror movie.

Mortified, I explain, "I'm so sorry chef. I know what brunoise is, really I do. I can do this!" Patient and calm but no longer smiling he nods for me to try again.

Beyond mortified. Once again my knife is possessed. Once again, huge ugly hunks of Flintstonian proportion.

Well, there you have it. If I were you, I'd stick avec Eric. Or even avec Alan.

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Teach a Man to Fish, our annual sustainable seafood event starts this year off with a GIANT BANG.

Breaking news: Time Magazine naming my friend Casson Trenor and his partners Kin Lui and Raymond Ho as Heroes of the Environment for 2009.

I have to agree with Time that these groundbreaking guys have helped reshape the way we think about sushi and that is to everyone's benefit.

2009 Teach a Man to Fish Flying Fish Award for going above and beyond...

The first annual award went to Lia Huber of Nourish Network, for coming up with a simple strategy for talking to your fishmonger. This year I have to give the award to our boys at Tataki. Congratulations! If you're in San Francisco, check out Tataki Sushi Bar.

While putting the finishing touches on my Teach a Chef to Fish workshop coming up Monday I happened to pop online and connect with Casson just as he learned of the honor. I shared his first few ebullient moments (and quite a few exclamation points and crazy IMs). Then quickly secured an exclusive interview with the guy at the center of this breaking news story. Regular readers will recall the Tataki Trio from Teach a Man to Fish last year:

Chef Kin Lui, Casson Trenor, Chef Raymond Ho - 2009 Time Magazine Heroes of the Environment - Moguls & Entrepreneurs Category

 

A Few Moments with a Time Magazine Environmental Hero

I spoke with Casson just moments after he learned of the Time Magazine Environmental Hero Honor.

When did you first learn that you won this honor?   

About four hours ago, sitting here in my hotel room in Amsterdam.

Describe the moment you picked up the magazine and saw/or learned about the award?

I haven't seen the magazine yet!  But I got a google alert in my email, checked it, and... I dunno, I still can't really believe it.  I'm so happy.

What started you on the path of sustainable sushi?

I love sushi... and I also love the ocean.  I guess it kind of grew out of that.  I realize that the ocean is in serious trouble, and the art of sushi will be lost if we can't heal our planet.  I don't want that to happen... it seems like such a dismal prospect.  I want my children and their children to know both the beauty and magnificence of a healthy ocean and the taste and experience of sushi.

What did you do before you worked on this issue/worked with Tataki?

I used to work for a great group called FishWise.  They're an NGO based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in helping grocery stores transition to sustainable seafood.

What will you do next?

I'd love to take sustainable sushi to the next level.  To get a major restaurant chain or grocery store chain on board.  

You've been very busy with Tataki, as well as other ventures, describe what's new on the sustainable sushi scene?

It's growing all the time.  The newest sustainable sushi joint, Mashiko in Seattle, opened up a couple of months ago.  It's fantastic; Hajime Sato, the chef/owner, is one of the most dedicated and innovative people I've ever had the good fortune of working with.  I am so proud of him and his crew, they're doing great things.

What's up with the Bluefin Tuna boycott? What's up with EU?

I'm in such a good mood, I don't really want to talk about the EU and bluefin right now...!  But to make a long story short, the recent vote indicates that the EU is not ready to support Monaco's proposal just yet -- a small group of Mediterranean countries still can't accept the fact that we need to protect this animal.  It's a setback, but we shall overcome!  We need countries like the US, Brazil, and South Africa to come out and help us save the bluefin tuna.  

What are 5 sushi choices we should all avoid?

Bluefin, farmed shrimp, farmed salmon, farmed eel, and hamachi.

Does it really make a difference if I stop eating maguro, after all I'm just one person?

Yes.  Demand shifts matter.  But if nothing else, if you stop eating large tunas like yellowfin and bluefin, you save your body from a huge potential mercury issue.

Can I still have fun and enjoy sushi?

Absolutely!  Come to Tataki! 

What are 5 really good sustainable sushi choices we can find anywhere?

Here are a few basic tips:
- Ask for wild Alaskan salmon instead of farmed salmon,
- Order smaller fish when they're available -- sardines and saury are great options,
- Go for the silvery-skinned fish, like mackerels -- they are generally sustainable and have lots of Omega-3s,
- Clams, mussels, oysters, and other farmed bivalves are usually great choices.

What are 5 we should ask our sushi bars to start carrying?

Arctic char, sardines, geoduck, spot prawns, and -- most importantly -- vegetarian options.  There are so many ways to make interesting and tasty vegetarian and vegan sushi.  

What does it feel like to be on a list with Cameron Diaz - will you be celebrating together?

Haha!  I would love to celebrate with her!  Do you have her phone number??

So there you have it, Cameron if you're out there reading this, I know a great guy who knows some fantastic chefs doing sustainable sushi...!

Chefs Lui and Ho - I wish you heartfelt Congratulations, too! I know you were in the middle of busy lunch service when the news broke, I hope you're celebrating the well-earned recognition. Kampai!

 

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It seems I'm having the same conversation a lot these days, which is a good thing. Even I get tired of talking to myself sometimes.

People discover my blog, my writing, my values, and they often pepper me with questions:

• "Which is better organic or local?"
• "Is organic really better for you?"
  
• "Why should I support local fishermen if they're not fishing sustainably?"
• "Is it okay to buy ____ (fill in the blank with any fish)?" 
  
• "Which is worse threat of mercury and PCBs or not getting enough omega-3s in fatty fish?"
• "Why is heritage breed better than conventional?"
• "Should I feel bad if I can't afford organic, local, sustainable, food? Or heritage meats?"

Russ Parsons of the LA Times writes about this desire for simplicity in his provocative piece entitled Organic Label Doesn't Guarantee Quality or Taste.

While I like and respect Russ, and am grateful he opened this discussion, I think the article suffers from the same quest for simplicity that he skewers. He doesn't quite go far enough into the murky waters that surround all the questions consumers have. It's not enough to scold us for wanting simple litmus tests without giving us tools or advice for making better decision. Therein lies the rub.

Quite likely he is aware of this and simply could not do it in the space of one column. But this IS the dialog we must be having. If we have reached a moment in time which is unique or a "tipping point" where consumers want to make changes to their food buying habits in alignment with their values, then we have to be prepared to open up a Pandora's Box of complex issues.

Are we up for it? Where is the guidance to help us separate the wheat from chaff? Some would like a single source expert to make it easy for them. "If I buy what Michael Pollan says is okay then I'm golden." I'm not sure Pollan would agree and I'm pretty sure that would be insufficient.

With respect to seafood - we have wallet cards. We have iPhone Apps. We have Mark Bittman telling us it's too complicated for him. He winds up giving us very Pollanesque advice, eat less fish, only what's sustainable and only where you can trace its sourcing. I paraphrase here but you get my point.

Simplicity Loves a Villain

In the quest to "win" rather than to "inform" or to "understand" we often want simple black and white arguments. What would a Western be if no one wore the black hat?  We need to acknowledge that if a huge industrial producer goes organic, that will have a net effect of reducing the negative environmental impacts downstream. It doesn't mean we stop supporting local farms or we only buy organics at Wal-Mart. Neither does it mean there is no good to come of that producer going organic.

I've been bashed by locavores for not giving up rice. Well, I ask them, what wine did you drink with your local meal last night? And where did the pepper in your mill come from? You know it can get silly. And no one "wins" in these score-keeping arguments. In fact, my rice is not locally grown. I am responsible for some carbon impacts because my rice comes from Koda Farms in California. They are a true family farm, farming in responsible, organic ways, and keeping an heirloom varietal rice in the marketplace. It's fantastic rice I really enjoy and wholeheartedly support. 

My local farmers who grow in a "everything but organic" way - meaning they do it but haven't paid for the increasingly questionable label, also are not themselves locavores. 

So does that mean we through locavore out the door? Sensible sustainability says we keep it as a principle and make decisions to buy locally grown, harvested food when we can.

Forget the Studies, Embrace Incompetence

I embrace my incompetence. I don't know everything and can't know everything. I want to give you tools, not be your expert. Maybe your goals are different from mine anyway. But even if I thought I had all the answers today, it'll change tomorrow. 

Rather than get distracted by whose studies prove or disprove the relative nutritional merits of organics, I'd like us to put that decision in the context of our larger goals and values. I actually don't care what those studies say. What I care about is the reduction in the use of pesticides, and in supporting local farmers that I think also share that value and who produce good food. I don't care how "perfect" a food is (and I have had many discussions with folks from all sides on these); if it's not delicious, I don't want to eat it. There I agree wholeheartedly with Russ.

The challenge is that once we've opened our minds to the issues, we are quickly sucked into much larger debates than we might have thought we were signing on for. And, we can't know what the right things are with any finality, because things change and we have to be prepared for living with some incompetence. Nowhere is this more true than with seafood. Even if one could absolutely nail every bit of data today enabling you to make a perfectly sustainable choice, it will change tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll have new data that will tell us something about the health of a fishery, the destruction of a method or the heinous practices of a fish farm that we thought was sustainable. Does that mean we give up, and just eat whatever we are served or whatever is in the fishmonger's case?

No one who is generally interested in making better choices is really going to be comfortable reverting to a head-in-the-sand approach. 

Sensible Sustainability

I like to encourage is what I call Sensible Sustainability. Here are some core concepts and examples:

• We must accept that we are engaging in a way of eating that will include a certain amount of uncertainty. Are local hothouse tomatoes better than those shipped from FL? Is it better still to wait until local tomatoes grown without the impacts of a hothouse are naturally ready? 
• We can, and should, make incrementally better choices every day. Is it true that Frozen Alaska Halibut is better than local endangered Cod? That depends, what is "better" to you? Frozen Alaska Halibut is better than Halibut from other non sustainable fisheries. If you prefer local over wild with carbon footprint, Haddock is a better choice than Cod. 
• Guilt does not make good gravy. Dogmatism is not a good dinner companion. Rather than strive for perfection, or judge those who "fail" we should engage in Sensible Sustainability. I'm not interested in a lecture by a cigarette smoking, leather-wearing vegetarian about the ills of meat.
• We can choose sustainable, organic, local, ethical foods - even if they sometimes represent competing goods. Competing goods pose harder choices than those between good and evil. Sometimes sustainable trumps organic, sometimes local trumps organic, sometimes organic trumps both.
• Sustainability can be economic, environmental, or social. Decisions can, and should, be made with all of these in mind. I am not interested in shrimp that is cheap if it's destroying both the environment and the social structures in Thailand. Serial pollution and job creation followed by contraction is the cost of your cheap shrimp.
• We live in a culture that encourages either/or thinking but both/and is much more instructive. It's not either organic or local but both organic and local that would be ideal. I'd rather see organizations like CleanFish support domestic producers who reduce by catch than an international aquaculture firm I do not know and cannot meet. Transparency and traceability both are key.
• Some of these new food principles matter more to some people than other principles. Each of us needs to decide what is more important for us. Waste contributes more to greenhouse gas emissions than many other choices people urge us to make. How can you reduce food waste? Eating a meat-free meal once a week can have a bigger impact environmentally than other choices. Do you have to go completely vegetarian? No. Do you have to compost all food waste? No. But you can be conscious about reducing your waste.
• Sharing is good. We will enable better decisions for our health, our families, our values and our environment if we help each other sort through the good info and bad, and if we are open to discussing how and why we are making the choices we are making.
• Ask questions. Of your butcher, of your fishmonger, of your server. I asked what the server could tell me about the beef in a recent steak frites meal. That his butcher's name was Kevin is not the answer I was looking for. But if more people ask and more people make better choices (like avoiding the skate wing on the menu) they'll stop buying it. 

 

Sensible Sustainability Steps you can Take

1. Start with baby steps. I call it the What About Bob approach. Go for low-hanging fruit like no more Bluefin Tuna. It's nearly extinct, no one disagrees. 

2. Begin a dialog with your butcher, your fishmonger. Tell them what you prefer and why. Ask them how they can improve traceability of their meat or fish. 

3. Tell your grocery store managers, owners that you want them to provide more sustainable, organic, local options. 

4. Reduce waste. People want to focus on Recycling, but there would be less garbage to recycle if we bought less and consumed less. Everyone's heard of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Those three Rs were meant to be addressed in order of importance. People who want to sell you stuff to be green are trying to sell you stuff. Do you need more stuff? 

5. If you're concerned about the environment, make a meat-free meal one day a week. Much of the world eats meat-free or nearly so every day of the year. You can do it one day a week. 

6. Involve the family in the growing if you have garden, the cooking, the shopping. The more people are involved, earlier on, the better it will go. Kids are often more open minded than we give them credit for.

7. Allow for imperfection, remember - embrace incompetence. So you try some new recipe for a meat-free meal and you don't like it. Doesn't mean you ditch the idea. 

8. If you have kids, help them devise a research project like tracing the ingredients in one of their favorite foods. They'll probably enjoy being like that toddler that won't stop asking why. 

9. Take the family to see Food Inc. or End of the Line or Fresh.

10. Talk to other people about what resources they've found, who they turn to for help and advice, what tools they use. 

 

I'm going to begin posting a Sensible Sustainability Tip frequently, maybe each day, if I'm good. Look for it up in that sidebar box "Featured".

How Lo(cal) can you go?

How about your own lettuce on your fire escape or window box?

 

 

 

 

 

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Dining Un-Dead?

They ate in silence - but they said they were having a "lovely" time. According to this post in the Chicago Tribune, the dining dead are all around us. Whether it's the texting drones or the silent non-tech couples, it seems there is an epidemic of dead silent dining going on.

New communications tools have their limits.

My friend David posted this on Facebook and I began to reply only to find I'd discovered the limits of the posting length there. How's that for irony?

Dining Etiquette - Neither Tweety nor Silent Be

Cellphones, Blackberries and laptops are off limits at the dinner table. (Unless someone has a crisis call they need to be on alert for. Then, that's it.) It's not just about technology, it's also about communicating. The two are different, you know. (Even the author of the Trib piece seems to confuse the two.)

I often look at those couples - you know the deadly silent ones - and think God let's not ever end up that way! I don't think it's about being married as one person in the article said, or not knowing how to disconnect from technology, as everyone assumes. 

It's about a couple of simple things: knowing how and when to communicate, or not. And communication is not a one way data dump. Think of it like tossing a ball back and forth. Data dump is one person constantly throwing at or to the other, ball after ball after ball. That's not interaction. 

Communication can be fractured and compacted and immediate. And technology-assisted. But we forget that texting is not the same thing or the whole game - it is merely a form of communication to be used in certain proscribed circumstances. But not at dinner. Conversation is another form of communication. It should be interactive (unless you're off your meds and alone), it should be attentive, it can be entertaining, enlightening, thought-provoking, inspiring, touching, funny. It can be so many things if we let it. If we choose it. This is about intention.

Here's my advice for Breathers who want to breathe new life into dinner (or other) conversation.

1) Dine with (and by all means, marry) the right person.

This is half the battle. If you've run out of things to talk about it means you're not thinking, not growing, not curious. Or possibly you're exhausted, but that can't be an excuse for daily silent dinners. In a healthy couple you trade off "carrying the ball" when your partner has had one of those grueling days.

Think about what you can do for the other, not what you need from the other. Just asking yourself that question will change things.

Same goes for friends. You should surround yourself with fun, interesting people who enrich your life, bring new perspectives or ideas. 

2) Remember any dinner guest has the responsibility to bring something interesting to the table. I'm not talking about a new flavor of panna cotta for the potluck. I'm talking about interesting conversation and good company. We do that at dinner parties, why wouldn't we do the same for our own families?

Rose Kennedy used to post a news clipping on the cork board outside the dining room so the kids (the kids being JFK, RFK, Teddy...) knew the topic of the day. They were to be prepared with an opinion on it. Is it any wonder these guys grew up to be so influential? They were thinkers, trained to be so from an early age.

Try modifying that by bringing up a news item to discuss. Not gossip or bad news, but something interesting and out of the ordinary. Like, where exactly the Appalachian Trail is and how one might lose their way, only to end up in Argentina. See, you could even learn some geography. Or, why Bank of American kept extending Michael Jackson's credit when he was already so many millions in debt? 

3) Phone etiquette: ask permission if you must dial, text or tweet.

a) If you happen to remember someone you had to get back to earlier in the day, and it really can't wait - ask permission of your dining partner. Send the text or make a quick call to let the other person know you will return the call fully later, or the next day, or by email. Don't hold the call at the dinner table. Then shut the phone or crackberry off.

b) If you're out with an aquaintance or friend - don't Tweet or Facebook the encounter without permission and don't do it while you should be enjoying each other's company. If being out with me is a scoop, and I can understand that it might feel that way, then please at least let me know you are posting it on Twitter or Facebook or both so I can prepare for the barrage of disappointed emails from friends I didn't invite to join us. (I'm kidding, but you get my point.)

4) Play a getting-to-know-you game:

 a) Shake things up: ask your partner one of those fun couples' game questions - like "If you could cheat and be certain not to be caught, would you do it?" Or, "Guess how many years I'd remain married to a Zombie?" You will be certain to learn something new and interesting about your partner.

b) Share a new story with your partner just to see if they're paying attention: "Did I ever tell you about the time I Giselle Bundschen hit on me in a bar in the Village?"

 

Seriously folks....I actually think the ability to be in constant communication has some disadvantages. If we have texted or phoned each other all day long, the chances will be significantly slimmer that there is something new to talk about come dinner time! Try holding on to something to save for dinner.

Instant can be less gratifying than delayed...we've just forgotten. Perhaps because we were too busy Tweeting.
 
 

 

 

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This is most worthy of your time. If you're a Julia Child fan, if you're a food history fan, if you want to hear various reflections on a life that was lived deliberately and with great joy. This panel of authors who knew her, studied her, wrote about her. I love that she had strong values but also was open and trying all along to improve. Great legacy from my idol. Lots of fun stories.

Julia Child: Culinary Revolutionary

There are some real gems that show why she has lasting relevance. Nose to tail eating, not wasting food, not settling for a bad meal. Not having children unless you're going to cherish them. Not giving in to food fundamentalism. Generosity. Tenacity. A good strong work ethic.

I recall her saying in one of her shows that you should ask your butcher or your fishmonger this or that. If they didn't have a proper answer or a proper attitude you were not to settle for that. Certainly that assumes some means, but at base it is a consumer-empowerment message that we can all do well to emulate. A lot of us are still trying to get that message across in so many ways.

Just this afternoon, I was saying, "learn what you can, share what you know, eat yummy stuff." That's Julia's influence right there. Then this evening Heidi at SavoryTV sent me this gift of a link. Thanks Heidi!!

Judith Jones, Julia Child's editor at Knopf and author of The Tenth Muse; My Life in Food; Molly O'Neill, former New York Times Magazine food columnist and author of The New York Cookbook; Joan Reardon, author of M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child and Alice Waters: Celebrating the Pleasures of the Table; and Laura Shapiro, author of the Penguin Lives book, Julia Child.

 

 

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Seven years and four days and four hours

A lot happens when you travel. If you’re open to it, you can learn from the experience. Not only about where you go, and who you meet, but also about yourself. If you’re like me, you approach trips with gleeful anticipation. You get to know a new place, if only for a bit. Tasting something you’ve never tried, or smelling new things scenting the air. Hearing unfamiliar sounds. Feeling new or old or forgotten things.

I started a journey seven years ago that was so scary, I sort of had a false start. That is to say, I freaked. I called friends who knew me well and asked what they thought was going on? It was so unlike me to shrink from this adventure. I didn’t recognize myself in this reaction.

Where was I going that made me cower and second-guess my decision? I might just as well have been going to Mars. I was saying yes to a committed dating relationship with a solid guy. Ruh roh.  

How do I know it was seven years ago? Because my husband of 4.5 years took me to dinner at the place we shared our first date, seven years ago on Saturday. Table 23 at Les Zygomates. A little deuce in the front of the restaurant, a little too small for dinner, really. But in our first date, which lasted four hours, we didn’t notice. It was the only first date I’d ever had where I didn’t look at my watch.

When the last server stopped by our table to ask us to just pull the door shut behind us as we left, only then did we realize that we were the last ones left in the place! No more diners, no more employees. Tables cleared and bar re-stocked. Set for lunch the next day. What?? Four hours? Really?

Four Days

 

Okay, four and half. That’s how long it took us to cross the country from Irvine, California to Boston, MA (see Yermo Be There). All these years later, I was still a little nervous about making the cross-country trip. The last time I’d done the trip was with a boyfriend from college. During that trip, right around Chicago, I solidified my position on gun control. Having achieved a completely homicidal state, I had a moment of clarity: “Thank God there’s no gun in my hand.” Friends, this is only the slightest of exaggerations. I blame it partly on the mis-match between my then soon-to-be-really-this-time-it's-for-good-ex-boyfriend. I blame it partly on the stress of the trip. He wasn’t really a bad person, as he put it he had “massive potential for growth.” He wasn’t an angel either. And I wouldn’t say I was the easiest, most self-actualized person on the planet, at least not this planet anyway. So together...not so good.

But here’s the funny thing about travel. Because it puts us in unfamiliar states of being, it calls up our true nature. The essence of who we are is exposed and we’re prevented from fooling ourselves and everyone else. So what am I saying here, I’m essentially a homicidal maniac at base? Hm, let me re-state this... our abilities to cope with stress, or our lack of the same, that is what is called forth. And maybe a bit of our true potential. (Ask the 8th tech support person I spoke with today about my potential for violence...)

But I digress...where was I going? Oh yes, this destabilizing aspect of travel, this is why travel is the ultimate compatibility test. How does each of us handle it? More importantly, how do we handle it together?

So this trip, how’d I do? We did so well. We laughed every day, we oohed and ahed at a lot of the same things. We agreed on what little detours were worth it (the World’s Largest Truck Stop - see Getting to the Meat of the Matter) and which weren’t (the Kool-Aid Museum). We never even played one audio book. We popped one in somewhere around Eastern Colorado, I think. Then quickly decided we’d rather talk. It took me more time to figure out the CD player than we actually spent trying to listen to a CD!

(Sorry Chiuyee, it was very thoughtful of you and I’m sure they’re great!)

In seven years, we’ve traveled to Antarctica and back, to Vancouver, Toronto, New Orleans, Florida, Maryland, New York, the Berkshires, Las Vegas, and across the country. All in the blink of an eye. Our journey has included births and deaths, suffering and joy. I’m still learning about myself in ways that surprise me, I think he is, too. We're learning how to be better, together. I don’t have any fear looking forward. I know it will be filled with sweet moments and laughs just like the trip so far.

Thanks Doc, I love you! And, we have a date May 16, 2010 - Table 23.

 

 

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Sad News for Salmon, Salmon Fisheries

People love salmon. Almost everyone does. The problem is that our reluctance to branch out and try other fish, like Arctic Char which is an excellent and sustainable substitute, has put such pressure on the salmon fisheries that we are eating them into extinction. Troublesome aquaculture of this species has not helped matters and there seems to be ample evidence that our dams may be damning the salmon for good, eliminating their spawning grounds. No spawning = no salmon. It's a pretty simple equation.

If you must eat salmon, please understand the choices you're making and the impact they have. Why not choose wild Alaskan Salmon? And, why not choose another delicious and sustainable fish?

The PBJ - Portland Business Journal reports that "For the third time in four years, the federal government has declared Oregon’s commercial salmon industry a disaster."

"Disaster relief money supports the fishing industry’s infrastructure — to pay boat payments, maintenance costs and moorage fees — while salmon fishing families collect no income. Fishery advocates say the disaster relief will buy time to restore damaged river systems."

Maybe someone who knows more than I can tell me about how this helps the salmon or the fishermen?

 

Photo courtesy of Matthew Demers. Wild Alaskan Salmon courtesy of: Gulkana Seafood Direct.

CONTEST - You Pick the Next Unagi Alternative!

Read all about Unagi and kabeyaki and this fun new contest on Casson Trenor's Sustainable Sushi blog. It's promoting alternative choices to this popular sushi selection. Enter and you may be the one to pick the next star on the Unagi alternative hit parade. Casson already used my favorite - sablefish - as an example so that's off limits. But enter now and you may win dinner for two and a signed copy of Casson's book. I wanted to drop a photo here but haven't gotten permission from the artist yet. Click here to see a Gayle Wheatley's rendering of Unagi...in danger.

On May 15th, Casson will take all the suggestions to Chef Kin Lui at Tataki Sushi Bar.  He will look at the list of suggestions, try them out as kabeyaki-style dishes, and choose a favorite.  Casson will post a picture of the winning dish on his excellent site: Sustainable Sushi. Read all about it here.

People often want me to tell them what's okay to eat and what's not. I try to decline. Each of us has to decide where we will draw our lines. I see my job (most of the time) as providing resources and information for you to make your own values-based decisions. Sometimes I make exceptions. Like tuna. These majestic fish are nearly gone. Only some species, harvested in some ways are acceptable. There are ample resources to check - see my resource guide here.

How about mackerel?

Mackerel is a sustainable choice and broils well due to its fat content. It holds up to saucing in this kabeyaki manner and is my vote for an Unagi alternative. Here is one recipe from last year's Teach a Man to Fish - the entry is from Stuart Brioza:

Photo courtesy of Carolyn Jung.

 

Links:

• Casson Trenor's contest and blog: here, Freshwater Eel Unagi Contest.
• Gayle Wheatley's blog and art.
• Teach a Man to Fish 2008 Round Up - full of great sustainable recipes. Try one today!

 

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Hello Spring! Hello Tulips! Sweetness and light abounds as we shake off our winter layers and embrace the new season.

Tulips herald the advent of Spring and with that, our thoughts of better days, and also of Mother's Day. But what if you were a Mother struggling to make a better life for your kids, trying to end the cycle of poverty? What if yours was one of the 600,000 U.S. FAMILIES with 1.35 million CHILDREN to experience HOMELESSNESS this year?

What would this season of rebirth and fresh starts mean to you? Tulips and Cannelles are a far cry from the reality for too many women and children today.

The vast majority of homeless families are headed by single women. Mother’s Day is a fitting moment to shine the spotlight on family homelessness. One company in Massachusetts, Dancing Deer is doing more than most to ensure that they live up to their values. Their CEO is Trish Karter - whom I first had the pleasure of interviewing in December 2006 - see Dancing Deer's CEO Trish Karter talks about Social Responsibility and Good Cookies.

Dancing Deer CEO Rides to Raise Awareness and Aid for Homelessness

Trish Karter does more than write a check, she dons a helmet. And she rides. 1,500 miles to be exact. That's right - starting Wednesday April 22 Karter will embark on 1,500 mile ride from Atlanta, GA to Boston, MA. It's her way of marking the company's 15th Anniversary. Doing a 15 day ride, 1,500 miles.

In college we used to say "a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle" it was a silly way to get women to conceptualize their ability to be self-sufficient. Many women facing homelessness need more than a slogan. They need a helping hand and real resources - they need a Deer with a bicycle - a Chief Deer. And they need you.

And what can you do?

35% of the revenues derived from Dancing Deer's Sweet Home product line funds the One Family Scholars Program, which provides college scholarships for homeless mothers as a pathway to self-sufficiency. 

• Buy Sweet Home treats and 15% of the retail purchase price will go directly to the One Family Foundation. Spread sweetness and help end homelessness by sending a Sweet Home gift for Mother's Day.
• Make a charitable donation directly to One Family's Scholars program.
• Donate money or items to the shelter of your choice or to the foundation.
• Each of the homeless shelters along the 1,500 mile route has a wish list of items they need. Click here to find a shelter in your area and discover how you can donate an item as simple as paper towels, socks, diapers, or pillows or sheets can make a difference. 

I first learned of Trish Karter through her fantastic cookies. I later learned of her character and her philanthropy. It makes it all that much sweeter to savor the treats knowing that they're helping to lift women and children out of poverty.

 

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Taking a break from the sad news is a necessary thing once in awhile. It's good to remind ourselves that all of life is not so bleak. After all, we have friends doing exciting projects, gifts of seeds from gardening and cooking friends. We have parties and celebrations, right in our own back yard. Even if our backyard is a fire escape.

I recently found some lovely urban gardening friends including the vivacious "@kittenwithawhip" (that's a whisk if you must know) who offered seeds for her fellow gardening friends online in the Twitterverse. Guess what showed up in my mail today?

12 Seed Packets!

How wonderful. For one who loves to putter in a garden, even a fire escape container garden, the promise of things to grow is so exciting. What a gift! Thank you Kat!

Now about those G and Tonics...

You'd think I learned my lesson from the Yoga-lates class. In the chic gym at our wonderful honeymoon hotel they offered a class called "Yoga-lates". Well they had fresh fruit and infused waters at this gym so I might be excused for thinking this new style of yoga came with lattes. As in "2% vente, please."

Making matters worse than lack of caffeine can make them, I was in this class with a mother-daughter combo who must've gotten a two-for-one-deal at the boob doc. There I am on my yoga mat doing mat Pilates (I still think this was false advertising) and the girls next door are standing at attention like something from NASA. I felt like Skipper next to Barbie and Barbie Sr. I'm sorry, but if I'm younger than both of you by 10+ years and mine ain't doin that...well, I'm just sayin'...it's not right.

So tonight I thought I'd take a break from a busy day to to go see my friend JP Faiella and his crew for Gyro and Tonics. Do you think there was a sammie in sight?

Okay, my bad. I suppose my first clue was that it was at a spa and it's called the Movement Center of Boston. And yes, there was wine, and food from the fab Burton's Grill. I did see some good looking pizza before the Newbury Street Moochers got there...If you haven't been to Burton's Grill yet you must go. Try their signature Manhattan, their filet sandwich and their scallops and...wait, where was I? Oh yes. Gyrotonics. Not the Greek sandwich or something to go with your Bombay Sapphire.

All kidding aside, this Gyrotonics thing is amazing.

What is Gyrotonics?

Gyrotonics is a "sophisticated exercise sytem that uses principles of yoga, swimming, gymnastics, tai chi and dance to build strength and flexibility." The equipment is designed to isolate different parts of your body and guide you through fluid movements while alleviating compression or impact on your joints.

After a glass of wine I'm usually game for another or something fun. When the incredibly fit and lithe instructor, Kathryn Van Patten (Master Trainer and studio owner) asked if I wanted to try the machine - off came the boots! Down went the wine. Onto the machine. 

I think the thing that impressed me the most was Kathryn herself. So fluid in her movements, she was actually mesmerizing to watch even as she moved and pushed equipment around. I noticed four of us were sort of standing, staring. Muttering things like "so graceful" "so fluid" "so toned." 

Yes, she's all that. And like any good trainer, she knows how to find the one thing you're doing right and reward you for it. Me, it was the spine curl. Who knew? But you really can see how the core strength would be built through these guided movements. And I'd do almost anything if you promised me I'd be as fit and graceful as Kathryn afterwards.

Beginning class is only $20, and if you consider the classes are so small it's like private training, it's a bargain. Add the unique equipment, the results, it becomes clear it's well worth it for anyone looking to increase strength, tone and and flexibility while eliminating impact or compression. And who needs that guy's sweaty bum in your face in that crowded yoga class?

See The Movement Center of Boston. And check out this cool little clip of Kathryn chatting about the technique.

So JP, Anny - thanks for the intro and for showing me around the studio. What a fun window into a different world. Maybe I'll actually get back into a gym.

 

 

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