| Celebrating Seafood and Screening The End of the Line |
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| Monday, 08 February 2010 18:50 |
Kicking off the 2010 Celebrate Seafood Dinner Series NEAQ Chef Tim Ridge and Guest Chef Brendon Bashford of the Fairmont Battery Wharf delighted guests with entertaining demos and delicious fare.
We started with Marvesta Shrimp in a saffron scented cream soup. Marvesta is an example of land-based aquaculture that is without the problems associated with other off-shore aquaculture. Here Chef Ridge shows guests how to make the red pepper vinaigrette that would top our Cod Cakes and White Bean Ragoût. White beans are a perfect foil for these crispy fish cakes, the roasted red pepper vinaigrette adds the right piquant note to the dish. Ridge allows the use of jarred red peppers as a time-saver. My trick: roast the peppers until black under a broiler then remove with tongs to a brown paper bag and close it. In a few minutes the charred skins will slip off the luscious roasted red peppers which you can then use in sandwiches and salads, or in an elegant vinaigrette as here.
These light and crispy cod cakes were paired with a Nebbiolo Rosé. Nebbiolo is reputed to be a finicky grape, rarely grown outside it's native Italy. Trinchero Vineyards Amador County Terra D'Oro blends 6% Syrah for depth and balance. The question of Cod. (More on this below) For now, know this cod was Pacific Cod which is neither over-fished nor approaching that status. Pacific cod from the Gulf of Alaska an East Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands area fall within the purview of Alaska's Constitutionally mandated and carefully monitored fisheries management. Look for this cod frozen, year round or fresh in the Fall and Winter.
Chef Bashford (a real advocate for sustainable seafood) shares a light moment with Lydia Bergen Director of Conservation. Lydia graceful emcees these dinners adding conservation information along the way.
Barramundi is a prime example of sustainable aquaculture. People often think all aquaculture is bad. A further inquiry into the field of aquaculture shows that, in fact, there are good and bad examples of how it's done. One of the problems with most aquaculture is the "fish in: fish out" ratio. That is, for fish like salmon which are carnivorous, the fish that must be caught to feed the salmon can equal up to 6 times the fish produced. The pressure on the fish population is certainly not reduced in those situations. Another problem with many aquaculture operations is the escape problem and the disease and waste. To read more about Aquaculture issues click that link to go to the Seafood Watch website of Monterey Bay Aquarium.
To read more about our New England Aquarium and their Celebrate Seafood series, click here. The next dinner features Chef Greg Griffie of 606 Congress.
Slow Food Boston Screens - The End of the LineI was honored to be an invited panelist at the Slow Food Boston screening of The End of the Line. Really recommend seeing it if you have the chance. If I were reviewing the film from only a cinematic standpoint, I'd have some quibbles with editing but overall I think it's a dramatic wake up call for anyone interested in learning more about the global impacts of fishing practices. Along with me on the panel were Niaz Dorry of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, and Jason Clermont Conservation Associate and Wild Fisheries expert at the New England Aquarium. It was my first time meeting Niaz and Jason I know through the Aquarium and through Teach A Chef to Fish. Pretzels and twisted logic - I'm hearing Steely Dan and thinking of the gift of homemade soft pretzels from Mary Reilly, Chef & Owner of The Savory Kitchen. We couldn't have known but those pretzels keep presenting themselves in my mind as a perfect metaphor for what disappointed me in the event. While the WSJ reports that fully 1/3 of the US population shops at Wal-Mart weekly there was actual applause at the suggestion that the solution (to saving our oceans) is do away with big box stores. It seems little of my remarks got captured in the summary on the Slow Food blog, but plenty of column inches were given to Niaz' remarks and her subsequent email. While I respect and support the work she's doing, I disagree with the approach that says the only answer is for everyone to buy only from CSFs and CSAs. I disagree with the position that says it's better to support local fishermen fishing depleted stocks of cod than to buy more sustainable fish elsewhere. Niaz and I had a lively debate before the panel started and I think the audience benefitted from having at least the three perspectives she, Jason and I shared. The summary on the Slow Food blog seems to take the approach I fear too many people in that room shared. The Slow Food way is the only way. Simplicity loves a villain. I urged the audience to think not in "either/or" and suggested that "both/and" is a better approach. Let's face it, if we ignore the big box stores, and the people who shop there, our oceans will empty. These insular meetings where it's all choir and no outsiders aren't going to do a thing to change mass public behaviors. Same thing when I saw Food Inc. I would hazard a guess that not one person in the room was coming from an "uninformed but curious" place. We can wait for the eradication of big box stores while the oceans are overfished, ignoring the progress that is made in places like Target, Loblaw (Canadian grocery chain), WalMart. I'm no apologist for them, believe me, but if the assumption is that "we" avoid them so "everyone" should, that's just not practical. The reality is that these stores are here, and I don't see anyone predicting their disappearance anytime soon. I don't believe most of America is ready to adopt the "Convivia" values and only buy from small, local, artisanal producers. Even if "everyone" agreed in principle with "us" that it's the best way, it's beyond the means of many families and the resources we have here in Boston are not universal. [For an excellent take on the power of incremental change and "big tent" thinking see: Another Assault on the SOLE Food Movement by Kurt Michael Friese.] I suggested that it's better to have Target and WalMart sourcing sustainable seafood than not. I'm not sure if anyone else in the room was willing to entertain that premise. The wallet cards (dismissed outright by Niaz) were actually produced by a couple of members of the audience who proved my point: they have used these cards as an introduction to better buying habits, as a way to learn how to make more sustainable seafood choices! I pointed out that the cards themselves are not the ultimate solution, but that they are in fact, backed by science which can be found at the website. This tends to be dismissed or ignored by those who discount the value of the cards. I did "show and tell" introducing the audience to Rick Moonen's Fish Without a Doubt, to Jill Lambert's A Good Catch, to Casson Trenor's Sustainable Sushi, both available here. I mentioned the three types of sustainability: economic, social and environmental and used South Asian farmed shrimp as an example of one product that impinges on each. I shared the Mangrove Action Project. I lamented that the "debate" is often framed as "either fisherman or ocean conservation" but guess what made it into the summary? Almost none of the resources I offered for further learning for consumers. Just Niaz' position about supporting CSFs. I brought up Alaska's model fisheries management and said if we'd had that type of fishery management here we'd still have healthy cod stocks. Privately, I shared that my hesitation with CSFs is that my friends that have signed on get "cod, cod, cod." The response was "That's not true." (I don't think three of my friends lied to me simply because it is emphatically denied.) My attempts at getting accountability for habitat preservation and by-catch reduction went unanswered previously, but Niaz promises to answer my questions, I'll follow up with her and report back. For further review:For anyone who's still hanging on here, Thanks! Let me share the additional resources that didn't make it to the Slow Food post:
This article The Price of Fish - by David Hanson in the New Zealand-based Good Magazine is an excellent overview of many of the issues we discussed yesterday. The failure of fishery management and public policy maker's reticence to make change, the MSC certification that has raised questions about their methodology, and more. It's well-worth a read. My assignment was to bring the issues to the local level, what can one person do? My answer is simple.
And now, let me ask those of you who have seen the film, or even if you haven't, where do you come down on the issues? Have you joined a CSF? What was your experience? How do you find sustainable seafood? Have you found a good fishmonger? What do you think about labeling schemes like the Marine Stewardship Council? Let's hear it!
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written by Mary , February 09, 2010
Mary
written by Jacqueline , February 09, 2010
Thanks Mary, you raise an excellent point. Letter writing. I wrote to Target via their website when I heard the news. The companies, restaurants and suppliers need to hear the "thank yous" and "attaboys" as much as they need to hear the "please don't" and "how could yous."
We had sushi a couple weeks ago for the first time in ages. Even though the place was not a sustainable sushi spot, I was able to have a fine and satisfying meal without consuming endangered species. I asked about one item that was a possible choice depending on its origin. Got no clear answer, so avoided it. The guy didn't speak English so I skipped making the point. I think it's okay not to fight every day. I voted with my choices. That day, that was enough.
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written by RichardA , February 09, 2010
I strongly agree with you that the debate should not be an either/or, and that both/and is more practical, and ultimately will be more successful. Every step forward, by anyone or any organization will help. If Walmart will sell sustainable fish, then kudos to them.
CSFs are certainly not the sole solution. First, I know people too who have complained they mainly received cod. People may try to deny it, but there are too many people who know better. Second, there are not enough CSFs to go around. There were waiting lists for the existing CSFs so how could they ever cope with a far greater demand? Give people every tool possible concerning sustainable seafood. Don't just limit their options. We need every available resource and I am glad to see you posting about so many of them. Asking questions may be the best thing any of us can do. Last week, I received a press release about a sustainable seafood dinner. But it had Atlantic Cod as one of the courses. I wrote to them, asking why they had nonsustainable cod on the menu. They looked into the matter, realized the problem, and took the cod off the menu, replacing it with a sustainable haddock. And it started with a simple question. Keep up the good work Jackie!
Richard
written by Jacqueline , February 09, 2010
That story is a PERFECT example of the power of one person to make change. I really do believe it has to be pressure on all fronts. To those in CSFs they need to tell the fishermen that they want sustainable fish. To those who dine out, talk to the restaurants. Pressure at the governmental level has to be there, too. Consumer advocates should know (and do by now) this matters to a lot of people.
Of course, we'll quickly deplete the larger, healthier stocks if we don't change our fishing methods, especially if the big box stores buy in the numbers they do. That is an important point to pay attention to. We need short term actions and long range planning. In the end, that combination will be the only thing that will save our oceans. We have to change our mentality toward seafood the way some of us have around say, tomatoes. I don't eat them in winter. We can't expect to have all we want, all the time. Not feasible, not sustainable. Thanks for the comment and thanks for the support! Kudos to that chef - be sure to tell them about FishChoice.com!
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written by Becky , February 09, 2010
Kudos to you for this post. I'm in total agreement. Big sweeping change by big visible corporations are the quickest way to educate the non-choir. I choose not to shop at big box stores like Walmart or supermarkets like Safeway - but that doesn't mean I'm not throwing up my fist at these decisions. It ALL helps and honestly I can't think of a better way to teach folks about these issues than that moment at the seafood counter when they are told WHY they can't get the fish that they are wanting and offered a sustainable alternative.
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written by Kristi , February 10, 2010
Great piece here. Thank you for taking the time to write it.
This is all very murky territory and it intersects a lot of the biggest barriers of sustainable food. Sustainable anything. Not the least of which is class. I share your concerns about habitat and the species. I do not support putting industry over environment. But here is what I think: we have gone too far. Too too far in this mess. We may have destroyed our oceans, our soil, our atmosphere, etc, beyond repair. We have also destroyed the people whose lives are twisted up and subjected to the vagaries of these industries. Remove fishing entirely -- or change the rules dramatically-- and what you may have is a ruined environment for many people. Many working class people. We can't ignore this reality, even as we demand an end to heinous acts like bottom trawling. I don't think many environmental advocates, the Slow Food crowd included, considers this very often because, frankly, they have absolutely no interaction with the working class. But those big box stores, they sure do interact with the working class... Obviously this doesn't answer the simple and straightforward questions you have raised about bottom trawling. But maybe what I am trying to say is that there is no simple and straightforward answer.
Quitting the CSF and the supermarkets
written by Linsey , February 10, 2010
I've made a decision, after thinking about the issues you've raised, to stop supporting the CSF. I think in theory it is a wonderful idea but I can't get behind the idea of continuing to east endangered stocks of fish just because they're caught in 5 minutes by local fisherman - scarcity is scarcity, and our desire to equate 'availability' with 'sustainability' (ie if we can see it and it is available, it must be okay - think buffalo in the 19th century) is a folly that may have devastating long term repercussions.
The action of small niche groups (Slow Food, local food alliances etc) alone won't have the impact that is needed. They represent, to many in the US, the food elite, something as distasteful as cultural elitism. Activism, like yours, is necessary to raise issues to a larger number of people. We need change among the masses, not just those who are involved in the local food movement. Either/And inclusiveness is necessary. The very idea that somehow there will be trickle down to the masses is absurd. CSFs are limited in scope and size and not the single answer to the issue. Keep up the good work, JC!
Kristi
written by Jacqueline , February 10, 2010
Thank you. I'm in agreement there are no easy answers. I like to call my approach "Sensible Sustainability" that is take all the info in, and make the best decision you can make.
I support a lot of the same values and ideals that many in the Slow Food organization yet I cannot abide the rigid and sometimes self-righteous proclamations. I wonder if the fishermen in the CSFs shop a WalMart or buy from CSAs? I'm not judging, just asking. One of my favorite farmers' market farmer and I had a chat about how local we each "should" go and he said he understands not everyone can make all the right choices all the time. My point, too. I asked him where his wine with dinner the night before came from, he said "France." I'm sitting here drinking Ethiopean coffee. It's Fair Trade and Organic but that's a helluva a carbon footprint for my morning jolt. Someone could criticize me for that but it turns out, I like living in the Northeast and eating equatorial products that don't grow here (coffee, chocolate: two top examples.) Back to the CSFs. I'd feel a lot better about recommending the model if the fishermen (A) offer commitments to when they will fish in more sustainable ways (i.e. not cod, and not bottom trawling) and (B) if the fishermen themselves hew to the line that the Slow Food folks say I *must* - (i.e. do they only shop in CSAs and CSFs, do they avoid Target, WalMart and other big box stores? I want true transparency and I want people to be honest about the choices they're making, whether they're different choices than I would make, or the same. Finally, I'd like to see one of the other commenters' suggestions implemented. Have the Slow Food folks who attend these screenings, bring one person from outside the converted. Bring a friend that is on the fence - engage in a real dialog, in true outreach. Only then will we have some broader impact. Thanks for your thoughtful comment and for stopping by.
Linsey
written by Jacqueline , February 10, 2010
Wow - you've sure put the target on my back now!
 Just kidding. Whatever decision you make, I'm happy if this discussion informed it one way or another. I know you and you're a very thoughtful and deliberate in your choices. I really applaud that. I wish more people would take the time to think through their food choices and examine them from all angles. That was the focus of my comments at the screening. Thanks for sharing your decision and the thinking behind it with us. |
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This is a great summary of the film screening. I'll be Siskel to your Ebert and echo to same concerns about the editing and add in a caution that the soundtrack is *super* melodramatic. That said, I do recommend it as an awareness-raising experience for all. If you're reading this, you're probably in the target market - bring a friend who isn't to a screening.
On the issues, what I find so frustrating about this issue is its scale - just domestically, the issue is enormous. So I was grateful to hear that WalMart and Target are taking steps to ensure their fish is coming form sustainable stocks. I know that can't be easy, and i expect it will limit the selection available in those store, but their purchasing power is so huge, I figure any improvement will be dramatic.
So what I am I going to do?
I'm going to continue buying seafood from sustainable stocks. I'm struggling to decide whether I'll continue in my CSF. This winter has been great, with a good variety of pollock and haddock in addition to Maine Shrimp, but my summer share was almost 1/2 half cod.
I'm also going to continue (likely to my husband's chagrin) grilling (no pun intend) servers in restaurants about the source of their fish.
FInally, I am going to become even more of a nudge than I usually am: I am going to write letters to those stores that are supporting sustainable seafood procurement and send brickbats to those who don't. The more those merchants hear from informed, engaged, dollar-carrying consumers the more likely they are to continue doing the sustainable thing.