Pastoral

           I tried Pastoral in Fort Point for the first time a few weeks ago. The place was packed, and though they seemed to have a few issues to work out (the food and drinks were very slow to come out) the meal was excellent.

          We started with two crudo to share; one was a bass our server told us was caught just a few hours before by a local fisherman. Of course we had to try it, and it was amazing! The bass came topped with citrus and a pickled cherry vinaigrette.

           The second crudo was a tuna with pickled watermelon, radish, and extra virgin olive oil. This was also delicious, and I enjoyed the combination of tuna and watermelon which was something I hadn't seen before.

           We decided to share a pizza, and I was a little disappointed when the pizza with duck confit, fois gras, and cherries with wasn't on the menu - doesn't it sound amazing?? We ordered the calamari pizza instead, which came topped with plenty of fried calamari, spicy peppers, red and yellow tomatoes, and arugula. Though I enjoyed the calamari, I really hope they bring the duck back so I can try it!

            Due to a slight mix up, we ended with the rest of our appetizers after the pizza. The chicken liver mousse served over thick crostini and topped with onions, capers, and parmesan was outstanding. The baked bread knot was stuffed with tons of roasted garlic and gooey mozzarella.

          I really enjoyed all of the food and the price was very reasonable ($111 for two people including two drinks each). I hope they work out the kinks because they place has a lot of potential. I plan to give them another try in a few weeks (or few months) once they've had the chance.

Miya's Sushi in New Haven

          This past weekend I went to NY, and on the way back I had to try Miya's Sushi in New Haven after hearing amazing things about the food and the Chef / Owner Bun Lai! Miya's is definitely the most interesting sushi menu I've ever seen. Bun is dedicated to sustainability, and about half the dishes served are vegan or vegetarian. The other half includes a mix of sustainably sourced seafood, an invasive species menu, and a few dishes featuring insects! I can't begin to give justice to the menu or sustainability commitment, so here is so I've included some info from Miya's website.

Miya's commitment to health and sustainability

          We are aware that the restaurant industry has a very harmful impact on the environment; in particular, the traditional cuisine of sushi is destroying our oceans. Therefore, we try to maintain a restaurant in as ecologically responsible manner as possible. We do our best to not use ingredients that are either overfished or that in their production have a negative impact on the environment. As a result, half of our vast menu is vegetable-centered; the other half does not utilize standard sushi ingredients such as tuna, shrimp, farmed eel, yellowtail and farmed salmon. Instead, we’ve created dishes that include hyper-local sustainable seafood not conventionally used for sushi such as clams, oysters, mussels, ladies slippers, Asian shore crabs, European shore crabs, trout, catfish, bluegill sunfish, bluefish, scup, sea robins and dogfish.

          What’s unusual about the sushi rice? Our original whole multigrain recipe is toothy, tasty and super healthy. Historically, vinegar, salt and sugar were added to fish and rice, as a method of preservation, in a time when there was no refrigeration. Though there is no longer the practical necessity to add these preservatives, they remain elements in the contemporary cuisine of sushi. Sushi rice today is highly processed and sweetened, much like the Wonder Bread many of us grew up eating. Inspired by whole multigrain breads, my recipe for sushi rice is unsweetened and made from a brown rice centered multigrain mixture containing quinoa, amaranth, oat grains and flax seed. Quinoa and amaranth provide all the essential amino acids needed to be a complete protein. Whole oats have more fiber than any other grain and help lower high blood pressure. Ground flax seed supplies nearly double the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids per calorie than any food in the world. Since most of my sushi involves robust flavors, the hearty grain mixtures carry my recipes in a way that traditional sushi rice could not.

          Most fruits and vegetables are organic and grown in Connecticut or New England. The chicken and the rabbit that we use for a few of our recipes are animal welfare approved and organically pasteur raised. Most of our cheeses are organic and are also made in Connecticut or in New England. Fortunately, the most delicious ingredients tend to be the most sustainable too!

Additional Information About Miya's

          The pickled ginger is made in house with no food coloring or artificial flavors. It is hand cut, boiled in four changes of water, and then pickled in vinegar, honey and agave nectar.

          The soy sauce is our own citrus blend, lower in sodium than any commercial soy sauce (even reduced sodium). Bun created it because traditional soy sauce is so salty it overwhelms the food.

          They are currently, working on transitioning most recipes so they are gluten free

My Experience Dining at Miya's

          I had mentioned my plans to dine at Miya's on twitter as I often do, and was both surprised and impressed that Bun responded to me personally. He wanted to know when I'd be coming in so he could make sure I experienced some of the most interesting and popular dishes on the menu. Since it turned out he wouldn't be in the restaurant that day, he let us who our server would be (Nate, who was fantastic!) and arranged for him to send out some dishes.

          When we first arrived, Nate invited us to sit anywhere in the main dining room or outside. I chose a seat right in front of the sushi bar so I could watch the dishes being prepared. One thing I noticed right away was that some of the artwork was dual purpose - it included signs explaining where each of the different types of fish were from and how they were sourced.

          I could've spent hours reading the menu. It's available online, and definitely worth checking out if you have the chance. It's a book with tons of information about the restaurant, the ingredients, and most dishes have a story. The stories explain why the dishes have meaning for Bun, and include some great childhood memories. 

          We started with some appetizers including pumpkin miso soup and tatsutage. The soup was made with slow roasted pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and acorn squash. I loved the combination; it was light like miso but had rich flavors of pumpkin and squash. The dish was warm and comforting, but not as heavy as the pumpkin or squash soup you'd typically find in fall or winter months. It felt perfect for the season - transitioning from late summer to fall.

          The Tatsutage was a vegan fried chicken, a twist on Bun's Mother's ginger fried chicken recipe. The "chicken" was made from a soybean, amaranth, and pea based alternative. It looked and tasted just like chicken, and I was amazed that the texture was just right. If I didn't know this was vegan, I would've thought it was real chicken. It was marinated in spicy ginger and roasted sesame sake, and then fried. It came served with a very spicy sauce which the fiance loved, but I preferred to dip it in Miya's soy sauce.

          We moved on to the sushi, and asked for Nate's recommendations. He suggested a good mix of vegetarian rolls, dishes featuring insects, and unusual fish and ingredients. We ordered everything he suggested, and I wouldn't have wanted to try a place like Miya's any other way.

           Kiss the smiling piggie: Sweet potato roll with mango chutney, pine nut. This roll felt the most traditional of everything we ordered, but was still a twist on the classic sweet potato roll. The mango chutney and pine nuts were a delicious addition and made all the sweet potato rolls I've eaten in the past feel boring in comparison.

           Voompa: Spicy crunchy eggplant, your choice of goat cheese or smoked jalepeño cashew cheese, avocado, seasoned with home grown chilis and Iranian ghormeh sabze. We ordered this with the jalepeno cashew cheese, which was delicious with the avocado. If I had food like this and the "chicken" above available to me on a regular basis, I actually might be able to eat vegan (at least most of the time).

           Crickleberry Brie roll: Fried Crickets, nectarines, and brie cheese. This was the first time I've ever tried crickets (or any insect), and Nate explained why crickets are so much more sustainable as a protein source than beef or other meats. It takes roughly one gallon of water to produce a pound of crickets, while it takes close to two thousand gallons to produce a pound of beef. Between the brie and nectarine, the cricket was hardly noticeable, it just added a bit of crunch.



           Roll of a lifetime: Baked arctic char skin with asparagus. This roll was one of my favorites, and I loved the texture of the baked skin (it was crisp and seemed like it could've been fried).

           Jelly fish and Pickled Smelt Nigiri: The jellyfish had a very unusual texture and was unlike anything I've tried. It was almost gelatinous, but not quite as smooth. My favorite of these two was the smelt which is pickled in house.

           Nine Spice Tilapia: Thinly sliced tilapia sashimi seasoned with spicy citrus tamari sauce and green onions. Served with roasted black soldier fly larvae, roasted wax worm, or plain without insects. We tried this with the larvae, which is slow baked so it doesn't lose protein in the cooking process but still has crunchy texture. Honestly it was hard for me to get over how the larvae looked, but I tried it and they really just added a crunchy texture and contrast to the tilapia. The citrus sauce and nine spice flavors were delicious, as was the tilapia sashimi which I've never had before.

          The Ménage a tois of onigiri included a trio smoked wild coho salmon (Alaskan), salmon caviar (Alaskan) and mugwort (yes, like Harry Potter!). Onigiri is the how sushi was made thousands of years ago, using ingredients nearby and molded by hand into easy to eat whole grain rice balls. Mugwort (hand foraged by Bun), is a medicinal and invasive herb. Mugwort is believed by indigenous people worldwide to inspire dreams and visions and contains exponentially more nutrients and phytochemicals than any cultivated plant. I really enjoyed all three of these; the Mugwort was most interesting and had an herbaceous flavor.  It was also just fun to try a new style of sushi I'd never heard of!

          California Royale: Maryland blue crab meat and sliced avocado, drizzled with curry sauce. Both the lump crab and curry sauce were amazing (I've never been a fan if imitation crab meat). Nate told us there are other dishes that use the curry sauce, and I intend to try all of them next time I come in!



          Mishima Sonata: Cashew butter, Alaskan shrimp, banana, avocado, honey, goat cheese, and hot peppers, tempura fried in a whole grain roll. When we asked about this roll Nate told us the combination of banana, honey, and goat cheese made it more like dessert, so we decided to save it for last. The shrimp and avocado added a savory component to what would have otherwise been a very sweet dish. It was a nice contrast and all of the flavors worked well together.



          The meal at  Miya's was outstanding all around, and I would make the trip to New Haven just to eat here again. I really enjoyed trying Bun's creations and all of the unusual ingredients. I can't wait to try it again and see what new dishes he's come up with!

Up Next Week: All About Halibut including where and how it can be sourced sustainably and a recipe!

What do you want to read about seafood and / or sustainability? Leave your topic suggestions in the comments section!

 

WD 50 NYC

          I learned recently that WD~50, an iconic restaurant in the Lower East Side of Manhattan known for its innovative dishes and use of molecular gastronomy, was closing at the end of November. It's been on my list to try for years, and not wanting to miss out on the Michelin star I convinced the bf to go to NY for a long weekend instead of the trip to CA we'd been planning.

           We planned it so I'd leave work a little early Friday and get to Manhattan just in time for dinner. What I wasn't expecting was a proposal as soon as we got to our hotel!!! He did it early so we'd be able to celebrate all weekend! Here are a few of the ring pics:

          Back to WD~50.... there were two tasting menus, a twelve course menu for $155 and "From the Vault" a menu with five classic dishes for $90. I liked the idea of trying classic dishes (and didn't need the extra dessert that came with the larger menu) so we ordered from the Vault.

          First were two bonus amuse dishes: duck prosciutto with crumbled hazelnuts, and a bite of churro with grilled chorizo. Both were delicious, creative bites and set the stage perfectly for the rest of the meal.

          Next was the hangar tartare with Asian pear, onion, and bernaise ice cream. The bernaise had great texture, and I loved the twist on the traditional egg yolk. After the first few bites experimenting with different combinations, I mixed all of the steak and bernaise together and made sure to get onions and scallions in every bite!

 

          The soup course was next, I had Sunchoke soup with trout roe and the fiancé had pea and avocado soup topped with peekytoe crab. They were both amazing and felt light and summery.

 

 

 

          The third course was a seared scallop dish with radish, and root vegetable noodles. As perfectly cooked and tasty the scallops were, the noodles were my favorite part of the dish. I read later that Wylie Dufresne has an obsession with noodles and after trying this dish I totally get it!

          The final savory course was the one I had been most excited to try, and was even more excited when it came out. The Lamb belly with black chickpea hummus was actually more like lamb bacon! I'm kind of obsessed with bacon, and I loved this creative interpretation. This was naturally my favorite dish.

 

          For dessert I had coconut tapioca with grapefruit and the fiancé had a hazelnut tart with coconut, chocolate, and chicory. Tapioca doesn't photograph well, so trust me when I say this was delicious! There were huge beads of tapioca, which made for a nice contrast in texture with the smooth creamy coconut.

          The last bite was a bonus treat made with a chewy chocolate pouch and filled with peanut butter. This tasted just like a butter finger only better.

 

          After dinner we headed back to our hotel and there was a surprise waiting for us from some of our good friends! There were a lot more strawberries but we started eating them before we thought to take a picture. A perfect day followed by a perfect meal, and lots of celebrating all around!

Aquaculture: A Deeper Dive

In some of my prior posts I’ve briefly addressed the topic of farmed vs. wild seafood. Both can be healthy, sustainable and environmentally friendly, but much of the information available in the mass media still suggests that all farm raised seafood is bad. Today I hope to offer some insight as to why it's simply not true. 

What is aquaculture?

Aquaculture or fish farming is the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of plants and animals in all types of water environments including ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Aquaculture produces food fish, sport fish, bait fish, ornamental fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, sea vegetables, and fish eggs, and can be done in a freshwater or marine environment.

About half the seafood consumed worldwide (including the US) is farm-raised. Since harvest from many wild fisheries has peaked, aquaculture is seen by industry experts as an effective way to meet the seafood demands of a growing population. Aquaculture is therefore the fastest growing form of food production worldwide.

Marine vs. Freshwater

Marine aquaculture can occur in the ocean (in cages, on the seafloor, or suspended in water columns) or on land in systems such as ponds or tanks. Recirculating aquaculture systems that reduce, reuse, and recycle water and waste can support some marine species. U.S. marine aquaculture produces mainly oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, and salmon but also produces smaller amounts of cod, moi, yellowtail, barramundi, seabass, and seabream.

Freshwater aquaculture produces species that are native to rivers, lakes, and streams. U.S. freshwater aquaculture is primarily catfish but also produces trout, tilapia, and bass. Freshwater aquaculture takes place primarily in ponds and in on-land, manmade systems such as recirculating aquaculture systems.

What Should You Look for When Purchasing Farmed Seafood?:

When purchasing farm raised fish look for a closed containment system vs. right along the ocean shore, and vegetarian fish (like catfish or tilapia) or shellfish that feed on plankton in the water. If you do eat carnivorous fish or those higher on the food chain pay attention to feed ratio (varies by type of fish) and quality of feed.

What Resources are Available to Learn More?

There are several publications and resources available to determine whether a particular species is over fished, and when it is better to buy farmed. Some of these resources include:



The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has a ton of information available on their website. Their mission is "to transform aquaculture towards environmental sustainability and social responsibility using efficient market mechanisms that create value across the chain".

MBA Seafood Watch: The Monteray Bay Aquarium’s Seafood watch program has plenty of free resources available including downloadable pocket guides by region and a mobile app. Use the guide as a quick pocket reference or search for a type of fish in the app (like bass) for example and you’ll get a list of good choices (ex: US or Vietnamese farmed Barramundi) vs. those to avoid.

Good Fish: is a cookbook with recipes using sustainable seafood and tons of great information on how to buy responsibly. I reviewed this book on 8/1/14, you can read my full review here.

My fellow SSBA Member Richard recently put together a list of some of the third party certifications that currently exist for both wild fisheries and seafood farms.

Your Grocery Store or Local Fish Market: When I did my post on where to buy sustainable seafood, I found that stores with robust sustainability programs had lots of information available on their websites.



Up Next Week: A Review of a CT restaurant with a commitment to sustainability


What do you want to read about seafood and / or sustainability? Leave your topic suggestions in the comments section!

WGBH Food and Wine Festival Coming & A Special Discount!

I'm so excited for the Third Annual WGBH Food and Wine Festival, an amazing three day festival this fall 9/11 - 9/14. I attended the first festival a couple of years ago and had a great time at the Artisan Tasting. You can read my two posts on the tasting and chef demos here.

This year I'm planning to attend the Chef's Gala on Thursday night, and because I hope to see all of you there I'm offering 20% off your ticket price! To get the discount, simply use my code FOODBLOG when you place your order for tickets online.

HERE'S THE COMPLETE SCHEDULE FOR THE FESTIVAL:

Chef’s Gala Reception

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Dress code: Cocktail attire, business attire

7-10pm open to general ticket purchasers

Tickets, general admission: $150

The event is held inside the WGBH Calderwood Studio, and Atrium

Imagine 25 of the best chefs from the far corners of New England under one roof! Don’t miss this incredible gastronomic adventure in food, wine, and craft beer! The Chef’s Gala Reception is an elegant evening with 25 unique stations showcasing cuisine of local chefs/restaurants paired perfectly with selected wine and a few select craft beers from 25 featured artisans. Meet and mingle with your favorite chefs, and discover new favorite restaurants. Learn about the magic of pairing various dishes with the perfect wine to enhance flavor, and your experience.

*Must be 21 to participate

The Artisan Taste

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Dress code: Business casual-casual

Two Sessions: 1pm-3:30pm and 5pm-7:30pm

Tickets for one 2 1/2 hour session: $50 for members and $60 for non-members

Located in back WGBH visitor parking lot

Experience a wide variety of artisanal foods featuring New England’s renowned restaurants, chefs, and local producers.

• Exhibitor tables featuring more than 100 wines from around the world, local food purveyors, and local fare.
• Clarke Sub-Zero Wolf Celebrity Cooking Stage to include two chef demonstrations during each two and a half hour session.
• Interactive displays and sponsor activations and entertainment will be included on the stage between each of the cooking demonstrations

*Must be 21 to participate

Farmer’s Market

Sat. 9/13 11am-5:30pm and Sun. 9/14 10am-3pm

FREE event, open to the general public

Will feature 15-20 farmers/vendors with a wide assortment of fresh produce, spices, herbs, and baked goods. Check the website for updates in the coming weeks ahead with a complete list of participating vendors

(will be located in front parking lot by Newbury Comics and our parking garage in same configuration that we had in the 2012 Wine Fest)

Brunch Bar

Sunday, September 14, 11am-1:30pm

Tickets: $40 for members and $45 for non-members

Dress code: Business casual-casual

We’ve taken the guessing out of where to have brunch with this exclusive event. Have Sunday Brunch at the Brunch Bar with more than 100 different restaurants, artisan food producers, craft breweries and wines serving up sumptuous tasting-sized portions of foods from the exotic to down-home. The event features live chef demos, live music and an unbeatable way to travel New England in the span of a couple hours.  

Also on Sunday Sept. 14 are two

Food & Wine Festival Seminars

These will be located inside Cahners Conference Room, Reno and 3rd fl cafe

Pickled: Preserving the honored tradition     

Sunday, Sept. 14, 2-3:30pm

Donation: $25

Capacity: Capped at 40 guests

Presented by Tia Pinney, Naturalist/Adult Program and Eco-management Coordinator from Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary

Join us for a visually, aromatically, and gastronomically exciting event, as we explore a plethora of pickles with our friends from Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary. The art of pickling has made a comeback in recent years with the popularity of the do-it-yourself movement. This class will provide you with the basic skills you need to pickle a wide variety of fruits and vegetables at home.

We’ll review the elements that go into crafting a good pickle, including acid, flavorings, spices, produce choices, preparation, and storage. You will have a chance to sample some delicious pickled fruits and vegetables during the seminar, and you’ll even be able to take home your own pickled creations at the end of class. Bring your appetite, and get ready for this adventure in pickling.

Shaken & Stirred
Sunday, September 14, 2:00-3:30pm


Donation:$25  

Capacity: Capped at 40 guests

The dedicated staff from the James Beard Award-winning Kenmore Square cocktail lounge, The Hawthorne, is calling class into session to teach guests a little about the history of the cocktail, and the style and technique that go into mixing a drink. Katie Emerson, The Hawthorne’s bar manager, will cover ratios for a few original classic cocktails, while mixing up a classic Bee’s Knees. Katie will provide the details needed to assess your home bar, and the tools to customize cocktails using three basic formulas for a variety of delicious and time- honored variations. You’ll leave armed with the fundamentals to mix the perfect cocktail and a few goodies to take home to your own bar. 

 

Easy, Lightened Up Biscuits and Gravy

          Sadly, there's no universe in which biscuits and gravy will ever be healthy. But, when I got the craving recently I decided to make them at home rather than go to a restaurant where they'd likely be laden with butter, heavy cream, and served with even more fattening food.

           I tried this quick easy recipe that seems reasonably low calorie for such an indulgent dish, and used pork sausage from Jones Dairy Farm, which is about as healthy as sausage get. It's made with only four ingredients, and even allowed on the Whole 30 diet. The biscuits were packaged; not quite as healthy but still reduced fat and about 150 calories each.

Ingredients: 
Serves 6, each serving about 425 calories (servings are based on the gravy, you will have a couple of biscuits leftover if you buy a package)

1 package of sliced biscuits (Pillsbury or similar)
1 12 ounce roll of pork sausage
2 cups 1% milk
2 tablespoons of flour

 Instructions
1. Bake the biscuits according to instructions on the package (about 15 minutes).
2. Crumble and brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat
3. Remove sausage from the pan, leaving the drippings
4. Whisk two tablespoons of flour with the sausage drippings until it thickens
5. Slowly whisk in two cups of milk and bring to a boil
6. Lower heat and simmer for two minutes
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste
8. Add sausage back and serve over one biscuit sliced in half

Pan Seared Flounder with Mango Salsa

        

          If you read my post last week, you know I was planning to write about Aquaculture or farm raised seafood. But, on the spur of the moment this week I came up with a recipe for flounder that turned out so well I just had to share it! 

          Flounder is a flatfish, or a white fish flaky similar to sole, turbot, or halibut. It's currently in season in New England, and I purchased it at Whole Foods for $14.99 per lb. I served this with mango salsa, watermelon and cucumber salad, and quinoa salad. All of the ingredients came to about $40 and this was easily enough to feed four people (or two with ALOT of leftovers)!

          I paired this with an orange wine,  Ageno Emilia Bianco, which complemented the mango and red onion perfectly. 

Flounder Recipe:

1 lb of fresh flounder, fileted without the skin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 mango diced

1/2 red pepper diced

1/2 red onion diced

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1: Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat

2: Add flounder to the pan, drizzle with olive oil, and add a little salt and pepper

3. Cook for 5 minutes turning carefully about 1/2 way through

4. While the fish cooks combine mango, red pepper, red onion, and cilantro in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

5. Top Fish with Mango Salsa

Watermelon Cucumber Salad Recipe:

1/2 watermelon cubed

1 cucumber diced

1/4 cup of feta

1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine watermelon, feta and cilantro in a large bowl

2. Mix olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to make the dressing

3. Toss the ingredients with the dressing

Quinoa Salad Recipe

1 box quinoa

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 cucumber diced

1/2 red pepper diced

1/2 red onion diced

1/2 cup feta

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

Juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook quinoa according to the instructions on the box, substituting broth for water

2. While quinoa is still warm add feta, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper

3. Cool in the fridge for 20-30 minutes

4. Once quinoa is cool, add peppers, onions, cucumbers, cilantro, and lemon juice

Up Next Week: Aquaculture Overview: Sustainable and Responsible Farming Methods

What do you want to read about seafood and / or sustainability? Leave your topic suggestions in the comments section!

Easy Taco Seasoning

          This is going to a be a quick post with no pictures, because I wanted to share a super easy recipe I'm currently obsessed with: Homemade Taco Seasoning. I'm not sure why I never thought to try this before, but I will never used those prepackaged seasonings loaded with sodium and MSG ever again! I've used this several times already for two delicious (and also very easy recipes).


Seasoning (makes enough to generously season about 1lb of ground beef):

• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt

Tacos:
1. Brown and drain 1 lb of ground beef on medium high heat
2. Mix seasoning with 3/4 a cup of water and add to the beef
3. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed
4. Serve in warmed tortillas with your favorite toppings

Mexican Chicken:
1. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a frying pan
2. Cook your favorite pieces of bone in chicken (I prefer thighs) skin side down on high heat until the skin gets crispy (about 5 minutes)
3. Cut up one onion into large pieces
4. Transfer chicken to a baking dish and top with onions and seasoning
5. Bake for 40 minutes

Where to Shop for Sustainable Seafood

         

          One of the reasons I often hear people cite for not shopping sustainably hat they don't have time or it's not convenient. They're busy and want to get all of their grocery shopping done at once, in one place and not have to think about things like farming or sourcing methods. After doing some research (mainly on the websites of major retail stores), I found it's not as difficult as you might think. While I would always suggest supporting your local fisherman and markets whenever possible, there are plenty of major chains (both regional and national) that make it easy to shop responsibly. 

National

Whole Foods
Whole Foods:  is committed to sustainability and only sells seafood that meets their high standards. In short, you could shop for just about anything at Whole Foods and not have to think or worry about  where it comes from.

Whole Foods collaborates with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an organization that promotes sustainable fisheries and responsible fishing practices worldwide to help preserve fish stocks. Certified fisheries are able to use the MSC eco-label to signify to consumers that the product was caught using environmentally sound fishing methods and responsible practices.

All of the wild-caught seafood at Whole Foods comes from fisheries that are certified sustainable by the MSC or rated Green or Yellow by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program . Whole Foods does not carry Red rated seafood, which indicate the fish is overfished or caught in methods that are harmful to the environment.

All of the farm raised fish at Whole Foods come from farms that meet rigorous standards including no antibiotics, no GMOs or added growth hormones, and minimal impacts on the environment. Whole Foods hires third parties to conduct regular audits of the fish farms they source from to ensure these standards are being met. You can see a complete list of the standards here.

Trader Joe's
In 2010, Trader Joe'spromised that all seafood in stores would be sourced using sustainable methods by 2012. The latest update I could find online was about a year ago (July 2013) with product specific updates for the steps they've taken to improve. These steps include no longer sourcing swordfish from southeast Asia, switching from long line to pole and line caught tuna, and developing standards for farmed shrimp. While it wasn't clear if they met the 2012 goal, they are definitely taking steps in the right direction. I would recommend Trader Joe's as an option for shopping for seafood sustainably, but maybe armed with a bit more information about what to look for and potential red flags.

Northeast

Wegman's

Wegman's: qualifies for the MSC certification referenced above, and has high standards for both wild caught and farm raised seafood suppliers. In 2009 they began working with Trace Register, a company that recognizes the importance of understanding exactly where food comes from and how it has been raised, caught, harvested, shipped, etc. As of October of 2013, 100% of Wegman's  aquaculture products were completely traceable.

Best practices for wild caught include: meeting all regulatory and licensing quotas recording catches accordingly, all product fully traceable back to the original source, no bisulfites or sodium tripolyphosphates used in processing, etc.

Best practices for farm raised include:  < 3% escapement with improvement goals, < 1.3 lbs of wild fish used in feed to grow 1 lb. of farmed fish, areas under pens are checked for effects from feed/fish waste after each harvest. etc.

All Wegman's suppliers are subject to third party audits to ensure compliance with food safety regulations and Wegmans Best Practices


Hannaford
All seafood products sold in Hannaford stores are fully traceable to the wild fishery or farm, and Hannaford ensures that seafood products sold throughout their stores are harvested in a sustainable manner and only source from fisheries and farms that adhere to policy requirements and minimum standards such as traceability, Wetland Conservation And Biodiversity Protection, Fishmeal and Fish Oil Conservation, and more. 

Hannaford has partnered with third parties like the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the Global Aquaculture Alliance to ensure that all suppliers are adhering to these minimum standards.

 Greater Boston

Roche Bros
Roche Bros is a local grocery chain based in Wellesley, MA with about twenty stores in Eastern MA. Roche Bros has a program in partnership with local seafood supplier Foley Fish called the Sea Trace Program, which gives consumers more insight into where their seafood comes from. Shoppers can scan the QR (Quick Response) codes for select species to see a photo of the fishing boat, the location fished, and a description of the fishing gear used. Roche Bros also offers plenty of information in-store, including a sustainability video and consumer brochures to help customers learn how their selections are sustainably fished and naturally processed.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but rather a starting point. There are countless local shops and suppliers where you can buy local and from the fisherman directly.


Up Next Week: Aquaculture Overview: Sustainable and Responsible Farming Methods

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