My creative cooking has flown out of the window...now we are just eating to survive...the most creativity I get these days is from California Pizza Kitchen...a friend took me on my birthday and I went again today - I eat Miso Salad and recommend the Moroccan Chicken Salad (I keep saying that I can recreate that but have yet to do it). In my kitchen, the biggest issue is cookies - I just don't have the time to plan, but the other problem is that my body has been very sore (I think that accident is rearing its ugly head), hence it's a physical challenge.
Yesterday it was burgers, potatoes au gratin, and kale; today it was catfish, homefries, and cabbage (I put a half of a long hot pepper in the pot and boy did it give it a kick). I have to admit I was hoodwinked by Acme...after the cookie booth on Sunday, I stopped in the market and noticed frozen catfish fillets $9.99 for 2.5lb; I thought that's not a bad deal - they're farm raised but that's just how it goes with catfish these days. I think I previously mentioned my apprehension about farm raised fish - it is similar to feedlot cattle and chicken - lots of animals in a small space on a diet of corn and antibiotics. I picked them up, against my better judgment, thinking they'd come in handy, and they did.
Here's the kicker...the packaging is all stars and stripes and the brand is Great American Seafood. Once you turn the package over you learn that it's "a US owned and operated company importing the finest seafood from around the world" and the source of this fish is China - we all know that China is an environmental disaster waiting to happen and probably not the best country to source food; in addition, there is sodium tripolyphosphate added to these fillets (to retain moisture).
The lesson learned is to verify the source of the food prior to purchasing and cooking...while aquaculture can ease the burden on global fisheries, there are many issues to consider. Technology has propelled us so far beyond hunter gatherer societies that we are outsourcing food halfway around the world.
Subscribe To Lazeez Goodeez
Posts
Comments
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I bought frozen fish for the first time in a long time last week while checking out a different supermarket. I usually prefer shellfish. I got Tilapia filets and Alaskan Haddock filets. The price ($3.99 for (3) 2 oz. filets) made me apprehensive but the package said the Haddock was wild-caught off the shores of Alaska. I still didn't believe it and continued to scour the package and found no evidence of anything but. I considered it a lucky find and added it to my cart. I'm cooking it tonight. Lemon and capers for myself and a dijon glaze topped with fresh bread crumbs for Mike. I still don't know why it was so cheap. I hope I don't find out when I taste it.
ReplyDeleteIf it was really wild caught then $10/lb isn't bad...I like the sound of the dijon glaze.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I learned while on the Whole Foods value tour was that the frozen fillets are often a pretty good deal and supposedly their fish is sustainably harvested. I just keep reminiscing about the fish from South Carolina.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/02/business/02food.html?em=&pagewanted=all
I have to say my Mom is a frozen fish buyer all the time but there is nothing like fresh fish. I purchased a fishing rod for my husband two years ago and this is the year he better make use of it. This is our year to go with locally homegrown and caught. I am planting a bigger garden (hand container pots for the past two years, worked very well but I need more space) and he is going out to catch me some fish. I asked him last night if we thought we could get a zone for a chicken coop. Those brown eggs are the tastiest, I might add. Maybe we should put our money together and buy a mid size plot of land and bring in some chickens and plant fresh veggies and herbs everywhere. (Roz)
ReplyDeleteGood article. I pop in to a Whole Foods several times a week as one is a pleasant ten minute walk from my office in Philadelphia. I've been saying for a year now that Whole Foods often has competitive prices (and tried to convine fellow classmates through a DT response). I think any consumer with a keen eye and a decent knowledge of prices would agree.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I'm currently reading Best Food Writing: 2009. Its an anthology of the best blog posts, newspaper and magazine articles, etc. regarding food. I'm really enjoying the vastly varied topics and I do recommend it.
Too bad I commented before I read through the entire article. hahaha. So I guess you wouldn't exactly agree with my comment that Whole Foods is competitive. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhole Foods is competitive for some items, but like you said, you need to be a savvy consumer...I do a lot of shopping at Trader Joes, but prefer WF for the poultry and seafood.
ReplyDeleteI used to get brown eggs regularly with my CSA, still not my cup of tea.
My husband loves to fish and is always looking for a buddy...maybe they can hook up (ha ha ha).
I think I did a post about wanting to be a Locavore...let's talk more about that...I found some good purveyors at the Farm Show and I'm going to to a CSA and probably make some adjustments in my yard...we can definitely make this happen!