is over! And I win… (pause for victory dance!!) Actually, consumers win…
I had been going round and round and round with well-intentioned David… who works at Blue Fish and insisted that there was such a thing as wild New Zealand salmon showing up on the menu… there and around Memphis.
According to the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium — and its seafoodwatch.org site that helps consumers make good choicies — there is no wild-caught salmon in the Southern Hemisphere. Called the restaurant’s purveyor in Atlanta, and she confirmed that, no, they do not get wild salmon from New Zealand. Maybe there was some confusion with another species known as Tasmanian trout?? she suggested.
OK. I’m a dog with a bone here. But I absolutely believe it’s essential for diners to have honest information so they can make an informed choice when ordering. Don’t you agree?
Next up: “buffalo mozzarella” that’s not truly made with the milk of water buffalo from Italy… fresh cow’s milk mozzarella should not be sold as buffalo mozzarella… what other “fuzzy” menu writing have you come up against?
Let's eat
Responses to “The great salmon debate…”
November 7th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Feta cheese. If it’s not made in Greece - and from sheep’s milk - it’s not real feta. It’s fine if you want to use the American variety, but specify, please.
Another phrase that bothers me? “Prime rib”. It’s misleading because “prime” has nothing to do with the grade of beef being used. At one time, the phrase had meaning because it was a better cut of meat long before the days of grading. Most high end restaurants stick to the moniker “standing rib roast” to avoid the confusion.
November 7th, 2006 at 11:51 am
Of course there is the whole “free range chicken” issue. And “organic” as well. I have no idea how to tell if the food I was just served is really what it is labeled.
November 8th, 2006 at 8:09 am
it’s funny you mention Tazmanian Trout as some restaurants call it tazmanian Salmon, probably because their purveyors tell them it is salmon indeed?
November 8th, 2006 at 10:23 am
Many restaurants in the upper midwest offer two “walleyes” on their menus and Friday night fish fries. One is “Alaska” walleye (about $5) and the other is “Canadian” walleye (about$12). The “Canadian is the real thing, while the “Alaskan” is pollock-a very cheap fish caught in nets in Alaska and generally used to make fishsticks. Most of the locals know the difference, but it is intentionally meant to confuse the unaware. Actually, the pollock is a mild, white fish which is freshly spiced and breaded, so many folks do save their money and order it. It’s amazing what a great tarter sauce can hide!
November 8th, 2006 at 10:47 am
Not so fast there Leslie.
Breaking news directly from the New Zealand Fish and game commission.
Hi David,
>
> Thank you for your inquiry.
>
> Some salmon farming companies still have permits to “ocean ranch” where
> they are able to harvest fish which return from releases they have made.
> None of them do it to sell the fish these days but some still let a few
> fish go and harvest the returns for brood stock. Tentburn (NZ King
> Salmon Company) near the outlet of Lake Ellesmere is the best example.
> It is possible that the odd “wild” fish is attracted back to these
> facilities but most should originate from their hatchery releases.
>
> Commercial fishermen do catch some wild salmon, but their catch is well
> monitored and penalty levies are applied to the sale price which means
> that they generally make very little from the deal.
> Regards
>
> Ric Cullinane
> Communications and Marketing Manager
> Fish & Game New Zealand
> Phone: 04 499 4767
> Mobile: 021 994768
> Email: rcullinane@fishandgame.org.nz
>
November 8th, 2006 at 11:38 am
All of the Salmon and trout fall under the same genus which is Salmo. For example Salmo Trutta is Brown trout, Salmo salar is Atlantic Salmon and Salmo trutta trutta is Sea Trout.
Not saying they are the same species, just that they are in the same genus.
November 8th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Once again…gotta go directly to the source. Here is the link.
http://www.tsga.com.au/ This is the Tasmanian salmon Growers Association not to be confused with the TTGA (Tasmanian Trout Growers Association) if there is one.
Please don’t anyone confuse this as me telling you it is wild. It is not wild, but it is Salmon not Trout. Specifically it is Salmo salar…Atlantic farm raised Salmon.
Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association
The Tasmanian Salmonid Growers’ Association Ltd is Tasmania’s peak body representing salmon growers throughout Australia’s beautiful island state.
Tasmania prides itself on its on clean, green environment, and it is in the crystal clear waters of its many delightful waterways, where we grow some of the world’s finest salmon.
Tasmanian Salmon has become synonymous with fine seafood around the world.
Tasmanian Salmon growers employ world best practice in their farming techniques and their dedication to quality processes can be seen, and tasted in the fine texture and flavours of this exquisite seafood delicacy. This, combined with water temperatures which are perfect for growing top quality salmon, free from major salmon diseases, enables us to produce a product which is without peer.
We would welcome your enquiries about Tasmanian Salmon, and your comments on this web site. For postal and electronic contact details, please click here.
November 8th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
Re “buffalo mozzarella”: We make our own fresh mozzarella at Mantia’s, but it is cow’s milk. It is much better than the kind sold in supermarkets as “fresh” (when in fact it’s already days old when it ships, with a kill date a few weeks away…FRESH? I don’t think so!) But I fume when I see “buffalo mozzarella” on a menu. It seems that the term has become almost generic for fresh mozz, and not the kind made from the water buffaloes found in the Naples area of Italy. Occasionally in the summer we will bring it in by air, but the cost is high to get it fresh, somewhere around $20/pound!
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