I’ve made a habit lately of putting some smoked salmon on a bagel in the morning, certainly not a new idea, but something that never occurred to me before (mmm, breakfast sushi!).
Another habit I’ve been consciously adopting this year, is buying as local as possible (natural, organic and seasonally too). I know food miles are the latest food “thing”, and with the current gas prices, it’s not likely to change soon. Rather than be strict to any set (or arbitrary) circle drawn around our house, I’m comparing addresses, and just going as local as possible - If outside New England isn’t an option. Besides, living smack dab in the middle of New England gets me pretty close to 100 miles or so anyhow. New York apples will trump Washington or Chile,… you get the idea. It’s a start….
Yesterday I popped into my parents local supermarket, and was pleased to see them touting produce from the farm literally right down the road, rather than across the equator. Someone’s paying attention! I also saw they had Wild Atlantic Salmon! - well Maine is sure closer to home than the Pacific Northwest.
One taste this morning and I knew I had a winner. Minimally processed, locally, with only natural ingredients. No preservatives. Great flavor, texture. I couldn’t wait to get home to get some more.
But lo - apparently Atlantic Salmon is an endangered species, and (righly so) is illegal to fish. - having been over fished. The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers us seafood watch - info on which species that are doing ok population wise, and which ones are threatened or endangered. It’s enough to give one pause, and wonder why stores and restaurants are able to sell them.
well, the company I’d so recently become a huge fan of has an extensive web site, with links to enough places to show us what they’re doing, where they’re doing it, and what the state of salmon in the wild really is. They seem to be operating on the up and up, so now I’m left wondering if Wild can be defined bureaucratically as farmed, if they are selling me fish from the other side of the Atlantic that isn’t endangered (and ultimately has no fewer miles under it’s fins) or am I missing something obvious?
To sum up impressions I’ve been given; (google them for yourself for further info, or if you think I’m mistaken)
- Re: Salmon (and virtually all animal products), Wild (free range) is better (healthier) than farmed.
- Organic/All natural products are better for you, as well as the planet/environment
- Fewer food miles = fresher food, less time from field to table, less gas (and carbon emissions)
- Endangered animals (while they might be tasty) are illegal to hunt, sell and eat.
Oh the road to hell is surely paved with good intentions… but now that I’ve done a little reading on my latest on the go breakfast, I can’t tell if I’m doing ok, or if I’m one of the customers knowingly cue up for a bit of Komodo Dragon in The Freshman!
But when the information is conflicting… What’s one to do? ARGHHHH!
It’s important to shop and by locally. Keeps the money in the community (or region). Keeps the mom and pop business thriving. Keeps us able to make a choice, rather than accept whatever the big boxes offer up. It’s similarly important to know where your food comes from. There’s a reason chef’s choose fresh, seasonal, all natural and organic ingredients. They grow their own food, or develop relationships with farmers and see how the food is grown and raised, and it makes a difference in quality and flavor. I don’t want a tomato that can survive a 2,000 mile trip without bruising, I want one who’s flavor makes me take pause.
Well, it would seem that I, in my haste (and surprise) at the grocery store, saw the various packages of Wild, Pacific, Atlantic, Nova, Coho and Sockeye salmon, and While I took home an All-natural Atlantic Salmon, it never claimed to be wild… So no confusion about rule breakers, or what I should and shouldn’t be buying… Now the issue is to decide which is more important, or less evil - food miles, or free range-ness.
Is farmed bad? I’m made to think it is, but what do I know? Information and arguments abound (and might conflict) However, the state of Alaska amended their constitution to actually outlaw Salmon farming.
Ok, so I can’t have my Atlantic Salmon “wild”, at least not today, maybe someday… but until then I’ve read that of the commercially availble Pacific varieties, Sockeye or Chinook are closest in taste and texture. - That would explain my lukewarm reception of the less fatty Coho.
Shouldn’t I be congratulating myself for driving past the Dunkin Donutses (of which there are literally dozens between home and my wifes office, 22 miles away) and making my own breakfast with real food, stuff without multiple kinds of sugar in it, and virtually nothing found in nature? I shouldn’t be tormenting myself with the individual and global consequences of what I put on my plate. Not if I’m eating and living healthier than I have been, right?
Wasn’t it so much easier when Mom did the grocery shopping, and we didn’t need to care about all the politics and ramifications of what we put on our plates? Oh, sweet bliss of ignorance… how we have outgrown thee.
