Sustainable seafood advocates are concerned, including some fairly reactionary words as well as some more thoughtful concerns.
The announcement from Legal Sea Foods:
Legal Sea Foods’ Roger Berkowitz Speaks on Sustainable Seafood
President/CEO Hosts Dinner of Supposed “Blacklisted” Fish
To Educate the Public on the Truth about Sustainable Fishing Practices
WHAT: The Culinary Guild of New England and Legal Seafoods co-sponsor an educational dining event to shed light on sustainable seafood. Legal Sea Foods’ President and CEO Roger Berkowitz presents a four-course dinner, followed by a discussion on the most current information concerning sustainable seafood fishing practices.
Over the last few years, news reports on the sustainability of seafood have become more frequent, causing widespread discussion on what fish is sustainable, and therefore safe to eat. Unfortunately, this discussion is flawed by outdated scientific findings that unfairly turn the public against certain species of fish. In a direct effort to counter existing misinformation about sustainability, the menu for this event is deliberately designed to serve what is commonly believed to be outlawed or blacklisted fish. The menu includes:
Fritters
Black tiger shrimp, duck cracklings, smoked tomato, and avocado sauce
Hermann J. Wiemer Reisling, Finger Lakes, 2008
Cod Cheeks
Spaghetti squash, toasted pecans, melting marrow gremolata
Schiopetto Sauvignon, Collio, 2008
Prosciutto Wrapped Hake
Braised escarole, Rancho Gordo beans, blood orange marmalade
Domaine du Viking Vouvray, "Cuvée Tendre," Loire Valley, 2009
Citrus Almond Cake
Yuzu semi freddo, candied kumquats
Jorge Ordoñez Moscatel Selección Especial No.1, Málaga DO, 2007
There will be an opportunity for CGNE guests to ask questions about what’s safe to eat, which species are indeed plentiful, and how to read between the lines of media reports. In addition, Sandy Block, Master of Wine, and Legal's Vice President of Beverage Operations, has chosen wines specifically to complement the menu devised by Rich Vellante, Legal's Executive Chef. Alexander Murray, Assistant Director of Beverage Strategy, will be there to present the pairings.
A more sensible take on this dinner, from co-host Culinary Guild of New England:
Learn about sustainable seafood practices and the misinformation regarding fish from Roger Berkowitz, the President and CEO of Legal Sea Foods and Bill Holler, Legal's Vice President of Seafood Purchasing. The menu for this CGNE meal will be deliberately designed to serve what others consider outlawed or blacklisted fish, but that Berkowitz and Holler believe to be sustainable! There will be an opportunity for CGNE guests to ask questions about what's safe to eat, which species are plentiful, and how to read between the lines of media reports. In addition, Sandy Block, Master of Wine and Legal's Vice President of Beverage Operations, has chosen wines to complement the 4 course menu devised by Rich Vellante, Legal's Executive Chef.
3 comments:
I was curious about your take on this, Mark. I think this is likely to sow more misconceptions than it clears up. The Legal press release read to me like putting our fingers in our ears and yelling "FISHERIES ARE FINE LALALALA!". Do you think there is a more productive way of steering the conversation? How can fish consumers get involved?
P.S. Thanks for the kind words & the link!
Miriam, I have more to say, see Jan 6 post. I think the dinner was a decent idea, but Legal's CEO is making a fool of himself talking about it. Also, the choices are not good for illustrating the points.
It's more posturing than substance. The real naughty dinner would be something like red snapper from the Gulf of Mexico, or Northern Pacific bluefin tuna. From New England, how about big boat scallops? Now there's a controversial product.
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