Posted by kathryn in Fish and Ethics & Sustainablity

Disturbing reports over the last few weeks have painted a bleak picture of the future of our marine environments. At the current rate, it’s estimated that by 2050 all fish and seafood species that are currently being fished, will have collapsed. As the perfectly named Professor Worm says: bq. “Whether we looked at tide pools or studies over the entire world’s oceans, we saw the same picture emerging. In losing species we lose the productivity and stability of entire ecosystems,” …

Read more 23 November, 2006

Posted by kathryn in Fish and Ethics & Sustainablity

Today is the Marine Stewardship Council’s second Sustainable Seafood Day. Here in Australia, the latest Bureau of Rural Sciences report estimates that at least a quarter of Australian fisheries are overfished. Of the 166 species available to consumers, only about nineteen have the sustainable all-clear. Part of the problem is lack of information to consumers, but also different bodies give conflicting advice on which fish are managed sustainably and which are at risk. Health-wise, fish is a low-fat source of …

Read more 08 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Fish and Ethics & Sustainablity

The MSC is an international organisation that measures and grades fisheries on their management and sustainability. The core principle is that: bq. A well-managed and sustainable fishery protects the fish and the environment in which they live, whilst allowing responsible use of the species that come from it. The MSC has certified a number of fish products in Australia, most of which are available in supermarkets. These products display the blue MSC logo on their label and include: h3. …

Read more 08 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Fish and Ethics & Sustainablity

One of the bits I found interesting in the Matthew Evans’ article I linked to this morning: of the 166 species of fish available to chefs in Sydney, the top restaurants only use ten . As Evans says: bq. It’s a shame, because chefs cook seafood better than most home cooks can. They’re our inspiration, so it would be brilliant if they stopped relying on farmed fish and unsustainable species and showed their talents with the fantastic species we need …

Read more 08 March, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Fish

Claire has asked a question about mercury and tinned tuna: bq. We eat a lot of tinned tuna in our family, maybe once or twice a week, sometimes more. We use Serina tuna in oil mostly, and I have concerns about the mercury content of such a product . . . should we be avoiding tinned tuna? Claire thanks for your question and the short answer is, no, you don’t have to worry about mercury in tinned tuna. h3. Mercury …

Read more 31 May, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Dairy, Labels & advertising, Fish, Vegetables and Ethics & Sustainablity

• Lamb, cauliflower and spices: Interesting looking Middle Eastern inspired dish with no name from Spice and More_. There’s eggplant, pine nuts, some lovely spices and a good idea for including cauliflower – especially if it’s not your favourite veg. * Ethics in advertising: There’s been a fair bit of criticism PETA and one of their advertising campaigns recently. Here’s a piece from Rudd Sound Bites, Yoni Freehoff’s perspective at Weighty Matters and PETA’s response at The Huffington Post269353.html. * …

Read more 25 September, 2009

Posted by kathryn in Fish, Ethics & Sustainablity and Miscellanea

• Cauliflower & tahini: Great looking recipe from Martha Rose Shulman, for roasted cauliflower with tahini-parsley sauce. It would be lovely with some falafels and pita bread. * About meat: I loved Jonathon Safron Foer’s novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and he brings the same quality of writing to this essay on the New York Times website: Against Meat. Thanks to Lisa Dempster for pointing it out. * Chocolate & chickpeas? Instead of nutella, Bittersweet makes a "chocolate and …

Read more 23 October, 2009

Posted by kathryn in Fish

Mercury is a heavy metal which occurs naturally in the environment. However it’s also present in our world as a result of pollution. Mercury is used in the manufacture of a number of common products, including: * car parts * batteries * fluorescent light bulbs * medical products * thermometers * dental amalgams When these products are not disposed of carefully, they end up in landfill. As the products degrade, mercury is exposed and free to pollute both land …

Read more 01 June, 2010

Posted by kathryn in Fish, Vegetables, Salads, Winter and Recipes

I’ve been surrounded by fennel recently. I’ve been buying fennel, cooking with it and eating it. But also clients and friends have been asking me for tips on using the stuff. I’ve included fennel recipes in recent cooking classes. It’s appeared in my weekly vegetable box. And I keep on spotting amazing fennel recipes. While I love cooked fennel, one of my favourite uses is in a simple salad. This dish is easy and yet packs a superb flavour …

Read more 14 July, 2010