SENA17: Chefs & the Business of Seafood

Chefs are on the front line of the promotion of seafood consumption. As I mentioned last Friday, Barton Seaver advised chefs that they should not ask for specific species but should ask for what is fresh. In addition, they should "sell the dish, not the seafood." At the recent Seafood Expo North America (SENA), I attended a seminar where several chefs offered their own take on the issue of seafood sustainability.

The Keynote conference session I attended at SENA was "Delicious & Profitable: Chefs Discuss The Business of Seafood" which was intended to discuss the following: "Everyday, chefs across North America make the important decision of which seafood products to buy and those choices have a strong impact on the business of seafood. They are faced with the challenge of offering new and innovative dishes, enticing younger consumers to the table while navigating the intricate waters of responsible sourcing. Ultimately, what chefs decide to put on their menus set consumer buying trends and influence consumer behavior at retail. In a quest to find the seafood options that make business sense while inspiring mouthwatering creations their clients crave, our panel of influential chefs will discuss the drivers behind their purchasing decisions and what the seafood industry can do to help them increase the amount of seafood served as well as insight into how chefs influence consumer trends."

The Moderator was Polly Legendre,  a Chef and a Board member of Aquaculture Without Frontiers, an independent non-profit organization that promotes and supports responsible and sustainable aquaculture in the alleviation of poverty. There were also four expert speakers, including: Chef Ned Bell, the Ocean Wise executive chef of the Vancouver Aquarium; Chef Jeff Black, who owns six restaurants and a bar in Washington D.C.; Chef Richard Garcia, a sustainable seafood proponent and the culinary director for a national chain of restaurants and hotels; and Chef Rick Moonen, a restaurateur and long-time sustainable seafood advocate.

Polly Legendre started off the discussion noting the important statistic that approximately two-thirds of seafood expenditures by consumers are at restaurants. Consumers are much less likely to cook seafood at home so it is vital that restaurants help to promote sustainability. Restaurants also stand in a strong position to persuade consumers to eat more seafood in general, to eat more diverse species, and to embrace sustainability. However, not all chefs are interested in such matters so we need to support and highlight those chefs who embrace these concepts.

Ned Bell then began the discussion, noting how seafood is the last wild protein on the planet yet the cowboy, corralling his cattle, is seen as possessing sex appeal while the fisherman is vilified. This is wrong and we need to see a cultural change in how fishermen are viewed by our society. Ned also stated that the chef possesses much power and that if you enjoy what they feed you, then you are more apt to listen to their message. Thus, it is of primary importance that a chef cooks well, presenting delicious seafood dishes. Once you have impressed your customers, then you will find them more amenable to embracing sustainability issues.

In addition, Ned stated that he would like to see less "squares" of seafood on a plate, and view the dish in its entirety, as a composition. It is all about how you present seafood dishes to your customers. Chefs should also use the whole fish, which is definitely a way to extend the value of seafood, which is often less expensive when purchased whole. And as some seafood can be pricey, just eat smaller portions. Americans often eat too large portions of everything they eat, and smaller dishes would benefit them in multiple ways.

Rick Moonen, who is always a compelling speaker, started off stating how he always preaches that consumers should embrace a diversity of seafood species. That is a sentiment I wrote about on Monday and which numerous other sustainable seafood proponents have promoted. Rick also likes to promote the next fishery which has improved significantly, celebrating the victory of that fishery in helping the species rebound. In addition, he believes consumers should eat lower on the food chain, the small fish which sometimes are seen more as bait.

He also believes we need to support U.S. fisheries, noting that there is a significant system in place to ensure that the seafood harvested locally is sustainable. It is vital that consumers learn and understand that this system is in place, and that it works. We also need to be honest with consumers and attain their confidence in that system. Currently, too many consumers have a fear of seafood and that must be defeated and eliminated. We must find ways to counter their fears.

Rick stated that "we don't tell enough stories" about seafood and that we also "don't celebrate our victories." Consumers are more willing to listen to stories than statistics. The media writes too many negative articles about seafood and that must change too. The media needs to write more positive stories about seafood, to convince people that it is safe and beneficial to eat seafood. Rick also mentioned that it is easier to have a successful shellfish story than one dealing with fin fish. I agree with Rick on these issues, that we do need to promote seafood more, especially highlighting the various success stories out there.

Jeff Black also agreed that chefs need to promote seafood diversity, serving less common species on their menus. Chefs shouldn't just showcase a single species, but promote a whole ecosystem. However, that isn't always easy and Jeff noted how he previously opened a more esoteric restaurant which didn't work so well. In response, Jeff scaled back the menu and eventually got more customers. At that point, he began slowly adding in the more esoteric items, and it worked much better in that manner. That is a good lesson for other chefs who might be struggling with a more esoteric concept. It might be easier to ease into it rather than jump in with both feet.

Rich Garcia indicated that it is extremely difficult for him to institute a seafood sustainability policy across all of the hundreds of restaurants under his control. They order millions of pounds of salmon, tuna and shrimp, and about 80% of their customers are business travelers. He does what he can, trying to create some sustainable restaurants within the larger chain. Rich is also one of those chefs who doesn't like the term sustainability, feeling it has been diluted too much, and he prefers to use "responsible." It is also important, that in the end, chefs are still running a business.

It is important to Rich that the discussion should start focusing more on the sustainability of people, those businesses that rely upon seafood production, from fishermen to processors. The discussion often seems to discuss those people last, concentrating primarily on the fish. However, sustainability needs to include the totality and not just concentrate on one single factor.

Commenting on Polly's opening statement, Rich noted how so few people cook seafood and home and that the industry hasn't done a good job of teaching people how to cook seafood at home. That really needs to change and people need to learn that cooking seafood at home is much easier than they believe.

For more info, check out some of my prior posts on cooking seafood at home: SENA15: How To Cook Seafood, How To Cook Seafood, Vol.1, How To Cook Seafood, Vol.2, and How To Cook Seafood, Vol.3,

What are your favorite restaurants for seafood?

SENA17: Sea Urchin Master Class

"I've never been hurt by a sea creature, except for jellyfish and sea urchins."
--Peter Benchley, Author of Jaws and The Deep

Their gonads are a culinary delicacy, highly valued by many Japanese diners. You can find them available at a number of Japanese restaurants in the U.S. as well as some other high-end restaurants. I'm a fan and know plenty of others who enjoy them too. I'm referring to Sea Urchin, a spiny sea creature, and its "roe" which are actually gonads. You may know their gonads by their Japanese name, Uni. "Uni" doesn't mean "sea urchin" but specifically refers to their "gonads."

At the Seafood Expo North America (SENA), they offered a Master Class in Sea Urchin, presented by Chef Ned Bell of Ocean Wise, a sustainable seafood program, and Claire Li Loong of the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre. The presentation was sponsored by the Pacific Urchin Harvesters Association, an industry association established to examine fishery issues in the Red Sea Urchin in British Columbia.

Chef Ned Bell is the Ocean Wise Executive Chef at the Vancouver Aquarium, as well as a sustainable seafood ambassador. Bell founded Chefs for Oceans in 2014 to raise awareness about sustainable seafood. He has worked in a number of restaurants, including, most recently, the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver and YEW seafood + bar. The Four Seasons was the first hotel in British Columbia to be 100% certified Ocean Wise. Bell’s cooking philosophy is "globally inspired and locally created" and he has a cookbook due out in the fall. He was a personable and passionate speaker, and I was fortunate to see him at another seminar at the Expo as well.

He began with some general remarks on sustainable seafood, noting we all should "choose responsible seafood." Like a growing number of chefs, Chef Bell seems to prefer to use the term "responsible" rather than "sustainable." A growing number of people feel that the term "sustainable" has been diluted over time and have chosen a different term which they feel is more appropriate. Chef Bell stated that we need to build relationships with responsible fishermen, supporting those who do the right thing. I fully agree and it is those relationships which help to build trust, and when assessing sustainability, trust is very important.

Polling the audience, only about 40% of them had tasted sea urchin before. It was cool to see a significant number of adventurous attendees who were curious about sea urchin and willing to sample it. As I've often said before, including in yesterday's post, we need to eat more species than the most common ones. Chef Bell noted that in North America, sea urchin is a relatively new delicacy, and most sea urchin is exported to Japan. The domestic market in Canada for sea urchin is still small, but growing. The discussion centered on the Red Sea Urchin from British Colombia.

The Red Sea Urchin ranges from Alaska down to Baja, California, though about 80% of these sea urchin are collected on the North Coast. Last year, 4000 metric tonnes were caught in British Colombia, by divers in remote areas. They dive to depths from 12-60 feet, and the sea urchins they harvest are often available within 24 hours. The Red Sea Urchin is the largest in the world, with a maximum diameter of about 18 centimeters and spines up to 7 centimeters long. It takes them about five years to reach maturity and they have millions of eggs per spawning event. The harvest season is from October to May.

Sea Urchin has a shelf life of 7-10 days. The firmer and more well defined sea urchin is better used in sushi while the softer variety is better used in soups and sauces. Chef Bell recommended that we should eat less common seafood, such as sea urchin, which is certainly an excellent idea to take pressure off some of the more popular types of fish. As Red Sea Urchin is very sustainable, it makes for a good option.

Claire then took over the discussion to talk about Ocean Wise, which recommends sustainable seafood by scientific assessment. This is akin to the Seafood Watch of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. These assessments are based on four main components: a) Heathy stock; b) Limited bycatch; c) Well managed; and d) Limited habitat damage. A numerical score is generated, ranging up to a maximum of 5, and a fishery needs at least a 2.8 to be considered sustainable.

The Red Sea Urchin has been assessed as sustainable by Ocean Wise. It has a healthy and abundant stock. Its main predator is the sea otter but there are not as many otters around so its population has grown. Harvesting sea urchin by individual divers means that there is almost no bycatch. That also means that is very limited habitat damage from those divers. The fishery is also well managed, with a quota system, minimum size limits, good enforcements, and even observers at the docks to help monitoring.

Locally, I know that Red's Best at the Boston Public Market sometimes sells Sea Urchins. You could buy some, take them home and prepare them yourself. Check out some Sea Urchin Recipes from the Pacific Urchin Harvesters Association. Or, the next time you dine out and see Sea Urchin on the menu, order it and enjoy its compelling flavors.

SENA17: "We Don't Know How To Talk About Seafood"

"We don't know how to talk about seafood."

It might seem strange to hear that sentiment spoken at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA), but if you think more carefully about it, maybe it is the perfect place to discuss this statement.

The first conference session I attended at SENA was "How Can Market Measures Promote Sustainable Seafood Production and Consumption" which was intended to discuss the following: "What is the current situation, where are we headed, and how can we insure that sustainable practices are adopted to meet future demand? First, a statistical overview of global trends (FAO stats) in seafood production, consumption and trade, along with a comparison of model projections (FAO/OECD/WB) of future production and utilization. Second, identification of key factors that hinder sustainable production, consumption and trade of fish products that threaten our future seafood supplies, global food security, and achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals."

The Moderator was Victoria Chomo,  a PhD economist specializing in international trade and development who is currently a Senior Fishery Officer in the Products, Trade and Marketing Branch of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). There were also four expert speakers, including: John Connelly, the President of the National Fisheries Institute (a trade association advocating for the full seafood supply chain); John Henderschedt, the Director of the Office of International Affairs and the Seafood Inspection at NOAA Fisheries; Niklas Wehner, Advisor at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); and Barton Seaver, of the Sustainable Seafood & Health Initiative at the Center for Health & the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Initially, Victoria Chomo began discussing the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is involved in food security and sustainability. In September 2015, U.N. members agreed to a series of sustainability goals, adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. For this conference session, they concentrated on Goal #12, "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns." However, Goal #14, "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources", would probably also be applicable here.

We then proceeded to learn about the worldwide role of seafood and how integral it is to the global economy and more. The global fish & seafood value chain was estimated at approximately $818 Billion in 2008. That can be broken down into Capture Fisheries $100 Billion, Aquaculture $98 Billion, Primary Processing $90 Billion, Secondary Processing $180 Billion, and Distribution $350 Billion. It is the most highly traded food commodity in the world. About 880 million people, 12% of the world population, subsist on these fish & seafood value chains for their livelihood.

About 3 billion people rely on seafood for more than 20% of their animal protein intake, and some as much as 50%. Unfortunately, approximately 30% of seafood production ends up as waste, which is a significant problem for our entire food industry. It is predicted that aquaculture will rise to 57% within the next 10 years, necessary to help feed the world's growing population. Though some oppose increased aquaculture, its conversion efficiency is better than terrestrial proteins, including beef, pork and chicken. In addition, it has very low on emissions with bivalves have the lowest.

John Connelly then spoke, first noting that most people, except for governments and NGOs, don't talk in terms of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This term needs to be translates into business practices. He also mentioned that he believes it is the government's responsibility to ensure sustainability as it is a common. In addition, he mentioned that the seafood industry wants better communication from the government. For example, he feels that NOAA doesn't talk enough about efficiency and fisheries, caring more about scientific assessments. Finally, addressing the issue of waste, he stated this was a new issue for the industry, which needs to examine the issue much more to learn how and where they can reduce waste. I'm not sure I agree that it is a new issue, though its importance might have only been raised in the recent past.

Next, John Henderschedt stepped up, agreeing with most of what Connelly already said. He added that the government can be informative, telling the market and public about what is sustainable and what is not. He stated that we want informed consumers, educated about seafood sustainability. The final speaker was Niklas Wehner, who discussed the rules of development corporations.

However, it was the speech from Barton Seaver that most resonated with me, which caused me to contemplate much of what he said. He began stating: "We don't know how to talk about seafood." He continued, noting that we don't have a great definition of "sustainable seafood," especially as there are so many elements of sustainability. Seafood often isn't included in discussion about "good food" despite it being maybe the only food with the term "food" actually in it. We need to look at seafood more from a cultural viewpoint.

Seafood suffers from "otherness," being seen as different from other foods. Over time, seafood lost its identity, partially from the advent of refrigeration and a decrease in home cooking. When people commonly think of proteins, they usually don't include seafood in their thoughts. It is also the only food that is considered guilty before being innocent. It is something people think must be analyzed, to determine whether it passes a person's standards or not. These same individuals don't conduct that same analysis with their beef, chicken, or pork.

The culinary aspect of seafood scares people, who feel intimidated when trying to cook seafood. Currently, Americans eat almost only 10 species of fish, 8 if you group the catfish together. Other fish and seafood is not seen as having the same value as these 10. Our fishermen catch so many other species and this is an unsustainable economic situation. We demand the market supply for fish rather than take what is caught. We must all start eating other species of fish and seafood, going beyond the common 10. We need to be less pressure on those common 10 and also help fishermen who catch all the other species. This is an issue I'll be writing about more in the near future.

Barton then raised an issue I hadn't considered before, but which makes much sense. He stated that one of the biggest obstacles to sustainability is the recipe. The problem is that recipes usually are composed to use a specific type of fish. For example, you will find recipes for Cod and Mussels, Salmon and Crab. Some seafood cookbooks break down into chapters for these specific seafood types. However, Barton feels that recipes shouldn't specify the fish type but be more generic, such as a "light, flaky whitefish."

The idea is to encourage home cooks to seek outside the common 10 and use other seafood species, which are similar to the common ones they already enjoy. That is excellent advice, though such a cookbook would probably need to have a list somewhere, grouping seafood species by the generic definitions within the cookbook. For example, the average consumer doesn't know what dogfish is like, so they would need to have some guidance as to what type of recipes it would fit within. Barton also had advice for Chefs, that they should not ask for specific species but should ask for what is fresh. In addition, they should "sell the dish, not the seafood."

Barton then moved on, stating that we need to "end the conversation of wild vs farmed." He feels it is an artificial distinction, that we should treat them both the same and stop arguing about aquaculture. In a recent online article, Barton expanded upon this issue and it is worth a read. He makes numerous valid points and I have long been a proponent of aquaculture as well. You'll find numerous articles on my blog discussing aquaculture.

As Barton says, "Seafood is such an amazing opportunity" and "Seafood sustains us." He also noted how valuable it is for our health, how numerous studies show that eating sufficient seafood can reduce your risk of heart disease by about 36%. A doctor from Tufts once told him of the 3 Ss of good health: Wear Seatbelts, No Smoking, and Eat Seafood.

"Fish lacks story." Barton is not the first sustainable seafood proponent that I have heard make this point, and its validity is without dispute. Barton feels we need to use other methods to connect people to seafood, and shouldn't start with the seafood. We need to connect it more to cultural issues. For example, we can talk about social issues such as the fact that 52% of the people involved in aquaculture are women. Aquaculture provides plenty of jobs and that is a great story. In addition, we should consider the story of how we keep fishermen in business, the civic values of helping members of our community. We all should "Talk about sustainability in any measure that is meaningful to you."

Barton Seaver provided me much to ponder and I hope it helped spark something within my readers as well. People need to eat more seafood, for an abundance of reasons, from improving your own health to helping local fishermen make a living. Stop treating seafood as an enemy and treat it as you would hamburger or fried chicken.

SENA17: Fish Fun & Photos

Fish heads fish heads,
Roly poly fish heads,
Fish heads fish heads,
Eat them up yum
--Barnes & Barnes

Every year at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA), I take plenty of photos of all of the fascinating things I find there, including numerous fish heads. I've collected a group of my photos for your viewing pleasure. Please enjoy this visual journey through the warped eye of the Fish Head Whisperer.

See you next year at the Seafood Expo!

SENA17: Seafood of Interest

“Blue, green, grey, white, or black; smooth, ruffled, or mountainous; that ocean is not silent.”
--H.P. Lovecraft

Once again, I attended the Seafood Expo North America (SENA), a huge trade show for the seafood industry. SENA is one of my favorite food events each year, an Expo worthy of continued support and where you'll find fodder for many story ideas. The basic Expo events occur from Sunday to Tuesday, over the course of 19 hours, and as usual, I met with a variety of people, attended conference sessions, tasted loads of seafood samples, took plenty of photos and tried to learn new information about seafood.

SENA is the largest seafood trade event in North America, continuing to grow each year, constantly breaking records on its size and attendance, Last year, over 1259 companies exhibited at the Expo and this year, that number rose to 1327 exhibitors, representing 51 different countries. The total exhibit space grew to approximately 253,000 square feet. You'll get plenty of exercise walking down the roughly 34 aisles of exhibitors.

Over 20,000 people attended SENA, indicating the huge interest in this Expo. The exhibit hall gets busy, but far less than you would expect for an event this large, likely because the hall is so spread out. However, there is still a lack of civility from some attendees, as I noted last year. Even though the event lasts three days, that is still insufficient time to experience all the Expo has to offer. You'll have to make choices as to which booths and conferences you wish to visit, which people you choose to engage. The size of the event permits a great diversity in exhibitors, allowing you to find whatever interests you.

SENA is all about commerce, the buying and selling of products and services. Nearly all of the exhibitors are there to make money while most of the attendees are there to spend money. Attendees are seeking seafood, both fresh and frozen, as well as various processed seafood products, from crab cakes to salmon bacon. Others are there to buy processing equipment, cooking supplies, packaging machinery, labeling equipment, conveyors, and much more. Still others are seeking services, from food safety to third party certification.

Each morning, before the Expo opens, you'll find tables throughout the convention center filled with people conducting business. Once the Expo opens, much of the business will end up in the main exhibit hall, at small tables at their booths, though business will also continue to be conducted in other parts of the convention center. And this is clearly international business, with attendees from all over the world, trying to make deals.

What may not seem obvious is that SENA is not really about seafood. It's not??? Despite the many thousand pounds of seafood being showcased at the Expo, it is all merely a means to an end. SENA is actually about people and community. Seafood is only food, intended to provide sustenance and nutrition to people, and that is understood, though largely unspoken, by the exhibitors and attendees. SENA is much more about fishermen and fish farmers, distributors and retailers, inventors and importers. It is about all of the people involved in the seafood industry, and their economic well being. It is about the global economy as the seafood industry is truly international and affects people all across the world.

Concerns about seafood sustainability ultimately come down to the fate of people, whether future generations will have enough food to survive, and whether they will live in a clean world, with adequate resources. The fate of the oceans and the fish directly relates to the fate of mankind. When you understand that SENA is all about people, then the issues take on an even greater significance. We need to talk about this more, you ensure that everyone understands people are the primary concern. It is our future and nothing is more important than that. And that sentiment would be repeated at a couple of the conferences I attended.

Having said that, I want to highlight some of the delicious seafood I sampled at SENA. Many exhibitors offer tastes of their seafood products, and you'll find seafood prepared in many different ways, such as chowders, soups, pate, batter fried, marinated, pickled, dried, raw, smoked, salads, smoked, sushi and much more. Each year, there are plenty of new products offered, though you will likely find some prior favorites still around. Some of the best samples you will find are prepared by some creative chefs. It is just a matter of locating the booths of those inventive people. You can also feel good that at the end of the event, SENA donates several thousand pounds of seafood product to the Greater Boston Food Bank Network.

Onto my tasty highlights of the Expo...

I've previously tasted various seafood sausages, and you usually know exactly what you're eating. It is clearly seafood. However, the California Calamari Sausage (pictured above), made by Real Good Fish and apparently distributed under the Ocean Angel Brand (which is part of Del Mar Seafoods), is very different. The squid is sourced from the California Current, and these sausages are also prepared with fennel seed, dried sage, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, brown sugar, red pepper flake, ground clove,  cayenne pepper, and a lamb sausage casing. They are supposed to be high in protein, low calorie and have 0 grams of saturated fats. I loved these sausages, and they certainly tasted like a usual pork sausage, and not other seafood sausages. You likely would not have known they were made from squid. They have a nice blend of spices, a mild bit of heat, and an excellent texture. Being healthier than other sausages, these would be a good option, even for people who claim not to like seafood. Highly recommended.

At the Japanese Pavilion, Daiei Foods Co. Ltd., a seafood wholesaler founded in 1973, presented samples of their Wasabikko, Wasabi Flavored Seasoned Flying Fish Roe. It is an intriguing idea, blending spicy wasabi with salty fish roe, and this would make a nice addition on sushi. I liked the taste, and the heat was evident though not overwhelming.

Seaweed snacks have been popular for quite some time and Ocean's Halo is upping the game with their line-up of Seaweed Strips. These Strips come in four flavors, Almond, Chocolate Almond, Coconut and Chocolate Coconut. They are made from only a few ingredients, including seaweed and a complex sauce base. I tasted the Chocolate Almond & Chocolate Coconut flavors, and they were an intriguing blend of briny and sweet flavors, like drinking hot chocolate made from sea water. Though it may sound strange, it was tasty, and the added texture of the nuts and coconut enhanced the treat. The flavor may not appeal to everyone, but at least be open to trying it.

Another more unusual flavor combination is the Coppa Candied Salmon Caramel Ice Cream. Coppa, which opened in September 2013, is a handmade ice cream and coffee shop in Juneau, Alaska. Currently the ice cream is only available at their shop, which caters to the many cruise passengers that stop by the area. However, they are seeking ways to make distribution more cost-effective so they can sell it across the country. The ice cream is made with Sockeye Salmon from Taku River Reds, as well as milk, cream, sugar, maple syrup, butter, sea salt, guar gum, and gum arabic. I found the ice cream to be creamy and delicious, with a sweet and salty element, the merest hint of salmon. I know plenty of people cringe at the idea of fish in their ice cream, but if they tasted this ice cream, they would change their minds.

Caviarum, a Canadian company, produces Faux Caviar, which is intended to be less expensive and more sustainable than actual caviar. They sell their products to restaurants and food service companies. In short, to create their faux caviar, they use "molecular science technology by extracting fish broth and using fish oils to create a formulated liquid." That liquid is then processed into small balls, like fish eggs. Overall, I think these can make a nice substitute, unless you are a connoisseur who doesn't mind paying the steep prices for actual caviar.

They make four different types, including:
--Crown Osetra: To represent wild Osetra sturgeon from the Black Sea. This was probably my favorite of the four. Tiny, dark "roe" with a delightful briny and fishy taste.
--Royal Beluga: To represent wild Beluga sturgeon from the Black & Caspian Sea. These "roe" are larger, though also with that pleasant briny and fishy taste.
--Albino Gold: To represent the extremely rare wild Albino Beluga from the Caspian Sea. These were intriguing, possessing a touchy of smokiness that enhanced the more briny "roe."
--Pearl D'Escargot: To represent the wild Escargot from the ancient European oak forests. These also had a more unique flavor, more earthy notes with plenty of umami. Would love to have some of this with a glass of Sake.

At the Louisiana booth, Chef Michael Brewer prepared a few different seafood dishes during the course of the Expo. Last year, I wrote an article about him, Louisiana Seafood & Chef Michael Brewer, and it is worth a read.

One of the dishes he prepared this year was Alligator Sausage Cheese Cake. This was prepared with 60% farm-raised alligator and 40% for, as well as a proprietary spice blend, cream cheese, & sour cream. This was moist and flavorful, with a little bit of spicy heat, pleasant sausage spices, and a nice texture. It is always a pleasure when a Chef at the Expo prepares something original as there isn't enough of that at the Expo.

I was very pleased to finally get the chance to meet Chef Diane Kochilas at the Expo. Chef Kochilas, an expert in Greek cuisine, is the consulting chef for Committee. She represented Selonda at the Expo, a Greek company which produces and supplies Sea Bream and Sea Bass.

Chef Kochilas simply prepared some Sea Bream, also known as Dorade, and it was quite good, with a nice firm texture and moist, white flesh. I've often advised people to seek out less common fish to enjoy, rather than the most popular types. And Sea Bream would be a good choice.

What foods did you particularly enjoy at SENA17?

“The sea can bind us to her many moods, whispering to us by the subtle token of a shadow or a gleam upon the waves, and hinting in these ways of her mournfulness or rejoicing. Always she is remembering old things, and these memories, though we may not grasp them, are imparted to us, so that we share her gaiety or remorse.”
--H.P. Lovecraft