Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1)  Towne Stove and Spirits has a new spring menu, created by Culinary Director Lydia Shire and Executive Chef Mario Capone. The revamped carte du jour will refresh some signature dishes by incorporating new seasonal flavors while adding in some future classics.

In the “Start” category of the menu, you will find some new options: English Pea Soup (with basil, tender purple garlic flan - $9); Crisp Soft Shell Crab Panini (drunken avocado soup shot - $21); Rock Shrimp Spaghetti (with guanciale & Calabrian spiced tomato, hot pepper oil - $16); Sashimi of #1 Tuna (miso mustard “paint” bowl of crisp edamame beans - $18); and, Spring Artichoke Raviolini (with whole deep-fried artichoke Romano - $17). The culinary duo has also unveiled new “share” options including: Giant Hot Pita (made to order with ember-roasted eggplant, creamy fava bean ‘pate’, spiced lamb kabob - $18); Charcuterie: Italy’s Best Sopressata & Prosciutto (Towne’s best potted trout, chicken liver and cider pate with wood grilled Pugliese bread - $21); and, Towne’s Own Rum Smoked Salmon (on crisp maple brown bread with preserved beet and pink horseradish - $17).

There is also a new “pizza – wood grilled” option: Garlic Pizza (with carpaccio of king oyster mushroom & Sardinia’s truffle cheese, truffle honey - $18). The new Little Gem Salad (with whipped feta, peeled grapes, Marcona almonds and lemon-poppy seed dressing - $12) and Asparagus Cooked Over Coals (ciabatta with burrata, lambs lettuce, Argan oil, pistachio polonaise - $13) now also grace the “salad” section.

Moving onto the “sea + crustacea” section of the menu, find Fluke Filet (with sorrel butter and lime on bed of flaked fluffy crisped brioche and parsley crumbs - $31); Swordfish Steak (simply grilled or charcoaled, rosemary skewered with squid, lemon risotto and olio santo - $32); Black Sea Bass (with ramps, grilled razor clams and cassava puree - $31); Bouillabaisse Lobster & Pork Belly Roast (with baby monkfish tail, saffron, sea urchin rouille - $38); and, Wood Grilled Lobster Tails (with drawn butter and charred lemon – market).

For "steaks, chops + birds” options, check out: Giannone Roto Chicken (citron ‘flak’ salt, Chantilly mashed potatoes - $24); Coq au Vin (young chicken brick-style with Austrian Riesling, strewn with toasted garlic and spring carrot spaetzle - $32); Sirloin 14 oz Prime (simply grilled or with chive blossom, fresh horseradish butter - $42); Lamb Sirloin Steak (tandoori-charcoaled with golden lentils, crisp fried okra and India’s poppadoms - $38); and, Veal Porterhouse (roast cippolini onions, caramelized shallots, fig and morel sauce - $42).

For “sides,” you will find the following: Tagine of Basmati Rice (with cardamom, cilantro, mint, thin fried spring onions - $7); French Fries (whole head of roasted garlic, rosemary salt, truffle and porcini oil - $8); Wood Grilled Asparagus (with hollandaise or simply steamed - $12); and, Whole Roast Large Mushroom Caps (with garlic, fine sherry and curly parsley - $11).

2)  From creating items such as the “Mellow Yellow” cupcake infused with melatonin and valerian, to his “Elvis Cupcake,” a chocolate, peanut butter, banana and bacon homage to the king of rock n’ roll, Chef Stephen Butters of Butter Café and Bakery located in Walpole, continues to make a name for himself in the world of sweets. On April 19, at 10pm ET/PT, Chef Butters will appear on the Food Network's show "Sweet Genius” competing for a prize of $10,000.

Though I find host & dessert master Ron Ben-Israel to be a little creepy, I do enjoy the show, watching the pastry chefs create some amazing desserts with very strange ingredients. And it is even better when there is a local competitor. So let us give our support to Chef Butters on April 19.

3)  As part of its ongoing efforts to support the community, Blue on Highland, located in Needham, is launching “Dine & Donate,” a program that allows guests to donate a percentage of their final bill to a local school or non-profit pediatric cancer care and research organization of their choosing. Guests that dine-in or order take-out from Blue on Highland on Sundays will be able to specify which local education or non-profit children’s organization they would like a percentage of their final bill to be donated to including: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s The Jimmy Fund, Chickering School PTO in Dover, or the Needham Education Foundation.

“We’re a neighborhood restaurant and there’s nothing more important in our communities than our schools and children. Our guests come from a variety of communities so we wanted to come up with a way that we could support several local PTO’s and cancer research centers, not just one organization,” said Catherine Walkey, Owner of Blue on Highland.

Guests need only fill out a card that specifies where they would like their percentage allocated, and Blue on Highland will do the rest. This takes place every Sunday, from 11:30am-9pm.

4)  In a city where scotch bars are often limited to scotch and cigar bars, Towne Stove and Spirits is ready to revamp and refocus the beverage program at their second level “Uptowne” bar. To introduce their new scotch bar concept to the neighborhood, Towne's Beverage Manager, Brad Bernardo, will be hosting a series of scotch tastings. Connoisseurs will sip, swizzle and snack while Towne’s beverage team shakes, stirs and swirls different single, blended, pure, and vatted malts that have been aged perfectly in oak.

When: Tuesday, April 17 & April 24, from 6pm – 7:30pm
These tasting events are complimentary to guests ages 21+ and an RSVP is required by emailing Towne’s Beverage Manager, Brad Bernardo: bbernardo@lyonsgroup.com. Limited space is available and is granted and confirmed (via email) on a first come, first serve basis.

5)   Concord Cheese Shop proprietor Peter Lovis is "..mad for spring goat cheeses, made from the milk of Mama Goats whose kids were born in March. While suckling, Mama’s milk is bold flavored and rich, which is manifested in spring-produced cheese. Of the 20-plus local and European goat cheeses sold at the Concord Cheese Shop, Lovis’ favorites are the “buttons” and “pillows” that are delivered within days of being inside Mama Goat. But like his children, he cannot choose between them."

“Goat cheese tastings should include one fresh, one ash-coated or leaf-wrapped, and one aged French goat cheese,” says Lovis. Some to look for now:
--Crystal Brook Farm (Sterling, MA) There are 100 kids on Annie Stoddard’s farm, and their mamas are producing incredibly thick and healthful milk. Annie’s cheese is delivered to the shop within 5 days of milking. Then, it is shaped into 2-inch crottins (French for goat droppings) and marinated in garlic and olive oil.
--Le Lingot de Quercy (France) resembles a small gold bar or ingot. It weighs half a pound, has a thin rind, and is firm enough to slice. One can observe the cheese ripening from the outside in, resulting in two distinct colors, textures and flavors.
--Valency (France) was created by a friend of Napoleon’s in the 1800s. Because the emperor’s war in Egypt was faring badly, the friend made sure that the traditional pyramidal shape of the cheese was truncated, so as not to remind Monsieur Bonaparte of his battle woes while dining.
--Ponte de Bique (Loire Valley) Another classically pyramidal cheese that’s light, fresh and pairs well with a glass of chilled Sancerre.
--Arina (Holland) This versatile goat gouda is firm and large. It utilizes milk from goats who’ve grazed all summer on fresh grass and hay. It’s made in the fall, so is slightly aged and ready for optimum eating now.
--Bonne Bouch (Vermont) is a 4-ounce round, packaged in a sweet wooden crate. Made from spring milk, but aged for a few months while covered in fine ash, an ancient method of cheese preservation that’s still popular.
--Laura Chenel’s Chevre (Sonoma) Creamy and mild, this handcrafted cheese is well-priced, and complements pizza and warm sandwiches.

Authors, Alcohol & Accolades: Volume 6

"Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss."
--Robert Heinlein

I am back with the sixth volume of my series, Authors, Alcohol & Accolades. Each of my prior volumes showcased four of my favorite authors, delving into their drinks of choice. I have found this to provide a fascinating glimpse into the life of the writers I enjoy, and hope you have enjoyed the interviews as well. I have returned to highlight more authors, but this time there is a twist. I am presenting four Book Review Bloggers, people who regularly review genre books, and seeking information about some of their favorite authors as well as their favorite drinks. I regularly read the blogs of these four people, finding some cool book recommendations, and I urge you to check out their blogs too.

You can look forward to further volumes in this series and any authors who are interested in participating in future volumes should contact me.

Justin Landon of Staffer's Book Review (Twitter: @Jdiddyesquire)

Authors: "My favorite authors are L. Ron Hubbard and Ayn Rand. Did I hook you yet? I'm not being serious, obviously, although I would argue both authors have far more to offer than the general reaction to work their work would lead people to believe. In truth my favorite authors are Joe Abercrombie and Don DeLillo. They're about as far apart as two writers can get and eerily similar in others. A lot of what Abercrombie does is grounded in basic human truths. He uses fantasy to do it. DeLillo is incredibly interested in today's truths and explores it in ways that are very now. Or rather, were now when he wrote them. That said, Frank Lentricchia in his New Essays on White Noise wrote, DeLillo uses "montages of tones, styles, and voices that have the effect of yoking together terror and wild humor". I can't think of a better way to describe Abercrombie than that."

Drinks: "And what cocktail calls to mind terror and wild humor better than red bull and vodka? It's not my favorite drink, but I've seen it have that effect on more than one occasion. I'd like to think DeLillo and Abercrombie could see the humor in being compared to a drink worshipped by sorority girls the world over. Since I try to avoid terror whenever drinking, and wild humor sounds exhausting, I prefer my drink to be a single malt scotch. And if I'm being picky, but not TOO picky, I'll cozy up with a neat Macallan 12. Stored in sherry and then oak casks, the Macallan has a flavor profile that calls to mind a full bodied red wine, which as a born and raised Californian I really gravitate toward."

Sally Janin of The Qwillery (Twitter: @QQwill)

Authors: "For me a favorite author has to be more than a passing fancy. So I am going to mention two authors who’ve had a huge impact on what I like to read. 1) Isaac Asimov. My brother is about a decade older than I. He shared his Fantasy and Science Fiction Magzines with me when I was little. I ‘borrowed’ Asimov’s original Foundation trilogy from my brother in the late 1960s. I still have the books – Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation so it appears we’ve moved from borrowed to own. Over the years Asimov wrote 4 more Foundation novels. He also formulated the First Three Rules of Robotics and wrote a mind-boggling number of novels, short stories, essays, etc. over an equally mind-boggling number of topics and themes both fiction and non-fiction. I have a deep abiding love for SciFi because of Isaac Asimov. He was my first. 2) Elaine Bergstrom. Her Austra Vampire series is wonderful. The first novel in the series, Shattered Glass, was published by Jove in 1989. There are 5 books in the series and Elaine is working on more. While Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Carmilla) and Bram Stoker (Dracula) sparked my love of vampire literature, it’s Elaine’s books that cemented that love. I had a serious fangirl moment when she accepted my request for an interview, which you may read here. I nearly hyperventilated. If you like vampire fiction, you really should hunt down the Austra Vampire series. It’s a beautifully written series with very memorable characters."

Drinks: "As for favorite alcohols… I'm presently a tea and coffee drinker. However, if we take the WABAC Machine (any Mr. Peabody fans?), my wines of choice were Chateau Larose-Trintaudon Haut-Medoc (red) and Cloudy Bay Sauvingnon Blanc (white), my spirit was Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey either neat or in a Bourbon Sour, after dinner drink was port (usually Krohn), and my beer-type beverages were Guinness Stout and John Courage Ale. Who wouldn’t like walking into a bar and saying “I’ll take Courage please”? I also used to combine the two to make a Black and Tan, the first of which I had in a pub in London a long time ago."

Stefan of Civilian Reader (Twitter: @CivilianReader)

Authors: "Picking out just two favourite authors is pretty tough, given how many I read. Picking just two is like being asked to pick a favourite child... (I assume.) Hm. One of my favourite books, which gave birth to my initial love of reading, is James Clavell’s Tai-Pan – the story and characters make it a true historic epic, and I was hooked from the first page until the end (it’s a hefty book, too, which I read quite young). I’ve never read a historic novel that comes close to matching it in quality. Closer to the focus of my blog? That’s really tough, as there are so many fantasy, sci-fi and thriller authors I love. But, there is one book that really stands out: Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora was the book that made me dive back into fantasy in a big way – it was a revelation, as it adhered to none of the clichéd tropes that so plague fantasy in the general population’s imagination. It was thrilling, addictive, intriguing, clever, delightful, and changed everything for me once again. Other favourites include John Sandford, Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Brent Weeks, and Anne Rice (the first five Vampire Chronicles in particular). But even that only scratches the surface of authors I must read."

Drinks: "Now this question is a lot easier: Malbec Red Wine, preferably but not exclusively from the Argentinian Mendoza region. I didn’t used to like wine at all, until I went to Peru in 2009 and I was given a glass of Malbec. It was amazing – silky, smooth, low acidity, but not at all sweet. Since then, I’m always on the look-out for new Malbecs. It’s basically all I drink, if I can manage that. I’m not exactly a snob about it, though, as I’m willing to try any Malbec – from the surprisingly fine $5 Gato Negro that I can get at the nearest liquor store, to one of the more expensive (though not prohibitively so), incredible Dona Paula [photo attached]. On principle, I’m not comfortable spending a lot on wine – it’s not necessary to spend a huge amount to find a delicious Malbec. My favourite is Emilia [photo attached], which I’ve been known to describe as “satin in a bottle” and, after a few glasses, “sex in a bottle”... The first statement makes sense. The second doesn’t, but there we go. Malbecs are amazing and, I think, go with basically everything – but particularly well with red-sauce pastas and steaks. It also goes rather well with chocolate flavours, which was a nice surprise."

Bastard Books (Twitter @BastardBooks)

Authors: "Two of my favorite authors, that's a tough question. I'll just go with the authors of my two top novels of last year, and be done with it; Chris Wooding and Kameron Hurley. When I mention Chris Wooding, often the response seems to be "ah, the author from those YA novels, right?" Well, I haven't read any of his YA novels, but he also has some great books for the adult market. I've only read his Tales of the Ketty Jay series which I find to be incredibly fun, and awesome throughout. It has a good mixture of sci-fi and fantasy, with a great group of characters. If you're one of those missing Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, or Firefly, then you can't go wrong with this series. Which brings us to Kameron Hurley's Bel Dame Apocrypha series, man it's certainly not a place you'd want to live in, but hell yeah I want to read about it. Hurley has created a very unique world, with bug magic and technology, violent and one badass main character. Her debut novel come out last year, God's War, and later this year we'll see the 3rd novel in the series, so a good time to catch up."

Drinks: "I've never been one to appreciate alcohol, but I sure like to drink. Drinking to me has always been for the purpose of getting drunk, so if I don't plan on getting drunk, I don't drink. And I don't drink while eating either. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. I'm solely a beer guy, and on occasions you can see me ordering a jar of sangría. As for beer, my first choice is always Budweiser, don't know why, but it's always been my partner in crime. On occasions I like to go to a local "tavern" where they have about 130 different kinds of beers, and it's incredible. High in alcohol concentration though, but expensive too, so those trips are not made often. For sangría I just like the mixture of bitter and sweet flavors, the key being finding a good bitter orange. Some use soda, like 7UP, but I'd rather do without it. Get a lot of red wine, some brandy, and vodka in it, and we're good to go."

Moksa: A New Izakaya In Cambridge

There are red balloons but where is the red lantern?

I have been eagerly anticipating the opening of Moksa, a Pan Asian izakaya, that is a joint endeavor between restauranteur Solmon Chowdhury (the owner of Om restaurant) and famed Chef Patricia Yeo. Chef Yeo has an impressive resume and first came to Boston as the chef of Ginger Park. Once Ginger Park closed, she became the chef at Om, helping to revamp its menu and kitchen. Now, she is bringing her skills to Central Square, Cambridge, to Moksa, which has only been open for a couple weeks.

What is an izakaya? The literal meaning of izakaya is a “sit-down-sake-shop,” though it now generally refers to a Japanese bar that serves any type of alcohol, not just sake, and also food to accompany that alcohol. Izakayas originated during the Edo period (1603-1867 AD) when sake vendors began to provide tables and seats for their patrons, and eventually started serving food with the sake samples. Izakayas are also sometimes known as akachōchin, which means "red lantern," because it is traditional to hang a red, paper lantern outside of an izakaya. Moksa though does not currently have a red lantern outside the restaurant.

What is Moksa? Much of the press about the restaurant equates moksa to "destiny." But, to be more accurate, it is a term in Hinduism which refer to the liberation of a person's soul from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. It is considered to be a state of bliss, a salvation and freedom of the soul. It is an ultimate goal, a matter of great value. Drinking and dining at Moksa can be a blissful event.

Moksa is located on Massachusetts Avenue, not too far from Rendezvous, and there is on-street parking as well as a few parking lots nearby. It is open seven days a week, for lunch and dinner, and dim sum brunch on the weekends. The restaurant is basically divided into three sections. Initially, you will find yourself in their bar, which also possesses several dining tables. The next room is then the main dining area, a long, narrow room, with a simple decor. Finally, in the back is their lounge, Naga, which has a long bar and where music and other entertainment takes place.

I recently attended a media party in Naga, where we received complimentary cocktails and some passed appetizers. With the music booming through the darkened room, it was difficult to get a good look at the food and was tough to hear the complete explanation of the dishes from the servers. My main takeaway was that the food seemed tasty, and that the cocktails were quite good. Thus, my friend Jackie and I decided to leave the party and grab dinner in the main dining area.

What is a Naga? Most of the press refers to naga as a "dragon" but in fact that is not a completely accurate translation, as much depends on the context. In Hindu and Buddhist mythology, nagas are generally serpents with mystical powers, some being able to shape change into human form. Some naga possess vast magical powers, putting them on the level with other deities. In other Asian traditions, nagas are sometimes equated to dragons, though even the type of dragon can vary, from a multi-headed dragon, similar to a hydra, to beaked water serpents. In Chinese mythology, dragons represent good fortune.

The beverage program at Moksa was created by Noon Inthasuwan, a Certified Sommelier who has previously worked at Om and Umami, and it is a major strength of the restaurant. If you enjoy wine, beer, sake or cocktails, then you are going to find plenty to like here. For example, you will find 12 beers on draft, 13 in the bottle and 2 in cans. That presents plenty of diversity in this izakaya.

Noon has compiled a diverse and exciting wine list as well, including about 20 by the glass (most costing $7-$9) and 40 by the bottle (nearly all under $40). A number of the wines are noted as being biodynamic, organic, or sustainable. There is a good diversity of wine regions, from Massachusetts to Greece, from Portugal to Lebanon. There is also an intriguing group of grapes, including Gruner Veltliner, Zweigelt, Xinomavro, Roditis, and more. in addition, you will find Fino Sherry, Madeira and Port. This is a well constructed wine list.

This is a photo of the bar from the front area of the restaurant, a cool place to have a drink and a few small plates of food.

I am especially excited about their Sake list, which though it contains only 6 sakes (and of course I wish they had even more), their choices are excellent ones. Each Sake is available in a 300ml bottles ($17-$20) and the prices are killer! These are some of the smallest markups for Sake I have ever seen at a restaurant. For example, the Bunraku Yamahai Junmai, one of my favorite Sakes, sells at Moksa for $18, and regularly retails for around $15 so the markup is minimal. The best bargain is the Manabito Kimoto Junmai Ginjo, an exceptional Sake, which sells at Moksa for $19, and regularly retails for around $22, so it actually costs less than retail! Kanpai!

Their special cocktail list is compiled into a Chinese Zodiac, with each animal representing a different main ingredient and specific cocktail ($9-$11). For example, the Dragon represents vodka, and the cocktail is the Snap Dragon, made from vodka, pear liqueur, habanero vinegar & aromatic bitters. The Monkey represents brandy, and the cocktail is the Shanghai Noon, made from brandy, gun powder bitters, and tea smoked sugar cubes. They also offer Four Elements (Earth, Water, Fire & Wind) which constitute a Shot (from sake to bourbon) and a Miller Lite.

Pictured above is the Silver Peony, a cocktail made from a Junmai Sake infusion, cucumber, lavendar and silver needle tea. This is a very clean drink, with subtle flavors of cucumber, floral and green tea, and showcasing the sake. It is more a savory drink, the type that I enjoy, rather than the sweet cocktails which are often more popular. I also drank a Naga Chiller, which is made from tequila, green tea, Tio Pepe fino sherry and sours. Again, this was a more savory cocktail, with an intriguing melange of flavors which complemented each other, no single ingredient overpowering any other.

Moksa's motto is "Eat more dumplings, feel more love."

The food menu is divided into seven sections:
Raw & Chilled ($3-$14): Dishes like Thai Green Papaya Salad or Tuna Poke
All Wrapped Up ($5-$8): Dishes like Duck Confit Shao Bing or Edamame Pot Stickers
Roti ($7-$12): On either whole wheat or corn, dishes like Duck Tongue or Grilled Chili Lime Tofu
Noodles ($13-$15): Dishes like Dan Dan Mein or Kurabota Pork Ramen
Rice ($11-$14): Dishes like Twenty Vegetable Fried Rice or Korean Baked Rice
More From the Wok ($4-$8): Dishes like Dancing Shishito Peppers or Stir Fried Watercress
Grill ($2-$14): Dishes like Pork Belly to Chicken Hearts.

This is a diverse and intriguing menu of small plates that are meant to be shared, and I am a big fan of the small plates concept. I love being able to taste a wide variety of dishes. The cuisine represents a number of Asian cultures, from Japanese to Korean, and they have an adventurous menu, including such more unusual items like duck tongue, chicken hearts, snails and more. In addition, there are plenty of vegetarian options so everyone should be able to find something to please their palate.

We tried five different dishes, all of them delicious, and overall I was impressed with the quality and taste. The Berkshire Pot Stickers ($8) were fried just right, with a nice crispness to the dumpling which was filled with plenty of flavorful pork. They didn't skimp on the meaty filling. The Kara-Age: Japanese Style Fried Chicken ($8) thoroughly impressed me, with its think, moist white meat chicken surrounded by a thin, tasty coating. They were like large, boneless chicken nuggets, created by a very skilled chef, and were some of the best Kara-Age that I have tasted.

The Corn Roti with Miso Braised Shortrib & Pickled Vegetables ($8) were like Asian tacos, with tender & sweet meat contrasted with the light sourness of some pickled veggies. The roti was soft, with a strong corn flavor, and it seemed very fresh. The Grilled Chicken Skin with Yuzu Vinaigrette ($4) was a delightful skewer of crisp skin with a slight amount of fat for additional flavor. The Yuzu added an interesting citrus accent to the chicken skin. Finally, we ended with the Grilled Silk Road Lamb Meatballs ($5), another winning dish, with tender, flavorful meat topped by an intriguing and earthy sauce.

We drank a bottle of the Manabito Kimoto Junmai Ginjo with our dinner, an excellent pairing for the different plates. The umami of the Sake went well with the umami of our foods. Give this Sake a try.

Service was very good and the restaurant was quite busy, despite it being a weeknight, though that might also be because they are new. It seemed to be running well, despite being only recently opened, and restaurants usually need a few months to work out all of the kinks. Mosca already seems to be in an excellent groove, which bodes well for the future. I felt that the food was reasonably priced for its quality and quantity. As as they are small plates, you have lots of control over how much you choose to spend.

I am very eager to return, to try more of their different dishes, and drink more Sake. And probably will be stopping by there later this week. Chowdhury, Yeo and Inthasuwan have created a compelling destination and I highly recommend that you check it out.

Rant: There Is No Upcoming BlueFin Tuna Dinner

Yesterday, I posted a Rant about an alleged blacklisted seafood dinner involving "sustainable" Bluefin Tuna. That post though was an April Fool's prank, and the dinner is not real. No one asked me whether the post was an April Fool's joke, and a number of people reacted as if it were a legitimate post. So I can consider that it was a successful prank, which is far more difficult to accomplish in these days of social media.

For example, there was a multitude of tweets on Twitter referencing April Fool's Day, so it was tough for people not to remember the day. I think there are two keys though to a successful prank, which can succeed despite the increased awareness of April Fool's. First, the prank needs to be plausible, to seem realistic, and it should contain little details which enhance its credibility. For example, I added links to authentic organizations, and provided a detailed menu with wine pairings.

But what may be more important is to write a prank post that appeals to people's emotions, hopefully shutting down their logical aspect so that they do not question the legitimacy of your post. For example, my April Fool's post dealt with seafood sustainability, and specifically the endangered Bluefin Tuna. That can be a very emotional issue, where people react viscerally, and don't always look at the matter through a critical lens. In this instance, it seemed sufficiently emotional so that people didn't think about April Fool's and reacted only to the content of the post.

That points to a larger issue though, how our emotions sometimes guide our viewpoints and decisions, clouding our logic, clouding our critical analysis. Seafood sustainability is a complex issue, with many differing viewpoints and positions, and little is black and white. It is often a world of gray. Thus, when considering these issues, we need to ensure we engage our critical thinking, and not just react according to our emotions, prejudices and biases. We must be open to consider new evidence, different opinions, and varied ways of thinking. If we do not, then it can be almost as if we are falling for April Fool's pranks year round.

Obviously, this is relevant to far more than just seafood sustainability. With any controversial topic, we should try to examine the matter with a critical eye, rather than making assumptions based on emotions and biases. Question everything, rather than blindly accepting things just because you wish them to be true.

Rant: Another Controversial Blacklisted Seafood Dinner?

It appears that a local seafood restaurant may soon return to old tricks, ready to stir up a hornet's nest of controversy with another blacklisted seafood dinner. But this dinner is sure to raise far more outcry than the previous one. There will certainly be loud cries of outrage, as well as renewed calls for boycotts, and National Geographic may be partially responsible for this matter.

Though the blacklisted dinner has not yet been confirmed, their public relations team has been reaching out tentative feelers to try to gauge the potential impact of the dinner. For the last such dinner, they simply jumped in with both both feet, not predicting how much grief they would receive. I think it is quite obvious though that this new dinner idea could have drastic ramifications. In fact, I will be very surprised if the dinner ever actually occurs.

This time, the blacklisted is supposed to highlight "sustainable Bluefin Tuna." Once again, the restaurant will challenge the current scientific research, alleging that their assessments use outdated science and that Bluefin Tuna, in specific regions, are plentiful enough for sustainable fishing. That is certainly a controversial claim, sure to be countered by many sustainability proponents.

Here is a copy of the proposed menu (which is subject to change):

Hor d'Ouevres
Otoro Nigiri (with pickled ginger & real grated wasabi)
Spicy Tuna Maki (with cucumber and roe)
Paired with NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs, New Mexico

First Course
Tuna Tartare (with avocado, japalenos and shiso)
Paired with 2010 Prieure de Montezargues Tavel Rosé, France

Second Course
Seared Bluefin Tuna (with a teriyaki & garlic dipping sauce)
Paired with 2009 Erath Pinot Noir, Oregon

Cheese Course
Local Baby Swiss, Manchego, & Meunster with peach compote & buttery toast points

The issue over the consumption of Bluefin Tuna is very controversial, as many consider it to be extremely endangered, yet far too many governmental bodies and international committees, like ICCAT, permit certain quotas of Bluefin. The Japanese consume the greatest percentage of Bluefin, estimates ranging as high as 80%, and it seems that when Bluefin consumption decreases in the U.S., then consumption in Japan only rises. The new National Geographic show, Wicked Tuna, has raised the ire of some, as it appears to glorify Bluefin tuna fishing.

What scientific evidence can this restaurant present which will assuage proponents of seafood sustainability? Part of the problem will surely be that as soon as this dinner is officially announced, there will be a vast outrage, before any discussions can occur. It is an issue that has a strong emotional content, which may blind some to any contrary position. It will garner the restaurant plenty of publicity, but much of that will be negative? So is it really worth the effort to them? I doubt the restaurant will go through with it, but I will be watching this issue very closely.

What are your thoughts on this potential blacklisted dinner?