When it comes to buying fish, reading labels is oh-so-very important.
First - what not to buy: please do not buy color added anything, especially fish. On the back of the package, if you read “color added” or red dye in the ingredient list, put it back faster than letting go of a hot pan.
Secondly, “farm-raised” sounds like a good thing, right? Alas, it is not for fish.
Farm-raised is good for: pigs, cows, sheep, chicken...the kind of things that Old MacDonald raised on his farm. But fish? Um, no.
Do not buy farm-raised fish.
Farm-raised fish is typically fed genetically modified corn and or soy. And a lot of it. Fish are not looking to eat grain. They want bugs and other critters.
Farm-raised fish is often color added is because the fish are packed into a tank and stuffed with a monochromatic diet. Variation in a natural environment is what gives salmon the beautiful color.
Another thing to consider on the label is the country of origin. I try not to buy any food from China. From the things I've read, it is a country with a bad reputation in the realm of food safety and quality. Please do your own research. Here’s one article that reports imported tilapia from China has been fed animal feces. This is a common practice in some Asian countries for farm raised fish.
What should you look for when buying fish in a land-locked state?
Two words: wild caught.
But not all wild caught fish is created equal. Hint: usually the price will give you a clue, too. One day when comparing labels, the "Value - wild caught" fish was much cheaper per ounce than another package. The reason was found in the ingredients: lots of words I couldn't pronounce. The cheaper fish was filled with chemicals and preserving solutions. Ick.
Read Labels
When grocery shopping for fish read the labels and consider these things:
no added color
wild caught or farm-raised?
country of origin
real food ingredients that you can pronounce.
Because I live in a land-locked state, frozen fish is the only fish I buy. I’ve not been successful with fresh. Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods seem to have the best options and quality in central Arkansas.
New to Me this Week
I’ve been thinking about making vinegar for a few years. But scared to start. This week I bought an e-book and am so excited to jump in.
Why make vinegar?
It’s two fold for me: curiosity and flavor. An Iranian friend told me everyone in her country makes their own vinegars. Then I went to Italy (where I was forever changed by allll the food). Several bottles of vinegar made it back in my suitcase. I promised myself that soon I’d chase after making vinegar.
When you make your own, the flavor options are limitless!
What’s new in your kitchen?
Julie