So, here are my two Editorial previews for the March issues of La Papillote! Enjoy!
<--Fish Tanks!
1) Local Ocean Review:
Where can one find Royal Dorade, Black Sea Bass, Amberjack, Summer Flounder, White Sea Bass and Bronzino on land? Even better, where can one find these types of fish on land and in salt water? I am not going crazy my friends, the impossible is finally possible.
A few weekends ago, I attended the SlowFood trip to Local Ocean, a fish farm located a bit past Red Hook, NY. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect before we departed. Apparently, we were about to be visiting “Locally Fresh and Sustainable Seafood for the 21st Century.” Intrigued and excited for this trip, we headed down Route 9 for what was sure to be an eye-opening experience.
Local Ocean raises six varieties of clean fish that are grown in a 100% controlled salt-water ecosystem. These fish are delivered within 24 hours to the customer, guaranteed. No other facility in the world has this advantage. Partnered with Great Bay Aquaculture, the Local Ocean team keeps in contact with marine biologists while developing new ideas and concepts to better the environment and expand their retail. For example, this fish farm may be moving into the area of selling ornamental fish in the future (that’s right, I’m talking about those goldfish and betas that you keep on your bookshelf).
Walking into what seemed like a deserted, warehouse factory, turned out to be an oasis of fish tanks and circulating pipes. One would never have guessed that fish would be harvested in such an area; there was not even a clear entrance to the factory! Walking in, the old warehouse transformed into an aqua center, housing pools of fish ranging in different sizes and breeds. Raymond, our tour guide Local Ocean’s V.P of Marketing, reassured us that if the water looked light brown, it was only because of the fish feed residue. “The fish would die if the water wasn’t safe,” he advised.
The recycled water process that is practiced and applied within the Local Ocean is facility is fascinating. There is literally no waste. Even the dead fish and residue go to use. Toxins are disintegrated, while bacteria and remains are converted into natural gas, compost and fertilizer. There was huge sess pool of sediment that was vaporizing before our eyes! Even more interesting were the ways they are experimenting with growing plants through this compost. We tried some Salicornia leaves that were grown in soil enriched with Local Ocean fertilizer. As expected, the taste was salty and refreshing.
While sanitizing and dipping our rain boots in pools of water to keep as clean as possible, we approached the second part of the building, which looked like a greenhouse. This section was much more clean and organized, fairly new compared to the old warehouse area. Here, the pipes were constructed based on gravitational pull in order for the water to cycle around properly. Raymond also told us that they controlled currents in each tank to create designated water patterns. During our discussion, he pointed out some advantages of Local Ocean Fish:
-Local Ocean Fish have Zero Mercury (Caged Aquaculture Fish usually contain
Mercury)
-Local Ocean Fish are high in Omega 3’s (Usually unheard of with farm-raised fish)
-With unique fish like Yellow tail Himachi being bred, restaurants can potentially charge $19 for a crudo plate and only buy it at $12 a pound! Talk about a profit!
-Local Ocean fish are killed in ice water, which allows for a slow and calming death. When killed on a line, fish seem to get stressed and the meat may not be as tender and flaky.
-Governor Cuomo’s Chef stops by Local Ocean many times to scope out fish to use in their cooking
- Mario Batali orders his fish from Local Ocean and Raymond has had dinner with Jean Georges, where they spoke about the importance of farm-raised fish
Raymond ended the visit by giving every student business cards and brochures. Keep your eye out CIA, this business seems to be booming! Many thanks to Local Ocean and SlowFood for providing us all with this experience! Let’s continue to support the local farms, aqua centers and others who extend kindness to our oceans.
<---Brother Victor Speaking
Imagine a small barn and house nestled behind the woods, secluded in The Hudson Valley. Now, picture a herd of sheep and chickens running around the hills and having a rooster act as a human alarm clock, waking up at the crack of dawn. Sounds like the epiphany of living on a farm, right? Well folks, not only does Brother Victor practice some farm chores by taking care of his animals, but he also is proud to title this establishment, The Benedictine Monastery. Brother Victor is a monk who while rounding up his sheep in the backyard, is known for his cookbooks and of course, vinegar!
Yes, I said “vinegar.” Brother Victor claims that he does not “make” the vinegar, but enhances the flavor and process of vinegar making. Economically, mass production of vinegar is not seen nowadays. Too much time and effort would have to be put into the business to make it successful. It requires much patience and practice, two factors that many people in the industry don’t seem to respect in such a fast-paced lifestyle.
Brother Victor bottles many different types of vinegar including fruity nectars, white wine based vinegars and red wine based vinegars. For example, he markets a Pure Raspberry Vinegar made out of fresh raspberries and red wine. The taste of this vinegar is not artificial at all. Instead, it tastes like a potent, ripe berry picked at the peak of its’ growth. The monastery also produces Apricot Vinegar with hints of apricot liquor. Apricots, sugar and the liquor are brought to a boil and left to marry together for 24 hours. Then, this mixture is poured into large bottles with white wine. When bought, a full apricot is placed in the bottle to keep the original flavor lingering throughout the vinegar itself. The two Cider Vinegars made by Brother Victor are my favorite and will make anyone pucker. The honey based Cider Vinegar is known to help one’s immune system if taken by the teaspoon each day, for medicinal purposes. The apples used are local, from the New Paltz orchards across the bridge. Steeped along with cloves and cinnamon sticks, this smooth cider makes for a wonderful dressing component. The cider isn’t too overpowering and the honey helps mellow the flavor. The Sherry Vinegar made at the monastery is derived from California Sherry and a cinnamon stick is put into the infusion as well.
Brother Victor’s overall goal in the vinegar enhancing process is to balance the flavors of “sour and sweet.” Creating this authentic equilibrium, he realizes that in order to be successful at bottling vinegar, the ingredients need oxygen, a steady temperature and most importantly, darkness. He claims that it is a curse yet a blessing all at once because the vinegar essence can be hard to bottle at times, separating it from the “mother” (living yeast) in each jug. The blessing part, of course, is the pride of making unique vinegars from scratch.
The Benedictine Monastery is full of culinary conceptions ranging from Brother Victor’s cookbooks on Monthly Soups and Salads (some recipes are named after Saints), to free-range sheep, to collecting fresh eggs. Each room in the house is like an alcove, decorated lavishly with crosses and religious trinkets, enhancing the aurora around the house and barn. Brother Victor is a close friend to Slow Food and knows much about the farms arising The Hudson Valley. I would like to thank him for taking the time to fit thirty students into his small home and welcoming us with open arms!
