Yesterday, I was trying to figure out what to eat for lunch when I realized I had a craving for a fish sandwich. Then, I thought of how fish sandwiches are usually fried fish sandwiches, which are quite tasty and satisfying, and that I am rationing my intake of fried fish sandwiches to one a month. There are many reasons for this. The primary reason being, I allow myself only one fried fish sandwich a month because of my vivid imaginings of the fried-ness of the fish strangling my blood pumping heart. The secondary reason is that the fried fish sandwich is usually an enigma to me. That is to say, I never know what kind of fish is under that crispy, crusty batter, nor do I know where exactly said fish came from. Now, if I go to the Fish Market next door, I can ask for answers to these questions, and be provided with good answers. However, if I go to a place... such as the Burgerville drive-thru, I can expect that the fish sandwich is comprised of many different species of fish at best. Well, to be honest, I have never really asked about the fish origins at a restaurant. Not because I wasn't thinking of it, but simply because once given the answer, how would I know how to apply its implications in the rapidly changing climate, global-crisis world we live in.
Is farmed fish good or bad? Is wild fish contaminated with high levels of mercury? Am I helping to diminish a species of fish into extinction? These are all questions that have been floating around in my head since I became aware of talking about good or bad fish.
Not to mention, the ocean. What are we doing to the ecosystem when we remove too much fish? So far, we seen pictures of lifeless coral reefs due to warming of ocean waters and species extinctions. We are breaking the food chain and interfering in the cycle of life so that we can enjoy "delicacies" or a "decadent" lifestyle by having some exotic seafood dish.
Then, I think, how does something as commonplace as a Filet O'Fish qualify as a "delicacy" or as a "decadence"? Perhaps, one day fish will be so rare, it will be considered as such.
In the meantime, I continue to ration my consumption of the tasty fish sandwich as I consider a a non-fried fish sandwich, the Blackened Salmon Sandwich. On the "Best Choices" list of the 2007 Seafood Guide, Alaska wild salmon is certified as sustainable to the Marine Stewardship Council standard. And although the nutrition information for this recipe says that there are 20 grams of fat per serving, I am going to have to go with the "good fat" defense on this one.
Download the "Seafood Watch" 2007 Seafood Guide here, or go to www.seafoodwatch.org.
