Macgregors Seafood Notes

Because Toronto isn't a coastal city, local seafood traditions can be hard to come by. Or are they? Being such a multicultural city, a good part of our food traditions are transplants from our citizens various native countries. You want an authentic Spanish coastal experience - Boquerones (white anchovy fillets), Mojama (a traditional cured tuna loin), Bottarga (pressed and salted and dried tuna roe) - no problem, in fact it's pretty easy. That's what makes Toronto utterly unique among our our large cosmopolitan brothers. No other place on the planet is as diverse and multicultural as our fair city, and with that comes easy access to a gold mine of traditional food experiences.
Great, but where does that leave local seafood traditions? Well, ask around and you'll start to see that they exist - and while it may not seem as exotic as say the first sign of Wild Salmon running up the Copper River in Alaska, there are indeed local seasonal seafood traditions that are quite good. What does my mom remember growing up at the cottage in the summer - Pickerel fillets, cooked in a cast iron skillet with pancake batter. What did I just have for dinner at one of Toronto's best new restaurants Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner - Ontario Lake Trout. Don't get me wrong, I'm the first to indulge in wild exotic seafood from around the globe. In fact, I've built somewhat of a name around bringing in fresh chilled seafood from Australia and New Zealand - absolutely as far away as possible. But, a lot has to be said of regional and seasonal seafood from your own back door.
Lake Trout comes into season every Spring. What's unique about a lot of Ontario fresh water lakes is that they are phenomenally deep - 400+ feet isn't uncommon, and at those depths in the Spring, water temperatures are hovering around 0 degrees. The Trout pack serious insulative fat which translates into a rich buttery texture. You catch these fish using down rigging long lines. Whereas most people are used to the bright orange/red flesh of a farm raised Rainbow Trout, the natural flesh color of Wild Lake Trout is a lot paler - but not lacking flavor. At Jamie Kennedy the other night I started my meal with a local Asparagus salad, and then the Lake Trout. Often times when you're out in one Toronto's many white tablecloth restaurants it's a global meal - sometimes even down to a Salt from France. But this experience was Regional, Seasonal & every bit as unique and rewarding.
As our world continues to get smaller, we tend to look in our own backyard last. Sometimes we'd rather buy Organic Salmon from Ireland because somehow we feel better about it (what about the Diesel fuel to get it here?). While there is a world of rich experiences in Seafood from all over the world - and I encourage people to try it, there are also wonderful seasonal seafood traditions right where we live that deserves some of your attention too.

A wonderful discovery at Lawrence of Arabia - Yes macgregors Regularly Stocks Bottarga direct from Spain!

May 16, 2007 Amy Pataki The Star.com

I went for falafel and found caviar.
Such was my recent stroke of culinary good luck while searching for the city's best falafel. The strip of Lawrence Ave. E. in Scarborough called Lawrence of Arabia seemed promising, with its abundance of Mideast restaurants and food stores.
While waiting for the fluffy fava bean patties being fried to order at Lotus Catering and Fine Foods (1960 Lawrence Ave. E. near Pharmacy Ave., 416-757-8315), I browsed the tiny grocery section. There were the usual suspects: hibiscus tea, rice, aged gabneh cheese. Then I spotted the dark red logs stacked like firewood in the refrigerator. What were they?
"Bottarga," said chef/owner Eeid Saleh.
My heart beat faster. Bottarga is dried mullet roe, a Mediterranean delicacy. To taste it, shaved onto pasta or bread, is to taste an ocean breeze.
Bottarga is an ancient food. The Egyptians called it batarekh, which evolved into bottarga in Italian and boutargue in French. The egg sacs from heavily pregnant fish – mullet, yes, but also tuna, swordfish, amberjack and cod – are salted and pressed. Sometimes the blocks of roe are coated in beeswax to preserve it, but refrigeration also does the trick.
Heady and homely, bottarga is not for the timid. Sweeter than anchovies and less fishy than taramasalata (another roe product), it is nonetheless briny with a surprisingly clean finish. Lacking the pop of fresh roe, the eggs are hard enough to grate and partner best with lemons and olive oil.
Like beluga caviar, you won't find bottarga in your local superstore. The rare delicatessen or fishmonger stocks it. The Egyptian mullet bottarga at Lotus is about $6 an ounce, while the less salty Italian version locked in the caviar case at both Pusateri's locations is roughly $22 an ounce. Diana's Seafood Delight (2101 Lawrence Ave. E., 416-288-9286) will special order it.
It's even harder to find bottarga on Toronto menus. Coppi Ristorante (3363 Yonge St., 416-484-4464) in Lawrence Park is the exception. It imports bottarga di muggine, the mullet roe called "Sardinian caviar," as a warm-weather treat. "You can get it year-round, but since you don't need to cook it, it fits the weather," says manager Alessandro Scotto.
The grated roe is mixed into fresh taglierini with just olive oil and chopped basil. The pasta's heat melts the golden brown grains into a creamy sauce bolstered by fine breadcrumbs. At $21.50 a plate, it is subtle and ephemeral. One bite begs another. Coppi also has stronger tuna bottarga.
If you like caviar, bottarga may be for you.

Jail Island Aquaculture
FACT SHEET – SALMON FEED
May 2007

Farmed Salmon a Safe and Healthy Food Choice

· The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) continues to confirm that farmed salmon is completely safe for consumers.

· Farmed salmon are an excellent source of high-quality protein and are low in saturated fat, making them a healthy food choice. Government, academic, and consumer advocacy groups with expertise in human health and nutrition confirm the health benefits of farmed salmon. The CFIA regularly tests farmed salmon to ensure its safety for consumers.

Concern Related to Wheat Gluten in Salmon Feed

· We source a custom feed from our suppliers and can confirm that feed, which is used on Cooke Aquaculture Inc. and Cooke Aquaculture USA farms does not contain wheat gluten. This means that our fish are in no way connected to the current melamine scare.

· Recent testing carried out by the FDA on feed that was shipped by truck from Canada to the US confirmed that samples were clean and the restriction on the tariff classification for fish feed has been removed.

QA/QC in Salmon Feed Production

· Feed used to grow farmed salmon contains ingredients that meet nutritional requirements to ensure the health and welfare of the fish.

· Salmon feed is made in facilities that are regulated by the CFIA, which conducts regular inspections of the facilities, the ingredients used in feed production, and the final feed product.

· Salmon feed manufacturers only source ingredients from reputable suppliers and demand quality assurance and control (QA/QC) from these suppliers. In addition, feed manufacturers conduct their own QA/QC tests on feed ingredients and final products.
Salmon feed manufacturers maintain a library of feed ingredients and QA/QC results. Each batch of feed is fully traceable with respect to the type, source, and quality of ingredients.