articles tag:seasaltrestaurant.com,2008:/glossary//5 2008-04-01T19:02:01Z Movable Type 3.2ysb5-20051201 Hanger Steak tag:seasaltrestaurant.com,2008:/glossary//5.59 2008-04-01T19:02:01Z 2008-04-01T19:02:01Z seasalt A hanger steak is a cut of beef steak which is said to "hang" from the diaphragm of the steer. (Anatomically the diaphragm is one muscle, but it is commonly cut into two separate cuts of meat: the "hanger steak" traditionally considered more flavorful due to its proximity to the kidneys, and the outer skirt steak which is composed of tougher muscle within the diaphragm.) The hanger is attached to the last rib and the spine near the kidneys. It resembles flank steak, and is a vaguely V-shaped pair of muscles with a long, inedible membrane down the middle. The hanger steak is not really tender, but has a lot of flavor, and is best marinated and cooked quickly over high heat (grilled or broiled) and served rare or medium-rare, to avoid toughness. Chefs with experience preparing beef kidneys report that the hanger steak's aroma preserves a trace of kidney.

There is only one hanger steak per animal, and the entire cut typically weighs about 1 to 1.5 lbs (450 to 675g). It is prized for its flavor, and was sometimes known as "butcher's steak" because butchers would often keep it for themselves rather than offer it for sale. That may just be because there was never demand for it due to the finicky cut (which may take experience to cook). If no one else will purchase it, the business-minded butcher would take the cut home himself.

The hanger steak has traditionally been more popular in Europe. In French, it is known as the onglet, in Italian the lombatello, and in Spanish the solomillo de pulmon. In the United States, it is slowly starting to become popular; formerly, it was not separated as an individual cut. Even today it is usually ground into hamburger in the US.

It is also known as the "hanging tender", and occasionally is seen on menus as a "bistro steak".

]]> taken from wikipedia
]]> Artctic Char tag:seasaltrestaurant.com,2008:/glossary//5.58 2008-04-01T18:50:06Z 2008-04-01T18:51:14Z Arctic char or Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) is both a freshwater and saltwater[1] fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the... seasalt Arctic char or Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) is both a freshwater and saltwater[1] fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic. It is one of the rarest fish species in Britain, found only in deep, cold, glacial lakes, mostly in Scotland and is at risk from acidification. In other parts of its range, such as Scandinavia, it is much more common, and is fished extensively. In Siberia, it is known as golets (from the Russian голец).

The Arctic char is closely related to both salmon and trout and has many characteristics of both. Individual char fish can weigh 20 lb (9 kilograms) or more with record sized fish having been taken by angling in Northern Canada, where it is known as iqaluk or tariungmiutaq in Inuktitut. Generally, whole market sized fish are between 2 and 5 lb in weight (900 g and 2.3 kilograms). The flesh colour of char varies; it can range from a bright red to a pale pink.

]]> Arctic char farming

Research aimed at determining the suitability of Arctic char as a cultured species has been ongoing since the late 1970s. The Canadian government's Freshwater Institute of Fisheries and Oceans Canada at Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the Huntsman Marine Science Laboratory of New Brunswick, pioneered the early efforts in Canada. Arctic char is also farmed in Norway, Iceland and Ireland.

Arctic char were first investigated because it was expected that they would have low optimum temperature requirements and would grow well at the cold water temperatures present in numerous areas of Canada. It was also expected that char would be an alternate species to rainbow trout and could provide producers with a different niche in the marketplace.

The initial research efforts concentrated on identifying the culture needs and performance characteristics of the species. The Freshwater Institute was responsible for distributing small numbers of char eggs to producers in Canada, these producers in return helped determine the suitability of char in a commercial setting. Commercial char breeding stocks have now been developed largely from these sources.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium "Seafood Watch" program has recently added farmed Arctic char as an environmentally sustainable Best Choice for consumers, stating: "Arctic char use only a moderate amount of marine resources for feed. In addition, Arctic char are farmed in land-based, closed systems that minimize the risk of escape into the wild."[2]

taken from wikipedia 

]]> A Matter of Oysters tag:seasaltrestaurant.com,2008:/glossary//5.56 2008-03-21T00:41:29Z 2008-03-21T00:41:35Z OSTREA EDULIS The Belon is the most well known of these oysters. They are round, symmetrical, expensive, and always flavorful. They should never be cooked. They will not be available in markets during the summer (the non-R months) because this... seasalt OSTREA EDULIS
The Belon is the most well known of these oysters. They are round, symmetrical, expensive, and always flavorful. They should never be cooked. They will not be available in markets during the summer (the non-R months) because this is the time when the oysters spawn, causing the texture to become gritty and the flavor to diminish.

Also called: European oyster, flat oyster
In England: Dorset, Whitstable
In America: they have been successfully cultivated, especially in Blue Hill (Maine) and in the Pacific Northwest
In France: Belon -- the classic example of Ostrea edulis and, for some, the epitome of oyster eating. The Belon is native to Brittany.

Marennes -- the famous green-tinged oysters are raised in claires, with a high concentration of the cholorophyll-containing diatom Navicula ostrearia (a tiny algae). They are grouped as fines de claires, which, according to the rather complicated French system of classification, means they are designated as the most superior in quality of oysters.

OSTREA LURIDA
It seems that the only known type of Ostrea Lurida is the Olympia, an oyster that is native to the Pacific Northwest of the United States, and that is mostly associated with the waters of Puget Sound in Washington State. It is a very tiny oyster -- on average about the size of a quarter, certainly never larger than two inches in diameter. It takes up to five years to mature, a relatively long time. The flavor is renowned for being good and strong, with a pleasant aftertaste. Again, this oyster is too fine to be used for cooking. As with the European oyster, the Olympia spawns over the summer and changes in texture, making it less desirable during those months.

CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA
This is the species that most American oyster lovers call their own. They thrive all the way up to Prince Edward Island and down into the Gulf of Mexico, so the variation among oysters of the different regions is quite great. In general, northern oysters are considered to be firmer, somewhat better for eating raw than the southern varieties. This difference is attributed to the colder climate of the north. Correspondingly, though they are safe to eat year round, some people do consider the softer texture and blander flavor of the oysters (even northern ones) in the summer to be less appetizing than during the "R-months."

Also called: Atlantic oyster, Eastern oyster
Regional names (just a few of many): Bluepoint (Long Island), Box Oyster (Long Island), Chesapeake Bay, Chincoteague (Virginia), Cotuit (Nantucket), Kent Island (Maryland), Malpeque (PE Island, Canada), Patuxent (Maryland)

Apalachicola (Florida) -- Plump and sweet, with a hint of copper flavor, these oysters have a greenish, deep shell. This may have been the oyster that was used for Oysters Rockefeller, a dish created at the New Orleans restaurant, Antoine's, during the Gilded Age. It was named after John D. Rockefeller, Sr., because they were both so "rich."

Breton Sound (Louisiana) -- These gulf oysters grow wild in the reefs of Louisiana. They vary in saltiness according to the season, becoming sweetest in the spring when the marshes are flooded with fresh water.

Wellfleet (Massachusetts) -- The salt marshes of Wellfleet in Cape Cod, fed as they are by springs, are the perfect environment for raising oysters. Although the oysters native to the region were depleted by the settlers there in the late 18th century, the area was quickly and successfully restocked with oysters from nearby areas and has remained a strong producer ever since.

CRASSOSTREA GIGAS
This oyster is, with a few exceptions, regarded as inferior for eating raw. It can grow to be 12 inches long, and is therefore often simply too large and tough to be good on the half shell. It adapts well to different environments and is widely cultivated outside of Japan, mostly on the West coast of the US.

Also called: Pacific Oyster, Japanese Oyster

Popular varieties for serving raw include: Mad River and Tomales Bay (California) and Totten (Puget Sound, Washington)

Kumamoto oyster -- This variation of the Japanese oyster is sometimes given its own species name, Crassostrea kumamoto. It was originally cultured on the island of Kyushu in Japan and is now raised in America from the Gulf of Mexico to British Columbia. It has a distinctive, frilly black shell, and the meat is praised as being delicate, even buttery.

 article is taken from http://www.cuisinenet.com]]> Sardines tag:seasaltrestaurant.com,2007:/glossary//5.53 2007-10-16T16:45:57Z 2007-10-16T16:50:08Z Sardines or pilchards are a group of several types of small oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines were named after the island of Sardinia, where they were once in abundance. [1]... seasalt Sardines or pilchards are a group of several types of small oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines were named after the island of Sardinia, where they were once in abundance. [1]


]]> The terms are not precise, and the usual meanings vary by region; for instance, to many people a "sardine" is a young European pilchard. The FAO/WHO Codex standard for canned sardines cites 21 species that may be classed as sardines;[2] FishBase, a comprehensive database of information about fish, lists at least six species called just "pilchard," over a dozen called just "sardine," and many more with the two basic names qualified by various adjectives.

Canned "sardines" in supermarkets may actually be sprats (such as the "brisling sardine") or round herrings. The actual sizes of the fish canned varies by species. Good quality sardines should have the head and gills removed before packing.[2] They may be also eviscerated before packing (typically the larger varieties), or not; if not eviscerated they should be free of undigested or partially digested food or feces[2] (accomplished by holding the live fish in a tank for long enough that their digestive systems empty themselves). They may be packed in oil or some sort of sauce.

 

Sardine in popular culture

Sardines are typically tightly packed in a small, flat can, the lid of which is scored for easy opening either with a pull tab, or a church key attached to the side of the can. Thus, it has the virtues of being an easily portable self-contained source of food, and often such things as sewing kits or survival kits are packed in a similar container [3]. The close packing of sardines in the can has led to their being used metaphorically for any situation where people or objects are crowded together; for instance a bus or subway car.

Croatia

Fishing for sardela or sardina (Sardina pilchardus) on the Croatian Adriatic coasts of Dalmatia and Istria is an ongoing activity tracing its roots back thousands of years. The region was part of the Roman Empire, then largely a Venetian dominion, and has always been sustained through fishing mainly sardines. All along the coast there are many towns that promote the age-old practice of fishing by latin-sail type boats for tourism and on festival occasions. Today this tradition is also continued by many producers.

Portugal

Sardines play an important role in Portuguese culture. Having been a people who depended heavily on the sea for food and commerce, the Portuguese have a predilection for fish in their popular festivities. The most important is Saint Anthony's day, 13th June, when the biggest popular festival takes place in Lisbon, taking the people to the streets where grilled sardines are the snack of choice. Almost every place in Portugal, from Figueira da Foz to Portalegre, or from Póvoa de Varzim to Olhão has the summertime popular tradition of eating grilled sardines (sardinhas assadas).

Spain (Canary Islands)

In the Timanfaya Volcanic National Park on Lanzarote, a popular tourist menu is to eat sardines, freshly caught that morning, grilled over the heat from a volcanic vent.

United Kingdom (Cornwall)

Pilchard fishing and processing was a thriving industry in Cornwall from around 1750 to around 1880, after which it went into an almost terminal decline. The industry has featured in numerous works of art, particularly by Stanhope Forbes and other Newlyn School artists.

A traditional Cornish pilchard dish is stargazy pie or stary gazy pie.

article is taken from wikipedia.com 

 

 

 

]]> Kinds of Oysters tag:seasaltrestaurant.com,2007:/glossary//5.52 2007-10-16T16:39:57Z 2007-10-16T16:42:00Z Things you may want to know about oysters...... seasalt Things you may want to know about oysters...]]>

OSTREA EDULIS
The Belon is the most well known of these oysters. They are round, symmetrical, expensive, and always flavorful. They should never be cooked. They will not be available in markets during the summer (the non-R months) because this is the time when the oysters spawn, causing the texture to become gritty and the flavor to diminish.

Also called: European oyster, flat oyster
In England: Dorset, Whitstable
In America: they have been successfully cultivated, especially in Blue Hill (Maine) and in the Pacific Northwest
In France: Belon -- the classic example of Ostrea edulis and, for some, the epitome of oyster eating. The Belon is native to Brittany.

Marennes -- the famous green-tinged oysters are raised in claires, with a high concentration of the cholorophyll-containing diatom Navicula ostrearia (a tiny algae). They are grouped as fines de claires, which, according to the rather complicated French system of classification, means they are designated as the most superior in quality of oysters.

OSTREA LURIDA
It seems that the only known type of Ostrea Lurida is the Olympia, an oyster that is native to the Pacific Northwest of the United States, and that is mostly associated with the waters of Puget Sound in Washington State. It is a very tiny oyster -- on average about the size of a quarter, certainly never larger than two inches in diameter. It takes up to five years to mature, a relatively long time. The flavor is renowned for being good and strong, with a pleasant aftertaste. Again, this oyster is too fine to be used for cooking. As with the European oyster, the Olympia spawns over the summer and changes in texture, making it less desirable during those months.

CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA
This is the species that most American oyster lovers call their own. They thrive all the way up to Prince Edward Island and down into the Gulf of Mexico, so the variation among oysters of the different regions is quite great. In general, northern oysters are considered to be firmer, somewhat better for eating raw than the southern varieties. This difference is attributed to the colder climate of the north. Correspondingly, though they are safe to eat year round, some people do consider the softer texture and blander flavor of the oysters (even northern ones) in the summer to be less appetizing than during the "R-months."

Also called: Atlantic oyster, Eastern oyster
Regional names (just a few of many): Bluepoint (Long Island), Box Oyster (Long Island), Chesapeake Bay, Chincoteague (Virginia), Cotuit (Nantucket), Kent Island (Maryland), Malpeque (PE Island, Canada), Patuxent (Maryland)

Apalachicola (Florida) -- Plump and sweet, with a hint of copper flavor, these oysters have a greenish, deep shell. This may have been the oyster that was used for Oysters Rockefeller, a dish created at the New Orleans restaurant, Antoine's, during the Gilded Age. It was named after John D. Rockefeller, Sr., because they were both so "rich."

Breton Sound (Louisiana) -- These gulf oysters grow wild in the reefs of Louisiana. They vary in saltiness according to the season, becoming sweetest in the spring when the marshes are flooded with fresh water.

Wellfleet (Massachusetts) -- The salt marshes of Wellfleet in Cape Cod, fed as they are by springs, are the perfect environment for raising oysters. Although the oysters native to the region were depleted by the settlers there in the late 18th century, the area was quickly and successfully restocked with oysters from nearby areas and has remained a strong producer ever since.

CRASSOSTREA GIGAS
This oyster is, with a few exceptions, regarded as inferior for eating raw. It can grow to be 12 inches long, and is therefore often simply too large and tough to be good on the half shell. It adapts well to different environments and is widely cultivated outside of Japan, mostly on the West coast of the US.

Also called: Pacific Oyster, Japanese Oyster

Popular varieties for serving raw include: Mad River and Tomales Bay (California) and Totten (Puget Sound, Washington)

Kumamoto oyster -- This variation of the Japanese oyster is sometimes given its own species name, Crassostrea kumamoto. It was originally cultured on the island of Kyushu in Japan and is now raised in America from the Gulf of Mexico to British Columbia. It has a distinctive, frilly black shell, and the meat is praised as being delicate, even buttery.

 article is taken from http://www.cuisinenet.com

]]> What Makes Wellfleet Oysters Special? tag:seasaltrestaurant.com,2007:/glossary//5.51 2007-10-16T15:23:37Z 2007-10-16T15:26:31Z seasalt Wellfleet oysters have been considered some of the world’s best for generations. The Wellfleet oyster is an eastern oyster, crassostrea virginica by species, the same kind of oyster that grows in Long Island Sound, as far south as the Chesapeake Bay, and up into Canada’s Maritime Provinces in the north. In the beginning of the 1800s, Wellfleet’s native oyster population was nearly depleted. Aquaculture, as we know it today, began as Wellfleetians imported young oysters from points south, flavored and fattened them in local estuaries, then harvested them for sale in the lucrative Boston market.


]]> Although people may not agree on which oysters are best, they do agree a real difference exists among oysters grown in different locations. If Blue Points, Chesapeakes, Cotuits, Malpeques, Wellfleets, and other types of oysters along the United States’ eastern shores are all genetically the same, why do oyster connoisseurs from around the world extol the virtues of the Wellfleet oyster?

Wellfleet oysters tend to be long and strong-shelled. Experienced tasters know that they are plump and clean with a distinctively good balance of creamy sweetness and brine. But what else makes Wellfleet oysters special?

  • Cold waters. The average temperatures in Wellfleet’s estuaries are colder than those in more southerly waters. Cold water temperatures slow down the oysters’ metabolisms, helping them store compounds called glycogens, a process akin to carbo-loading, that make the oysters sweeter tasting.
  • High salinity. The salinity in Wellfleet Harbor is also relatively high (28 parts per thousand) compared to the more brackish waters of, for example, upper Chesapeake Bay. Experienced tasters find that oysters that frow in saltier waters tend to have a cleaner, sharper flavor.
  • Big, fast-moving tides. Wellfleet waters have significant tides, averaging around 12 feet, and broad, shallow estuaries. This means a high volume of fresh, plankton-rich ocean water washes swiftly through and feeds the oyster beds twice a day. Also, regular exposure to air on the flats help make Wellfleet oysters very hardy, thus able to withstand shipping and stay fresh for the consumer.
  • The local harbor environment. Oysters are flavored by what they feed on. The unique mix of nutrients and local species of phytoplankton that inhabit Wellfleet are different than those even as nearby as Cotuit, Mass., and these variations greatly contribute to the Wellfleets’ distinctive flavor.
  • Clean water. Wellfleet oysters are fortunate to grow in a clean, contaminant-free area. Throughout the years, the estuaries have remained remarkably clean. Wellfleet residents are grateful that pollution and oil spills have not hurt the oyster beds, and work hard to keep it that way.
article is taken from www.wellfleetoysterfest.org]]>