FoodTrek: Cult of the Crustacean Nation

It's a fun night when foodie writers, bloggers and media folk get together over a meal, especially when it's a multi-course crab dinner paired with local wines. Aside from how many naughty crab jokes one can dole out and discussing the finer points of why The Wire was one of the best things to ever adorn cable television with the f-bomb, it was an occasion that brought up the noteworthy subject of the relationship between sustainability and restaurants. Seattle's Waterfront Seafood Grill played host to a five-course dinner that was like an edible tour of our crustacean friends, proving that "green" menus are a direction worth looking towards for the future.

Crab and sweet pea panna cotta in carrot broth - like peas n' carrots! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Waterfront Seafood Grill's Executive Chef Peter Levine prepared five courses with crab that were caught responsibly. Each course was paired with wines chosen by Wine Director Kristen Young, including selections from Sparkman Cellars. Along with Waterfront Grill's General Manager, Chris Sparkman, to help explain the finer points of sustainable fishing, Frank Ragusa, General Manager of Ocean Beauty Seattle introduced the dinner. Ragusa explained that responsible crab fishing relies on:

1) A strong biomass, or a healthy supply of crab living in a region and being aware of its population
2) Awareness of a fishing fleet's carbon footprint, and taking steps to offset the expenditures of fossil fuels
3) Using nets and fishing methods that are more selective towards catching only crab, unlike gill nets
4) Adhering to strict size regulations and only taking male crab, throwing females back

Utilizing fishing practices like these help to ensure that the fishing industry is sustained as well as the population of the sea creatures they catch.

A tasty catch at Pier 70 - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The Waterfront Grill, located at the end of Pier 70, is a popular place for Seattle visitors to experience a taste of the Pacific Northwest. Located near Pike's Market and the Edgewater Hotel, it offers wide views of the surrounding Sound as well as tastes of what the area has to offer. For those unfamiliar with both the region and the cuisine, their menu contains several local favorites and delivers a picturesque occasion dining experience. Introducing the theme of sustainability in the menu and making it a point to ensure patrons that the ingredients were responsibly harvested and caught, continues the growing movement towards a greener way of eating.

The dishes served during the annual "Cult of the Crab" dinner included a dressed up version of a traditional Crab Louie, the comfort food pairing of peas n' carrots with a crab and sweet pea panna cotta in a spiced carrot broth, a Dungeness version of a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, a rich ravioli of Maryland blue crab, and a bold-flavored whole Maryland soft shelled crab fried over green beans and fennel.

It was a wide range of flavors for the different crab, each paired with different wines to compliment the flavors of the dishes. The variety of dishes and methods of preparation were a good overall reminder that being environmentally selective over ingredients doesn't limit one's options, instead it provides opportunities for obtaining local products as well as comfort in the knowledge that what is served on the plate was obtained through responsible methods.

A crabby meal -- but the ice cream sundae was seafood-free! Photos by Wasabi Prime

Aside from having the great opportunity to meet and chat with the media voices of Seattle, the dinner was a good way to promote the practice of being a self-aware restaurant patron. No matter where you eat, ask where ingredients come from and be selective in menu item selection, prioritizing items that were grown, caught or raised locally. As patrons of restaurants focus on more seasonal and regional items, it creates both a sustainable business environment for local companies as well as the environment we all share.

Wasabi Thanks to the entire team at Waterfront Seafood Grill, Ocean Beauty, and the team at Randall PR for all working in concert to bring this dinner together.

Mixed Plate: Ono Kine Hawaii - Green Acres (pt 1)

Aloha! Mr. Wasabi/Brock and I took some time to fly off to the tropics of the 50th state for a cousin's wedding, some family time and some much-needed rest. While I was not born in Hawaii, the entire Wasabi Prime clan on both sides are all Islanders, having been born on and lived across the islands of Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii/The Big Island. I am fortunate to have been able to experience this place for extended visits during my childhood, and have been granted a very different perspective on this place from the typical visuals of swaying palm trees, mai tais, and hula girls. For the first of a two-part post series, I wanted to focus on the aspect of Hawaii that people don't immediately think of, which is the land's ability to feed the people, and the importance of staying connected to this relationship.

A vast plantation of pineapple? Nope, just my Auntie P's backyard garden! - photo by Wasabi Prime

It's nearly impossible to lose sight of the fact that Hawaii is a string of islands, and given that isolated geography, that inspires a need for sustainability. Goods and resources tend to be more costly because much of it is barged or flown in. During the turn of the century, agriculture made the islands a valuable commodity, but the fields of pineapple and sugar cane disappeared over the years as commercial air travel became more viable, and the industry of tourism eclipsed the plantation days. A waning economy has been a reminder to everyone that a renewed focus on local resources and increased self-reliance is a valuable investment to take part of.

Baby eggplants, chili peppers, Suriname cherries in a yard, and a breadfruit at a park - photos by Wasabi Prime

Staying a few days at my aunt and uncle's home in Kaneohe, a city on Oahu outside of Honolulu, we were given access to a produce department in a home backyard. My Auntie P clearly picked up the Green Thumb talent in the family and has always used her backyard garden to its full extent. She grows tomatoes, pineapples, chili peppers, salad greens, eggplant, and various herbs. She also has a huge Suriname cherry tree which produces beautiful, sour little fruits, what she used to call "pumpkin cherries," because their exteriors look a bit like a round bumpy squash. A fortified punch of vitamin C, the large-pitted cherries are too tart to just eat on their own, but she uses them for preserves and I'm sure would probably make for a marvelous relish come Thanksgiving Day.

Auntie P was last seen carefully nursing a small bell pepper plant that she had sprouted from seeds. Given that Hawaii's warm and rainy climate turns annuals into perennials, this lone pepper plant could easily produce several years' worth of bell peppers, so it's worth the extra care. Every time I visit, I'm envious of her tomato plants, which are more like a tomato bush, as they don't die back and just continue to fruit throughout the year.

Along with the bounty from home gardens, we saw breadfruit trees growing in parks. About the size of a large melon, the bumpy-skinned breadfruit were concentrated carbohydrate sources for the Native Hawaiians. Because it's so starchy, it's a bit like a potato once cooked and can be used in similar tuber-like applications. Much like the potato, the breadfruit's myth describes the Hawaiian people's deliverance from famine: the god of war Kū, after living in secret among mortals, sacrificed himself so that his family and others could be saved from starvation, and a breadfruit tree miraculously grew from a place where he once stood. For a lot of the traditional foods in Hawaii, there are legends like these to remind people of the value of what the land can provide. Aside from providing a lush, tropical landscape, the plants and trees are a resource worth nurturing.

There remains a strong connection to the land that the locals have, and I believe this connection grows stronger and new connections are being made as people are realize how this works toward environmental sustainability. Having so many people in Hawaii descended from the plantation era and generations of accomplished farmers (my own family included), it isn't unusual to just walk outside and pull together ingredients from the yard for a meal; this mentality is truly in the hearts and minds of the people. Granted, Hawaii is a more hospitable place for year-round growing, but it's an inspiring reminder for everyone to be aware of what is readily available, versus what needs to be brought in from afar.

It ain't easy being green... unless you're in Hawaii. Then it's super-easy. Photo by Wasabi Prime

Don't touch that dial...er...keyboard! The second part of this two-part Hawaii adventure is on its way! Having discussed the natural side of Hawaii, one has to reveal the unnatural side of Spam and other unique local foods that created a beloved menu inspired by resourcefulness and multi-culturalism. Next stop: Ono Kine Grindz! Mahalo!