The latest sales circular from Fairway Market in Paramus, in today's newspaper, prominently displays "fresh-cut, local" swordfish steaks for $6.99 a pound, a savings of $6 a pound.
Unfortunately, swordfish is one of five species with the most mercury, according to the June 2009 Consumer Reports On Health newsletter, which recommends that pregnant women and children should not consume it. The rest of us "can probably consume very occasionally."
Consumer Reports bases its conclusions on data from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. The other four species with the highest level of mercury are king mackerel, shark, tilefish and fresh tuna.
I have seen Steven Reichlen cook swordfish on his television show BBQ University and it looked pretty tasty. Didn't know they were that high in mercury.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised he used sowrdfish or said nothing about its mercury content. He is like many chefs who ignore the origins of the food they prepare. I also think Reichlen gets way too much attention from food writers and food sections. I have never watched any of his shows or read any of his books, but I do heed warnings from the American Cancer Society and other groups that grilling meat and other food at high heat has been linked to cancer, especially if you consume burnt food. My grill has been gathering dust for at least two summers.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Reichlen that much, he is a lot easier to stomach than some of the other TV chefs like Lidia Bastianich. Most of these TV chefs pay little attention to the health aspects of the food they prepare.
ReplyDeleteThat is a sad commentary on celebrity chefs. An example is Bobby Flay, who uses the cheaper Certified Angus Beef at his so-called Hamburger Palace in Paramus when he could use drug- and hormone-free Certified Angus Beef Natural. He could serve healthier beef, but he'd rather keep the difference in his pocket.
ReplyDeleteBobby Flay is quite the egomaniac. His idea of cooking is to make every dish hot & spicy. The guy has no imagination and seems to be in it for the glory and the payoff. I don't plan on going to his Hamburger Palace anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteOnce, I saw him on TV and there was a close-up of him chopping something. His nails had been bitten all the way down. I can't tell you how disgusting that was, Bobbly Flay holding food with those nail-bitten fingers. Unfortunately, the media love celebrity chefs such as him and glorify them to no end. I can recall a photo The Record once used on the cover of its Better Living section of a chef for the South City restaurant group. He was holding a whole fish and it was dramatically lit. Give me a break. It was so obviously promotional.
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