TimeOut

Here in Cali, 2 delicacies have been banned: Foie Gras and Shark's Fin.  I never cared too much for Shark's Fin soup but when it is done right, it's really good.


Here's the Elite Restaurant in Monterey Park special soup:



They serve it on a special holder to keep the soup heated:



A side of sprouts and julienne ham to add to the soup.  Some like to add red vinegar to it.







Anyone eat this stuff?

-MW

if a shark were caught and all the meat used that would be ok, but too many fishermen just slice the fin off and leave the crippled shark to die in the sea. that, we must all accept, is barbaric and needs to be stopped. the only way to start the end is to ban the product.

perhaps they should start by requiring more identity for the catch just like the passports we have for cattle and sheep in UK to ensure that only fins of whole sharks are bought by the restaurants.

sadly this becomes a very political and cultural discussion which has no place here imo.

sorry its no longer available, but done for the best of reasons i expect.

best
Graham

...turbot, grilled whole, is much less barbaric!

well, yes i think it is as the turbot doesnt float around in pain until it dies, but lets not get into that :)

G

as I've never tried Turbot...!!

Yours my friend,

Andy.

Turbot and John Dory are my favorite types of fish to eat.  Halibut is in the same kind of class, large flat fish.

-MW

this is a little joke with pplater and G as on both recent GTG's I've missed out on the Turbot as I took one for the team and let our guests have the last one in the shop..!!
I love flat fish, my favorites being lemon sole and Dover sole

Yours,

Andy.

No message body

Anyone who has gone deep sea fishing knows what happens to the fish when you make a catch.  Good example pplater!

-MW

there is some scientific evidence which says that fish dont have pain sensors like mammals do, but i dont know whether to believe it.
thats why fox and deer hunting with dogs is banned in UK, but not fishing.

its a strange world.

G

That's why anglers do catch and release with recreational fishing.  The barbless hooks cause no pain in the fish's mouth when they catch them.

-MW

If sharks fin is totally eliminated, I would not miss it. 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Graham.  Curious about your thoughts on Wagyu beef.  If sharks were treated the same, would you be ok with eating sharks fin?

-MW

i'm not really sure how the wagyu cows are treated. i thought they were fed the barley used in beer making and massaged every day which makes the fat stay within the meat.

what do they really do?

G

Those cattle are humanely raised and butchered. The sharks get the fin ripped off and then are thrown back. It's all about respect for the animals. This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2013-05-01 16:48:19

And, for sure, is not my "cup of tea".

In respect to the ban, since my trends are more on the libertarian side, I believe that a state that tries to define what we can eat is, for sure, moving on the wrong direction.

If they tried to educate people about how barbarian the food is produced, it may produce the same results or better.

A final comment: did they ban the sharks to eat ... people, as they do from time to time?

Cheers,

Nilo

Education is always key.  I have a friend who used to be in charge as a buyer for a large Unified School District meal program.  He used to tell me how nutritionally balanced the lunch program was.  But it was the student body and the school that always offered the junk food and snacks as it as kids demanded it and makes money for the school.

Shark's Fin is an acquired taste, actually IMO there isn't much taste to it at all.  Did you try the Bird's Nest soup?

-MW

birds nest soup is made up of bird spit isnt it? taken from caves and ledges high up in cliffs.
not my cup of tea i dont think :)

No message body This message has been edited by DRMW on 2013-04-29 14:05:54

Didn't had the opportunity.

I hear that it's very expensive and I prefer a simple medium steak.

Cheers,

Nilo

my wife is a marine biologist, so she was clearly against it. I didn't from a taste perspective but we never ordered it due to the social issues associated with it.

I haven't had Bird's Nest at Elite but their other stuff is very good. If you go there, get the Suckling Pig appetizer:




-MW

but Foie Gras.... that's yummy..! Luckily I have some in the cupboard from my last trip to London

Yours,

Andy.

Hotel Costes in Paris has a fantastic Foie Gras terrine!

-MW

Many people know about shark fin and the sad follies, but some people don't know Foie Gras production is quite awful as well.  A human takes a duck by the neck, squeezes the neck to make the duck open its mouth, shoves a hollow metal tube in, which pumps in a huge quantity of food (relative to the duck's weight and volume).  The ducks balloon in size and weight and can't even keep their balance, waddling along mal-adjusted to their immediate transformation.  Rats and other parasites annoy the ducks while they cannot move away quickly.  

I enjoy sharks fin soup (and foie gras too) and I'm sad to hear that this is being banned.  I can certainly understand the reasons for the ban, but I'm sad to hear that because I grew up with this soup in many dinners and banquets.  It's a part of the Chinese culture and fond memories of family gatherings.  Tradition and being sentimental about it.  Oh well, I'm sure there is a large stock of this still around and I'm sure we can continue to enjoy it for a little while longer. 

Regards,
ED-209

Elite is good, try the soup with this:



Special Pepper or House Special style




-MW

but in recent years haven't had any. most posters here have mentioned; that its barbaric, inhumane etc. and I agree with it.

Thanks for sharing your views xsw.  As I asked others, if Sharks were treated like Kobe cattle, would you be ok with consuming Shark's Fin?

-MW

..whether its treated like a royal prince or murdered in cold blood. as long as I'm aware of my actions.