Food Drink Magazine Issue 7 February 2021

FOOD DRINK &

MAGAZINE

ALL ABOUT SHRIMP ST.VALENTINE SHRIMP GLORIOUS SHRIMP NUTHOUSE SPORTS GRILL CAJUN CHICKEN WITH BEER POACHED CAJUN SHRIMP THINGS TO DO WITH SHRIMP

THE SCOTTISH FISHING INDUSTRY CATERING CONSULTANCY CHINESE NEW YEAR RESPONDING TO REVIEWS FRESH, SEASONAL AND LOCAL

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NOVEMBER 2020 February 2021

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All About Shrimp

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EDITOR AND PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

St.Valentine

Hakan KESKIN admin@fooddrinkmagazine.com ADVERTISING AND MARKETING COORDINATOR Gizem gizem@fooddrinkmagazine.com

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Shrimp Glorious Shrimp

AUTHORS Anna GRACE SIMS Daphne REZNIK

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PUBLISHED BY

Nuthouse Sports

Dave WINTERIDGE

Grill

16520 BAKE PKWY STE 230 Irvine California 92618

34 Cajun Chicken with Beer Poached Cajun Shrimp

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38 The Scottish Fishing Industry

CONTENTS 45 Things To Do with Shrimp

50 Catering Consultancy

57 Chinese New Year

63 Responding to Reviews

71 Fresh, Seasonal and Local

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Anna Grace Sims

All About Shrimp

Shrimp (or prawn if you are in certain parts of the world), is arguably one of the world’s favorite seafood. It is extremely versatile and can be used in several different ways using a variety of techniques. Many of the top chefs in the world have worked hard to create shrimp dishes that they are proud of, and consumers love to eat them all year round! It is food for the young and old, and is available everywhere, whether it be on the coast or inland. So, let's learn more about the humble shrimp.

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About shrimp – interesting facts One reason why shrimp is so popular and feature in so many dishes is that they are delicious and healthy. They are an excellent source of protein and are generally easy to cook. Shrimp is also easily accessible, which makes them affordable.

Here are some fun facts about shrimp that you likely did not know. ฀Shrimps are found all around the world and survive in fresh and saltwater. ฀May 9 is National Shrimp Day, and October is National Seafood Month ฀There are over 128 species of shrimp found today. ฀And the most bizarre fact of all – all shrimp are actually born male and become females as they mature!

There are many different ways to prepare shrimp.

One of the most loved methods is to boil or sauté them in garlic or butter. This method is called ‘scampi’ and can be found on many top menus.

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Top shrimp producing countries Shrimp production and export is a big business, thanks to the worldwide and growing demand. Shrimp will feature in many good restaurant and café menus, and they are commonly prepared at eaten at the home in many places, especially around the holiday season.

For this reason, overall exports of shrimps totaled US$19.12 billion in 2019, and this figure is expected to rise over the coming years. Shrimp can be exported frozen or fresh, salted or smoked.

Below are the top three countries that produced and exported the most shrimp in 2019. In fact, the top 15 exporting countries combined shipped nearly 90% of all shrimp in 2019. ฀India India is the largest producer of farmed shrimp in the world. In 2019, India exported 2,82,584 tons of shrimp to the USA and other countries. ฀Ecuador Ecuador is one of the world leaders when it comes to the production and exportation of shrimp. 2019 actually saw a record year for shrimp production, with 635,029 tons exported. ฀Vietnam Shrimp sales are the biggest contributor to Vietnam’s seafood export value. In 2019 despite being down 5% from previous years, they still produced 1.52 tons and exported over 500,000 tons.

If we are talking purely shrimp production (not production and exportation), then Thailand and China would take the lead. Combined, Thailand and China account for nearly $75% of the worlds shrimp production.

So, it is safe to say that if you want to sample some of the best shrimp in the world, head to Asia.

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Top shrimp consuming countries Interestingly, while three-quarters of the world's shrimp is produced in developing countries (Thailand and China to be precise), it is the developed world that produces the most shrimp.

The USA understandably consumes a lot of shrimp, however the number one country for shrimp consumption is Japan. Followed closely by the USA, and then most of Western Europe.

In the USA, shrimp is actually the most consumed seafood and can be found in all 50 states and in every corner of the country. On average, there are 4.4 pounds of shrimp consumed per person per year in the USA.

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Ben Jacobson (Kranar Drogin), CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

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BEST SHRIMP RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD

JB Hooks Steak & Seafood Restaurant One restaurant that prides itself on its amazing selection of shrimp dishes is the JB Hooks Steak & Seafood Restaurant at Lake Ozark, Missouri. They have their own Shrimp and Oyster Bar, and offer a varied menu featuring the beloved shrimp. Their most loved dishes include: ฀New Orleans BBQ Shrimp ฀Shrimp Cocktail ฀Peel & Eat Shrimp ฀Garlic Shrimp They pride themselves on keeping their shrimp dishes simple to really honor the flavor of the seafood. http://www.jbhooks.com/

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Terence Ong, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

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BEST SHRIMP RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD

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Jumbo Seafood Jumbo Seafood is a chain of restaurants found all over Asia; however, they were established in Singapore in 1987. They have a reputation for serving the freshest seafood in Southeast Asia and specialize in delicious shrimp dishes.

Their most famous shrimp dish is drunken prawn and cereal prawns (pictured). Cereal prawns are a Singaporean dish consisting of fried shrimp cooked in butter, crushed cereal, curry leaves and chili.

https://www.jumboseafood.com.sg

Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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BEST SHRIMP RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD

La Casa Del Abuelo Madrid, Spain had always been known for its amazing selection of top-notch seafood, and if it is shrimp that you are specifically looking for you, you cannot look past La Casa Del Abuelo. Their two signature dishes include Gambas al Ajillo which is prawns cooked in a seafood broth (pictured). You also cannot go past the Gambas à la Plancha if you prefer a fresh and minimally cooked shrimp dish.

https://lacasadelabuelo.es/

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Bob Nichols, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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BEST SHRIMP CHEFS IN THE WORLD

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José Andrés Chef José Andrés is a Spanish-American chef who has worked at many world class restaurants throughout the United States. He is responsible for many amazing and delicious dishes, but the one dish he is most well known for is his Paella with Shrimp and Squid (pictured).

This simple Paella dish is one of the top seafood meals in the world, and it contains a variety of different seafoods in it depending on availability. With shrimp being the hero of the dish of course. Available at Minibar by José Andrés in Washington DC

PRNewsfoto/Keswick Hall

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BEST SHRIMP CHEFS IN THE WORLD

Jean-Georges Vongerichten When you think of shrimp, you may not necessarily think of salad. But if you want to try one of the best shrimp dishes in the world, prepared by one of the best shrimp chefs, you must visit French chef Jean Jean-Georges Vongerichten. His signature dish is Shrimp Salad with Champagne Beurre Blanc , and it may sound complex, but the intense flavor and simplicity of the dish will have you coming back for seconds. Jean-Georges has restaurants all throughout the United States and 12 other countries ranging from France, Morocco, and Indonesia.

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Dave Pullig from West Sussex, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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BEST SHRIMP CHEFS IN THE WORLD

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Gordon Ramsay A list of the top chefs would not be complete without celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. There is a reason why Gordon continues to rate among the top chefs in the world. He knows his way around food, and this is especially true when it comes to seafood. He has many different restaurants around the world, and one dish you will find included in many of the menus is his famous prawn tostada dish (pictured). Gordon Ramsey will often feature shrimp dishes in all his restaurants, making the use of local ingredients and produce.

CONCLUSION

There is a good reason why shrimp is one of the most beloved food in the world, and this does not look to change anytime soon. There are so many ways of preparing shrimp that there will be a dish out there that will suit even the fussiest eaters. Whether you prefer your shrimp raw, boiled, in a salad, or even deep-fried, we all have one thing in common. We are lovers of the mighty shrimp!

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VALENTINE ST

DAVE WINTERIDGE

The most romantic day of the year? Who can say, but as St Valentine’s Day approaches restaurateurs start to get excited.

Six weeks after the New Year, February 14th is often the first time we have seen our restaurants full since the end of year festivities. We plan special menus, order-in some roses and open the bookings diary all in the expectation of hearing the cash register play its merry tune. But how did we arrive at this overcommercialised money-printing exercise, which is now second to only Christmas?

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By all accounts Valentine was a Roman priest and physician in the third century AD who was persecuted as part of a general persecution of Christians by Emperor Claudius II. He was later executed on February 14th. The Catholic church honored his martyrdom, Pope Julius is said to have had a basilica constructed above his grave, and celebrated St Valentine’s Day on February 14th.

St Valentine became associated with the sending of love messages because he is said to have sent a loving note to a child who he was teaching before his execution and signed it from “your Valentine”. He also may have carried out wedding ceremonies for young lovers at a time when marriages were forbidden.

It is also possible that there could have been three priests named Valentine, all of whom were executed at different times in history. St Valentine is also the patron saint of epilepsy and beekeepers.

The Catholic church may have imposed St Valentine as a means to supersede the pagan festival of Lupercalia in which women would be slapped with a goat hide dipped in sacrificial blood in order to make them more fertile. Mid February is also believed to be the start of the mating season for some species. From these historical legends how did we arrive at the modern concept of Valentine’s Day? Throughout the years poets and authors such as Shakespeare and Chaucer have popularised Valentine’s Day as a day of loving. By the mid eighteenth century in Britain Valentines’ messages had become popular and then, with improved printing techniques, ready made cards became available. In America a lady by the name of Esther Howland started making elaborate Valentine creations and has become known as the mother of Valentines.

Although it started as a Christian feast day, with the advent of mass production, commercialisation and print media St Valentine’s is now one of the biggest non-religious festivals in the western world.

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St Valentine’s day or, as it has become in some places, St Valentine’s week is certainly an opportunity for the hospitality industry to cast off some of those winter blues. But is it actually that profitable? A restaurant with twenty tables, fifteen of them four-tops, would seat seventy covers on a full session but only likely to seat forty covers for St Valentine, although I have booked tables of three and four for St Valentine and even a twelve!

With so many couples wanting to eat out on February 14th it’s surely feasible for restaurants to offer at least two sittings and inform customers that their time is limited. I realise many restaurants do this on a regular basis throughout the year but I know from experience that certainly many British customers are not happy with this concept.

This year February 14th falls on a Sunday which definitely gives us an opportunity to fill the restaurant all weekend, except that here in France all restaurants and bars are still closed and we have a 6pm curfew. We are currently writing our Valentine menu to be served as a takeaway meal and collected from the restaurant door by 5pm.

Over the past twelve months we have learned to adapt to an ever-changing situation in terms of being able to open and what hours people are allowed to venture out. Our menus have had to become takeaway friendly and our marketing has gone almost exclusively online. But we managed a four-course meal takeaway for Christmas Eve so St Valentine’s should be a piece of cake!

Here is our proposed menu for the Valentine weekend (translated from French) To start; Breaded Scallops served with Catalan Black Pudding and a Pea Purée OR A Platter of Tapas to Share Main Courses “Chateaubriand” of Duck with Foie Gras, Roasted Turned Potatoes and a Green Peppercorn Sauce To Share OR Individual Salmon En Croute with a Light Saffron Cream Sauce Dessert Raspberry and Chocolate Tart

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SHRIMP GLORIOUS SHRIMP

DAVE WINTERIDGE

Shrimp, prawns, crevettes, gambas, tiger prawns, king prawns, warm water, cold water and also used as an insult to describe a small or puny person! One of the most consumed seafood products in the world, and within the confines of the next 1000 words or so I will attempt to describe everything “shrimpy”. fooddrinkmagazine.com

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Growing up in England in the 1970’s a prawn (shrimp) cocktail was considered the height of sophistication. Usually made with small, frozen North Atlantic prawns that your mother ran under cold water to defrost, dumped on top of a pile of shredded iceberg lettuce and smothered with something called cocktail sauce, or, if you were really posh, Marie Rose Sauce not to be confused with King Henry VIII’s ship the Mary Rose, which was discovered in the 1980’s off Southampton. We then progressed from the ubiquitous prawn cocktail to putting the same prawns with half an avocado round about the same time that avocado coloured bathroom suites were all the rage. We thought we had arrived at the cutting edge of culinary art! Now we have prawn rings, prawn fountains and a buffet table would not be complete without large, shell-on, pink beauties.

For the purposes of this article I am going to include prawns and shrimps as being the same thing but I am aware that they are indeed two different animals. Being of British descent I tend to call them prawns but understand that in the USA the same thing may be called a shrimp. Technically there is a difference between shrimp and prawns - both are classed as Decapod Crustaceans, meaning they have ten legs and an external skeleton. Prawns have 3 pairs of claw-like legs while shrimp only have the one pair, the legs on a prawn are longer and, apparently, they reproduce in different ways - but I think we can leave the sex to them! Also shrimp are classed as marine creatures, whereas prawns are classed as fresh water In the USA around 85% of the shrimp consumed is fished in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding Atlantic Ocean off Georgia but on a worldwide scale the majority of shrimp is produced in China and Thailand as well as the warm waters around Madagascar, India, Mexico and Latin America. Shrimp farming is a massive business and is necessary to satisfy the huge global demand but, as with everything, there is an environmental impact. Loss of mangroves, saltwater leaking into the groundwater supply and the overuse of antibiotics in farming are just some of the problems.

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Shrimp farming in Asia is not very regulated and some of their methods are dubious at best. Wild shrimp fishing is expensive and unreliable and wild caught shrimp only account for about 10% of American consumption. To fish for wild shrimp the most effective way is to cast out a huge driftnet and catch anything that gets tangled in it, which often leads to a massive amount of “bycatch” often of endangered species. There are now regulations in place to protect turtles in particular. The other issue with shrimping in the wild is that many young people are not interested in the tough life that it involves early starts, wild weather, unpredictability and the maintenance of boats.

Currently in the USA consumption of shrimp is around 4.4lbs per person, which equates to 1.5 billion lbs per year and it is increasing.

Prices are low and farming methods in Asia are efficient, which is also having a detrimental effect on the shrimpers of Georgia. In Europe we consume slightly less but the demand is there.

The availability of good quality frozen shrimp at a reasonable price has led to a rise in demand in recent years. Gone are the days of the prawn cocktail (almost!), now we are buying large shell-on Argentinian prawns and getting adventurous.

Let’s talk about preparing those beautiful, meaty shrimp. Firstly, buy them with the shells on. The shells protect the meat and keep it flavoursome and moist, plus there is so much flavour in the shell when you start preparing stocks and sauces.

Secondly, it does not matter if your shrimp are fresh or frozen. Unless you are buying them on the quayside directly from the boat the chances are that they will have been frozen at sea before reaching the market. They may appear fresh on the supermarket counter but they will have been defrosted for display.

Heads on, heads off, shell on or shell off, these are the questions. In terms of presentation, professionalism and ease of eating, I like to peel my prawns and devein them before cooking.

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I sometimes serve them with the heads still attached, depending on the dish, as this can improve the overall presentation. I once ordered gambas with a chorizo risotto in a local restaurant and sent the whole lot back to the kitchen - this is not something I do lightly; as a chef I know what it is like! The prawns had not been peeled and were so overcooked that it made them impossible to peel at the table, add to that that the risotto lacked any chorizo.......So, peel them and then with a small sharp knife run down the back and pull out the dark “vein”. This is actually the digestive tract and can be gritty and is often referred to as prawn poop! Keep the heads and shells and cook them down in some butter, add some wine and cream and you have a great little sauce. I will share some recipes in a separate article.

In conclusion, keep enjoying those glorious shrimp. Be prepared to pay for quality, put pressure on regulators to make sure farming methods are safe and, where possible, support the shrimping business and help it remain sustainable.

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Daphne REZNIK

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NUTHOUSE SPORTS GRILL fooddrinkmagazine.com

Typically, I don’t go for “bar food”- it must be really special if I’m going to submit to the kind of calories you ingest with this type of cuisine. That said, I’ve been around Lansing since the Nuthouse was built across the street from our A-team stadium (recently renamed Jackson Stadium) which is home to the Lansing Lugnuts.

Ambience: exactly what you’d expect from a “sports grill” – a bunch of TVs, usually tuned into sports, a long bar with a chalkboard showing specials, pool tables, and plenty of restaurant-style seating, including 2 patios when the weather is warmer. It’s a great spot for groups of friends and, being across from the stadium, is pretty kid-friendly as long as it’s early in the evening before more patrons are there for drinks than food.

The menu is a play on baseball (of course!).

You might not see the best reviews on the review sites, but as a local and a foodie, I assure you: if you order the right stuff you will be more than happy. The menu is divided up into sections like “The Opening Pitch” for appetizers, “Field of Greens” for salads and one of my favorite sections: “Homerun Grinders.”

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The Opening Pitch section is full of fabulousness- you can’t go wrong.

However, if you like cheese bread you must try the Nutty Cheese Bread – I add pepperoni. This stuff comes with dipping options, and I’m imploring you, not just recommending, to get the dill dip. It is a perfect replica of the original dill dip any Michigan State University or Western Michigan University grads will remember from the old Bilbo’s. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you will understand why I mention it if you taste it.

I have two default orders. First is the Philly Cheesesteak. Be warned if you’re a traditionalist and persnickety about it, this Philly isn’t traditional. If you’re a foodie that wants to try all versions of things you love and you love sandwiches, I recommend it highly! It is served up as a grinder option on the menu and it is toasty, melty, and filled with beef. You get shaved ribeye and cream cheese (yes, I know, but I said it wasn’t traditional!) with peppers and onions just like on the east coast. It’s easy for this sandwich to become a craving and for me, it is. Living on the next block, I am fortunate I can run over and grab one togo!

My second go-to: the BLT (and it is truly stacked!). I always order it on wheat with American cheese. And I sub out broccoli for the fries (I know- it seems strange, but I like a vegetable with heavy food sometimes!). The bread is toasted perfectly (I’m pretty certain there’s butter all over it) and you get a half pound of bacon, thick cut. The lettuce is shredded and always fresh. So delish.

For a salad I’d recommend the buffalo chicken salad, which I’ve tried myself and watched others devour. They do a terrific job with the flavor on the chicken and the serving is a decent size for an entrée. It’s a great option for a hot day on the patio.

And the burgers are also well worth trying.

The “Black and Bleu” burger is a favorite of my significant other’s – he almost always orders it. This burger has the perfect amount of blackening seasoning and is always cooked to order (we tend to go medium). Of course I’ll add that it has a healthy amount of bleu cheese. The burgers are good so if this recipe isn’t your thing and you’re wanting one, don’t hesitate to try another selection off the “All-Star Hitters” section of the menu.

If you’re heading down Michigan Avenue towards the State Capitol, look for the giant lugnut, a nod to Lansing’s automotive history, shooting into the sky, and grab a spot in the tiny lot or at a meter on Michigan Avenue. Just give the Nuthouse a try. Unless there’s a game happening, parking is never really an issue.

420 E Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI 48933 https://nuthousesportsgrill.com / (517) 484-6887

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CAJUN CHICKEN WITH BEER POACHED CAJUN SHRIMP Dave WINTERIDGE

One of the great things about chicken is that you can put a variety of flavours with it. Chicken and seafood is well established, particularly chicken with lobster. This spicy blackened Cajun chicken and more mellow, but slightly bitter, large prawns make this dish a wonderful taste sensation. A really easy and quick recipe.

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Ingredients for 2 people; 2 skinless chicken breasts 6 large prawns, peeled & deveined with heads on 330 ml generic beer 100 g butter cajun spices (either homemade or shop bought) To make your own Cajun spices you will need - dried onion, dried garlic, ground coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper, ground Jamaican allspice, celery salt, ground ginger, salt & black pepper. It is almost impossible to give exact quantities of each but roughly speaking the earlier in the list then the greater the quantity you will need. Mix all the ingredients together in either a spice blender or pestle & mortar.

Dip the chicken breasts in the Cajun spices making sure they are thoroughly coated.

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In a heavy bottomed skillet pan melt about 70 g of the butter until it starts to smoke. Carefully place the chicken in the pan. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes then transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and place in a preheated oven at 200C for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Don't put the skillet pan in the oven, it is so hot that it will burn the chicken.

While the chicken is cooking let's poach the shrimp. In a pan over medium heat melt the remaining butter with some of the Cajun spices, add the prawns and toss to cover them. Add enough beer to cover the prawns and gently bring to the boil. Let the prawns poach for 3-4 mins.

Assemble the dish and serve with potato wedges, salad, cornbread, mayonnaise or aioli.

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THE SCOTTISH FISHING INDUSTRY

Dave WINTERIDGE

The northernmost country in the United Kingdom, Scotland is a land of mountains and glens, myths and legends, unspoilt white-sand beaches and fishing ports.

Also famous for the best whisky in the world. With the cold waters of the North Sea to the east stretching to Norway and to the north west nothing until Iceland and the Arctic Circle, Scottish fishermen have access to some of the best fishing grounds in this part of the world.

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Species such as cod, haddock and halibut have been abundantly available along with shellfish such as scallops and langoustines. But Scotland is particularly renowned for its herring, which at one point in time used to literally jump out of the water! Herring are traditionally smoked and sold as a breakfast dish as kippers and are often exported into Europe.

During the 1980’s the Scottish fishing industry was enjoying a period of rapid expansion and bumper catches. The European Union was giving grants to boat owners to upgrade their vessels and bigger and better trawlers were taking to the water. Boats were working continuously seven days a week, often returning to port with the catch, changing crew and going straight back to sea.

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The cost of running a large trawler was huge but this didn’t matter because the fish were there and the demand in the market was driving prices up. Some entrepreneurial fisherman would have two boats working in tandem with huge nets covering twice the area and would, quite literally, empty the sea of all the fish in that area. It didn’t matter the size or the species, it was all being dragged up.

The Scottish fishing fleet became the largest in Europe. However, by the early 1990’s it became apparent in Scotland, as well as other areas around the British Isles that had enjoyed a boom during the ‘80’s, that the fish were no longer there. The traditional fishing grounds and breeding grounds had been decimated. Cod, that staple of British fish and chips, was almost extinct.

Serious action needed to be taken, and it was taken. The European Union governing the Common Fisheries Policy withdrew grants for trawlers, introduced quotas, limited the number of days at sea and encouraged a new trawler scrappage scheme. The fishermen were being paid to scrap their beloved boats that only a few years earlier they had been issued grants to build.

The EU has often been blamed for being the destroyer of the domestic fishing industry because British waters had been opened to the European fishing fleet. There has been for many years a conflict over access to fish stocks by Spanish and French boats and the Scots and the English have been very protective over their territorial waters and the fish that they believe belong in their nets. Unfortunately, the humble haddock has no recognition of international borders.

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Quotas were further reduced, fish stocks started to recover and the fishing fleet became smaller to the point whereby many traditional port towns died. The fishing industry became divided with many fishermen feeling bitter about their loss of livelihood and fingers were pointed at the European Union for its harsh imposition of quotas.

On the other hand fish stocks have recovered and once again there is a viable fishing business in Scotland. In 2016 everything came to a head with a referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union and as yet the political turmoil surrounding Brexit is far from over.

As of January 1st 2021 the UK has left the EU. A deal was struck between the British government and the European commission at the last possible moment, one week before the UK would have left without any trade deal in place.

The major sticking point in reaching agreement between the two sides was the access to British fishing grounds.

Boris Johnson claimed victory and said that the agreement was his Christmas gift to the fishing industry – but was it?

Now that Brexit has been accomplished the Scottish fishing industry has ground to a halt. So what went wrong?

Two words – Bureaucracy and Covid. The latter we know all about. Lockdowns and closures, particularly in the hospitality sector, have dramatically reduced demand for fresh fish but that will pass and restaurants will open again.

The bureaucracy, however, is causing a bigger issue.

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Traditionally much of the Scottish catch is exported to Europe, above all France and Spain, with langoustines and scallops being the main products. Under the terms of the Brexit agreement there should be tariff-free trade between the UK and Europe but there are other new regulations including increased paperwork and a health check from a government appointed inspector.

Unfortunately the government has not appointed enough inspectors. Langoustine and scallops are exported as a live product and as such achieve the maximum price but delays in inspections and providing paperwork at the European ports means the stock is being delayed by upto three days, by which time it is dead and worthless. Fish stocks are literally rotting on the quayside. As a caterer I find this situation absolutely criminal, any food stock should never be treated in this way. Pre-Brexit the delivery time from boat to French market was one day.

There is also an additional cost involved with the paperwork which is either adding to the price in the market or cutting the profit margin for the supplier. One exporter of Scottish fish to Europe reckons to pay an additional 500 British Pounds per day in paperwork. Obviously he hopes these are only teething troubles and will be resolved because if not he will have to question the viability of his business.

Some of the Scottish boats have started landing their catch in Denmark or Ireland, giving them direct access to Europe but this is then cutting out the British processing plants. The idea of Brexit for the fishing industry was for them to gain control over territorial waters and their own quotas, keeping jobs within the UK and being able to export their catch easily. Currently in the first weeks after Brexit as much as one third of the Scottish fishing fleet is tied up. British newspapers are full of headlines such as “catastrophe”, “betrayal” or “fishing industry at a standstill” Interestingly as a separate country of the UK, Scotland did not vote in favour of Brexit but has had to abide by the majority decision.

We can only hope that the situation improves rapidly and that the powers-that-be in Westminster sort out their hastily assembled, poor deal – after all they only had four years to get it right!

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Dave WINTERIDGE

Things To Do with Shrimp

Gambas al ajillo

Gambas al ajillo is one of the best, most famous Spanish dishes. Either serve as a starter, tapa or even main course served with rice.

To make a starter portion here's what you need; 6 large prawns (gambas). I like to use size 2, 20-30 per kilo, they are beautifully meaty. You will also need 1-2 cloves garlic (I normally make a blend of garlic & parsley known as ajo perejil), 25 g butter and 50 ml good olive oil.

1) peel and devein the prawns. To devein them, use a sharp knife and slice down the back of the peeled prawn to reveal the dark vein, and pull it out.

2) in a shallow pan put the butter, oil, sliced garlic/ajo perejil.

3) over a low - medium heat melt the butter then add the prawns and cook on each side for approx 2 minutes. Careful not to overcook them.

4) to serve them in a traditional Spanish style, serve them in a hot terracotta dish, or other hot ovenproof dish, with fresh bread to soak up the cooking juice.

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Or Try French Style with Pastis (or Cognac) and Tomato

Pastis and tomato is a well known combination in France - many Frenchmen will order it as a pre-dinner drink. Pastis, indeed any aniseed flavour, is ideal with fish. The alcohol burns off leaving a hint of the aniseed flavour rather than it being too strong. As an alternative try using Cognac exactly the same way.

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As above peel and devein the prawns. Sauté them in a pan over a medium heat with a good sized knob of butter, turn them over so as to cook them evenly. Before they are fully cooked we need to add the alcohol 25ml - 50ml (Pastis or Cognac) Turn up the heat, the idea is to set fire to the alcohol.

Once the alcohol has burned off add the tomato purée and mix well. Serve immediately with a nice chunk of bread.

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CATERING CONSULTANCY

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There is no denying these are uncertain and difficult times for anyone connected with the hospitality industry.

Throughout the world in 2020 and the start of 2021 catering establishments and hospitality venues have felt the brunt of government measures in order to slow the pandemic. Many of these businesses will never open their doors again. The strain, both financially and mentally, will be too much. On the other hand, those that survive the crisis will need to adapt and streamline their operations in an attempt to get customers back and turn their businesses profitable once more.

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I am a great believer that in the catering and hospitality industry you never know everything, there is always something new, a new experience that you have not encountered previously. I have spent over 30 years in this wonderful business working in all aspects of the industry. I have been fortunate to work in some amazing places, meet some amazing people, both famous and not so famous and work with interesting and knowledgeable colleagues. I have spent time in the wash-up, at senior management and opening and operating my own businesses.

Yet I would not profess to know all there is to know about running a successful catering business. I would, however, like to share my experience and knowledge and work with other managers who might need a new perspective on how to operate their business successfully.

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I What should a good consultant do?

It is my opinion that a consultant should work with the management and staff of the establishment that they are trying to help and not to impose their unilateral view and get into conflict. We have all seen Gordon Ramsey tackling his Kitchen Nightmares where the more conflict, the more swearing and more desperation that exists, the better the TV programme. Ramsey is an incredible chef with a reputation for a fierce temper and the TV company has used that to their advantage - this is not effective consulting. We need to start out by identifying what the goal is. In what area is the establishment struggling? A comprehensive overview of the business and detailed report will help highlight areas to work on. Whether it be the food percentage, staff training, pilferage or decor there are numerous possibilities. Once the areas of weakness are identified it is up to the management to decide on their goals and for the consultant to help achieve them. I see consulting as a long term relationship with continued support being offered in the future after the initial goals have been achieved.

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A friend of mine who has consulted and run training courses for many years has a simple policy. It starts with “osophy” and “ology”. Philosophy is the way in which you work and how you explain the goals. Methodology is the process you work by to achieve the set goals. It is also massively important to be clear about the purpose. What you are doing, why you are doing it, what are the objectives and how you will measure whether you have reached them.

Honesty from both sides needs to play a part in the consulting process. The consultant is obviously trying to sell a service and is likely to embellish his skills but should be able to give hard evidence of skills and background in the job that is being undertaken. Likewise the business manager needs to be honest about what the issues are and what they want to gain from having a consultant work with them.

They also need to be transparent with regard to figures such as takings, staffing costs and GP percentages. I have recently studied a bookkeeping course with the world renowned Association of Accounting Technicians in order to help me better understand the financial aspects of helping other catering businesses.

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As you may have realised this is a subject that is close to my heart and my wife and I are currently in the process of establishing a catering consultancy, primarily for UK based clients although with the power of technology I see no reason why this cannot be worldwide. Like me, my wife has spent her entire working career with the hospitality industry. She is extremely strong with customer service having run her own small hotel and now looking after the front of house in our restaurants. If you would like any further information I am happy to discuss your requirements and you can contact me at

david@rodgersandking.com

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Dave WINTERIDGE

C H I N E S E N E W Y E A R

The Chinese New Year, or as it is also known, The Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is quite possibly the biggest annual event in China and other Asian countries where it is celebrated. The Chinese will get a 7 days holiday from work starting on New Year’s Eve and lasting until the sixth day of the new year. Some may take even longer, upto fifteen days into the new year and the Lantern Festival.

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This year, 2021, New Year’s Eve is February 11th and the new year will, under the Chinese zodiac, be the year of the Ox. The date of the Chinese New Year is associated with the moon cycle and generally falls on the date of the first new moon in the Lunisolar calendar. Occasionally an extra month has to be added to stay roughly in line with the more widely used Gregorian calendar as a full lunar year, twelve lunar cycles, is only 354 days.

Celebrations for the Chinese New Year are extremely lavish, decorations are put up at home and in public areas. You may have noticed that red is a predominant colour, it is widely believed that the colour red is lucky and the new year is all about bringing luck and prosperity for the coming year.

Families will exchange gifts, normally a red envelope containing money.

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Johntorcasio, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Decorations will also feature symbols of the new zodiac sign, so you will see plenty of oxen this year. In public parks from new year’s day you will see some traditional displays including dragon dances, lion dances and imperial performances. To actually welcome in the new year millions of firecrackers and fireworks will be set off. Firework displays will be the most extravagant of the whole year – a tradition that has now been adopted by the western world. But the main event of the festivities is spending time with family and, of course, the meal on new year’s eve.

The Chinese transport network heaves under the pressure during the new year festival. It is an important time for family and with a week off work, everybody tries to get somewhere to be with family. During the Covid pandemic the Chinese authorities were extremely concerned about the number of people who would be travelling. The new year’s eve meal is known as Reunion and is extremely important to the Chinese community and all members of the family are expected to attend.

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If for any reason family members are absent a place will be set for them at the table and left empty. There are certain foods associated with luck, prosperity and wealth that are traditionally eaten. Fish represents an increase in prosperity, Chinese dumplings great wealth and a glutinous rice cake will bring higher income and position. The meal will normally start early evening and can last until midnight, with many of the symbols of good luck and fortune eaten throughout. Meat should not be eaten on the first or the fifteenth day, the Lantern Festival, of the new year.

Other traditions linked to the festival include not washing your hair, not washing your clothes or sweeping up on new year’s day – don’t sweep away the luck for the year. Although the Chinese people are becoming less superstitious they still believe firmly in their traditions.

In recent years many restaurants in western countries have adopted the Chinese tradition of celebrating the new year at the time of the lunar year and organise meals and festivities to match. Even here in France, which has a very small Asian community, supermarkets and restaurants have jumped on the bandwagon. My own restaurant in past years has been fully booked for the Chinese New Year but, unfortunately, this year we will be offering only a takeaway service.

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FOLLOW US ON ISSUU Let`s publish your business card ad on these pages for the next month.

Dave WINTERIDGE

RESPONDING TO REVIEWS

You may have noticed that we live in a world whereby reviews are governing our habits. You think I’m making this up? Next time you buy something online, I guarantee you will be influenced by the reviews and comments for that particular product. And after you have bought that product, you will be bombarded by emails requesting you to review everything from the packaging to the product itself and, more than likely, the state of the delivery driver’s shoes!

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I have long said that in the restaurant business you are only as good as the last meal you put out. It has never been more true than now with virtually every customer attached to a smartphone.

You can fair see them looking round the restaurant wanting to find something to talk about hoping that they will become the next Michael Winner or A.A. Gill. Perhaps this review will go viral! But as restaurateurs how is this review culture affecting our business, our staff’s behaviour and ourselves?

Back in the late 1990’s I used to run a pub in a small village not far from London. It was mainly food led but also with a lively bar trade made up of locals and commuters from North London. Fortunately we had a good reputation and were, in fact, Dining Pub of the year with The Good Pub Guide.

This was, however, in the days before Tripadvisor and if someone had a complaint with the food, the service or the noise they would speak to me directly, send a letter or just never come back. My point is that I had an opportunity to deal with any situation as it happened rather than wait for someone to go away and write a review online. fooddrinkmagazine.com

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When someone writes a negative review later they are more likely to exaggerate knowing that they are only putting one side of the story and that they do not have to face a response. I do not wish to focus on the negative, because it is wonderful to receive compliments, but again an old saying goes that if someone has a good experience they will tell only two people but if they’ve had a bad experience they will tell ten people.

Our customers are now so obsessed with finding out the latest reviews that I have actually seen them standing outside our restaurant looking us up on Tripadvisor before deciding whether or not to come in. Gone are the days of exploring, reading menus and looking at restaurants, now it is all dependant on the last review.

It used to be fun to choose a restaurant based on its menu or its look and make our own decision, now, unfortunately, we make that decision based on someone else’s opinion. It makes it so important for us as restaurateurs to respond to reviews and put our side forward.

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Should we only respond to negative reviews, or should we make an effort to acknowledge the positive ones as well? When replying to positive reviews most people just say thank you and do not actively engage with the reviewer but one thing I have noticed while researching this is that the top restaurants consistently reply to positive reviews. It shows they care and surely encourages return visits, brand loyalty and gives the reviewer a sense that their time has been worthwhile. That’s the easy part but what about replying to someone who has given you a shockingly poor review?

In my opinion some of the people expressing their opinion on the internet just should not do it and really should stay quiet. But these people are our customers and they have a right to tell us, and everybody else, if they truly felt their meal was appalling. As I stated earlier when someone goes away and writes a review later there is a good chance that a degree of exaggeration is going to creep in. It is imperative that restaurateurs respond by remaining polite and professional and put the other side of the argument. It is also an opportunity to turn a negative round and spin it into a positive.

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We can inform customers that we are actively looking to improve on the area that they have highlighted. Without responding at all it looks simply as if you don’t care and if you start getting a number of comments all mentioning the same thing, for example, service or a dish on the menu, it is time to address the problem.

It is very easy to take criticism to heart and think that it is a personal attack on us and on our business that we work extremely hard to keep operating. As soon as you take criticism personally you will lose the objectivity to do something about it.

Sometimes a review can be damaging to a business and can also be so exaggerated as to be a lie. I recently had a group of 4 people look at our menu just as we were about to close, at our stated closing time. We decided that if they came in to the restaurant we would feed them. All our other customers had left and the restaurant was empty. Anyway the group did not ask to eat and walked away, so we continued to close.

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Nearly fifteen minutes later the same group reappeared and asked if they could eat, to which we politely declined and off they went again. I later received a one star review stating that we had turned them away only two minutes after our stated closing time and that obviously we did not need the business in these hard times. I was furious! I immediately wrote a response calling them out on their lie and contacted Tripadvisor. It was one of the few occasions in which Tripadvisor took my side and investigated the “review” and later removed it from my site.

A friend of mine has a slightly haphazard way in replying to reviews and I am sometimes cringing at the things she writes to her customers. I feel there is little point in being confrontational in your response. It is far better to write a measured, honest reply and sometimes it is what we don’t say that speaks volumes. We can only hope that if our customers are taking the time to read other people’s opinions of us they are also taking the time to read our opinion of their opinion. After all we have the last word!

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Fresh, Seasonal and Local Dave WINTERIDGE

Much has been written in all the catering publications over the years about the use of fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. As a chef I know the importance of using fresh ingredients and seasonal where possible, although the availability of produce all year round means customers are demanding their favourites even when not strictly in season.

Which brings us to local. With so many calls for protection of the environment, the distance our food travels has become ever more important. A situation has recently been highlighted which helps bring it all into focus.

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As everyone is aware 2020 has been a difficult year. Back in the spring as international borders started closing many people started stocking up on supplies and pictures of panic buying in the supermarkets were shown on the television news every evening. There was a genuine worry that our food supplies would not get through.

Where I live in France local food markets were allowed to remain trading and were well supported. These markets almost exclusively sell local produce, often from small producers or farmers within a 30 km radius – we even have a local ostrich farmer!

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The advantages of buying fresh and seasonal are obvious. The results when cooked are superior to anything that has been frozen or has been force grown out of season. We import a lot of frozen lamb from New Zealand, which is a great product, but when compared to fresh, in-season English or French lamb there really is no competition. With global trade markets the availability of seasonal produce is available all year round. I am able to buy fresh asparagus from Peru in November and strawberries from the Southern Hemisphere in December.

Unfortunately, when transport links are disrupted we quick;y realise that not all our food is local. Just before Christmas France closed the border to the United Kingdom because of a new variant of Covid. Chaos ensued within a few hours.

On any normal day upto ten thousand freight lorries can cross the short stretch of water between England and France, with the majority passing through the port town of Dover.

When those lorries stop moving Dover becomes gridlocked and the motorway (M20) leading back to London becomes a lorry park. Known as Operation Stack the M20 is frequently used to hold lorries if, for any reason, the ships from Dover are unable to sail. This time because it was so close to the Christmas holiday the volume of lorries stuck on the approach to the port was incredible.

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So much so that three to four thousand lorries were diverted to a disused airfield, where they stayed with their drivers for the following three days while waiting for the French authorities to reopen the border. Many of those lorries were transporting fresh food for delivery to the supermarkets in time for Christmas and were due to make a return trip back to the UK with fresh supplies for the British supermarkets.

These scenes were being played across the news channels in both Britain and France and were extremely relevant, not just to the Christmas trade, but also to the possibilities of future trade between Britain and the European Union in light of the impending Brexit.

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The United Kingdom is due to leave the EU on January 1st 2021 and at the time of the border closure a trade deal between the two had not yet been agreed.

The scaremongers in Britain have long said that there would be chaos at the port of Dover for lorries arriving and departing with food after Brexit had been achieved. It certainly looked as if they were about to be proved correct!

So how far does your fresh food travel?

Britain is dependant on vegetables grown in Southern Spain, Spain and France are dependant on fish caught in English territorial waters along with fish farming in Scotland and Greece.

Currently upto 48% of all food in Britain is imported of which 74% comes from the European Union including dairy, fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, and fresh and processed meat. The remaining 26% of food imports comes from the rest of the world. It is well known that America would like to open more food trade with the Uk after Brexit, meaning our food is once again travelling further.

If consumers were more knowledgeable and packaging was clearer about where food originated, would people buy more local produce and consider the Ienvironmental impact of what they are purchasing. Or have we got so used to the availability of exotic foods from around the world all year round that the global trade and distance travelled by our food will continue to increase?

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