You know you’re supposed to eat salmon once a week, right?
Doctors say all those omega-3 fatty acids are good for you, but then there are those other reports about carcinogens and toxins in farmed fish. Farmed, wild, fresh or frozen? Just which salmon are we supposed to eat?
One thing I know for sure is that those salmon patties—yes, patties, not croquettes—that were a staple of 1950’s cookbooks probably aren’t healthy and weren’t very tasty either. My Mom used to buy a can of "chunk salmon" that was a very happy but highly unnatural color of pink and would mash it up with last week’s bread to make those little, dry patties that served as our fish for the month. To this day my sister, a non-foodie whose Pakistani diet consists of decidedly non-gourmet foods, grimaces at the mere remembrance of those meals.
But lately I’ve had some pretty tasty salmon that puts those patties to shame.
First, there’s the perfectly pan roasted salmon with vermicelli and sweet and spicy sauce served up at Canopy, the new eatery by Shade’s Claire Smith. Currently she’s using New Zealand wild king salmon, but most of the time it’s Tasmanian sustainable king salmon.
Then last week there was a remarkable salmon-fest hosted by the non-profit Oldways at RDG + Bar Anniewhere chef Robert Del Grande served up salmon six ways. Yes, six. It would have been seven but Del Grande decided to leave the fish out of the dessert course. Thank you very much, Robert.
The wild Yukon River salmon from Kwik’pak Fisheries was smoked, fried, seared, cured, steamed and wood grilled. Not exactly how the Yup’ik Eskimos eat it.
“My sons like salmon soup with ketchup,” said Ellen Keyes, who attended the dinner with her husband, Humphrey. The Keyes are part of the Kwik’pak co-op of Alaskan fisher-folk who use sustainable methods to catch salmon.
“We’re about educating the public on the old ways of eating healthy,” Dun Gifford, president of Oldways explained. “Fatty fish power our brains and our sex organs. Eating fish is what separates us from the great apes.”
Rebecca Reeves, an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine concurred. “The omega-3 fatty acids help thin the blood and make it run smoother, they lower triglycerides and help reduce inflammation,” she said.
But is wild salmon really better than farmed salmon?
“From what I’ve read farmed and wild salmon offer the same health benefits and you can’t catch enough wild to feed the population," Reeves said
Still, if you want to eat wild salmon, and help out the Eskimo economy, you can buy Kwik’pak Fisheries wild Yukon River salmon at Central Market. It’s not only tasty but you’ll be doing your body a favor by eating it.
Salmon—it’s what’s for dinner, or should be.
take a plunge
Houston's tropical, adults-only pool bar dips into 2024 with new cocktails
Houston’s adults-only swim bar returns for 2024 with some changes that will allow it to serve patrons who do or don’t drink alcohol.
Second Ward pool bar El Segundo Swim Club opens for the season on Saturday, May 4. Located at 5180 Avenue L, El Segundo is owner Matthew Healey’s option for adults who lack regular access to a pool (21-plus only). The 15,000-square-foot venue features a 1,350-square-foot pool as well as hammocks, lounge chairs, and a changing area.
To access the facility, customers simply purchase a day pass via the Tock reservation platform. Priced at $35 on Saturday and $25 on Sunday, admission includes towels and sunscreen. Chairs are first-come-first-served. Groups have the option of reserving one of six private cabanas for an additional fee that depends on the cabana and the day.
Spend a day lounging by the pool.Photo by Becca Wright
Houston’s Gin Design Group took inspiration from Rio to craft the bar’s design, which includes oversized, sculptural palm fronds and tropical landscaping. Artist Roberto Burle Marx influenced the retro aesthetic, according to the firm’s website.
Beverage director Chris Frankel tells CultureMap that he’s tweaked the bar’s refreshment options for 2024. In addition to its familiar selection of wine, grower champagne, and beer, El Segundo will serve a rotating selection of frozen cocktails as well as new shareables and non-alcoholic options. Since he’s still tweaking recipes, the Anvil alum and one-time Jeopardy contestant isn’t quite ready to share names or drink recipes.
“We're going for a nice mix of classic and more exotic beach resort drinks. Light spirits, bright fruit flavors, lots of inspiration from tropical destinations around the Americas,” Frankel writes in a text. “We're also expanding our range of non-alcoholic options so a wider range of people can enjoy our pool parties.”
Although the bar doesn’t serve food, it will host food trucks that do. Hours of operation are 11 am - 7 pm on Saturday and 12-7 pm on Sunday.
“El Segundo Swim Club is the premier spot for those seeking a fun and unpretentious, yet sophisticated pool club in Houston,” Healey said in a statement. “We’re excited to reopen our doors and bring our relaxed, international vibe to our friends and those visiting our city right here in the Second Ward.”