PASSIONFISH’S TED AND CINDY WALTER TO SHARE THEIR LOVE AT
HOLMAN RANCH
Story by Camilla M. Mann
Photo courtesy Ted and Cindy Walter
January 20, 2015 – February’s “In Your Backyard” event at
Holman Ranch’s tasting room will showcase the passion thatTed and Cindy
Walter, proprietors of Passionfish in Pacific Grove, have for sea life
and for serving it in delicious, sustainable ways.
The series, hosted by Holman Ranch and
sponsored by Edible Monterey Bay, gives food producers and
food artisans a place to share expertise in a casual, conversational format.
Each demonstration also offers recommendations for the best wine to pair with
the featured culinary item.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 6pm, Ted, Passionfish’s chef, plans
to demonstrate three different ways of preparing a local fin fish. He’ll show
how to do a raw fish crudo, a ceviche, and one other method that allows the
flavors of the fish to shine. Guests will get to enjoy small bites of these
dishes while sipping Holman’s award-winning estate wines and learning
wine-pairing tips from Holman’s experts.
Cindy, who comes from a fishing family and is known equally
for activism on behalf of ocean life and for creating a spectacular, green-certified
setting for serving it, will share tips and techniques for sourcing and
choosing sustainable seafood.
“We aim to give people the information about the easiest way
to select sustainable seafood,” Cindy explains, “and to empower them to ask the
right questions.”
A portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit the
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, which since the late 1990s has
helped home cooks, restaurant goers and chefs choose seafood that’s harvested
in ways that protect fisheries and ensure the longevity of habitats. Seafood
Watch has been a key partner in the Walters’ efforts since its inception—and
they have been key supporters of the program.
“It all started with swordfish,” says Ted. Swordfish was in
danger of going completely extinct because there was so much money in the
market. However, nearly a dozen chefs began to boycott it, removing it from
their menus and inspiring a ripple that moved across the country. “Once the
fishermen had no market for swordfish, they stopped fishing it. The species
recovered in less than five years.”
Seafood Watch had proved its power, and it went on to use
its research and communications muscle to issue sustainability ratings of
fishing methods and fisheries around the world.
“Once the Aquarium established Seafood Watch,” remembers
Cindy, “we were really excited. This program helps us find sustainable seafood,
something we were always trying to do on our own.”
Cindy urges consumers to carry the Seafood Watch
guidelines—either in printed wallet card form or through the new phone app,—so
they can easily identify whether seafood items are rated as a “Best Choice,”
“Good Alternative” or “Avoid.”
She also cautions restaurant goers and shoppers to educate themselves.
“As consumers have grown more savvy, the industry has
employed marketing experts. Consumers have to constantly stay ahead of the
corporate world,” she says.
As an example, she notes that it used to be enough to see
that something was “line-caught.” But while it’s not a technically a lie to
call a pelagic long-line caught fish “line-caught,” it’s certainly flouting the
intention of the designation, because long-line methods trap sea life
indiscriminately. So the question has necessarily evolved from “is it line
caught?” to “is it hand-line caught?”
To take advantage of this special opportunity and reserve
your tickets before they sell out, call the Holman tasting room at 831.659.2640
or email info@holmanranch.com.
Tickets are $10 for wine club members and $25 for others;
seating is very limited.
The Holman tasting room is located at 19 East Carmel Valley
Rd. in Carmel Valley Village.
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