Sustainable Seafood Q&A with the Rusty Scupper’s Mark Miranda

In honor of our upcoming sustainable seafood Fresh Thoughts dinner in Baltimore, we sat down with featured chef, Mark Miranda of the Rusty Scupper, to get the scoop on how the sustainable dining movement is influencing the dining scene in Baltimore. 

Mark Miranda

A chef for more than 30 years, Markl Miranda has served the Rusty Scupper’s renowned Maryland crab cakes and seafood to some of the Monument City’s most monumental appetites. In doing so, Miranda has also shared his passion for preserving the ecology and economy of our community by upholding his restaurant’s commitment to serving only the best quality, sustainable seafood. 

National Aquarium: What’s your favorite sustainable seafood ingredient to cook? 

Mark Miranda: My favorite sustainable seafood to cook with is the Stripped Bass, better known as Rockfish. Rockfish is a local favorite that is very versatile.  It can be prepared in a variety of ways.  The Rockfish population is thriving, not only in our area but also throughout the world.

NA: How is sustainable seafood playing a role in Baltimore’s dining scene?

MM:  As people become more aware and knowledgeable about sustainable seafood, they are paying more attention to restaurants and establishments that use sustainable seafood ingredients.  Customers want to be sure they are supporting environmentally friendly practices so many are choosing restaurants that offer dishes prepared with sustainable seafood. Using sustainable seafood not only helps to build our business, it also allows us to give back to the environment.

NA: What’s the biggest challenge when it comes to cooking sustainably? 

MM: There really are no challenges in cooking with sustainable seafood.  However, if you say you are using sustainable seafood, you must be sure the items are sustainable and stick to using them.  Sometimes products can be misleading, so you must pay close attention to the sources of the ingredients to make sure the product is truly sustainable.

NA: In 2013, what is one sustainable seafood ingredient you hope to see more of in restaurants (including your own)? 

MM: I really enjoy preparing dishes that incorporate the Basa fish.  It is similar to the catfish and growing in popularity.  The Basa fish can be prepared in a variety of ways—from grilling and sautéing to frying and blackened.  When choosing to prepare Basa, it is important that you look for the fish to be U.S. farm-raised as it is farmed in a more ecologically responsible manner than those imported from Asia.

Click here to learn more about our Fresh Thoughts sustainable seafood dining series in both Washington, DC and Baltimore.

A Blue View – True Blue Crabs

A Blue View is a weekly perspective on the life aquatic, hosted by National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli.

From the smallest plants and animals invisible to the human eye to entire ecosystems, every living thing depends on and is intricately linked by water.

Tune in to 88.1 WYPR every Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. as John brings to the surface important issues and fascinating discoveries making waves in the world today.

October 30, 2012: True Blue Crabs

Listen to John discuss the importance of making sustainable seafood choices!

A true Marylander knows a crabcake, but did you know that the crabmeat you are eating could have been imported from as far away as Asia? Maryland Department of Natural Resources has launched a new program to make it easier to tell where your crabmeat came from, and to identify it as “true blue” Maryland crab meat. This is important for local industry, but it is also an important part of a larger discussion on sustainable seafood. Knowing where our food comes from can help us all make better decisions about what we eat, for our health and the health of our planet.

To learn more about the Maryland Department of Natural Resources True Blue Maryland Crab certification program, click here.

To learn about the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program, determine what seafood are on the “best choices” list, and download the Seafood Watch app, click here.

To learn about Fresh Thoughts dinners at the National Aquarium, click here.

Fresh Thoughts Ticket Giveaway!

We have a very special surprise giveaway for you today!

To celebrate our amazing Fresh Thoughts Sustainable Dining Series 2012 season,  the National Aquarium is giving our fans on Facebook and Twitter the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Fresh Thoughts dinner at our Washington, DC venue next Wednesday, September 19.

Our Fresh Thoughts series gives guests a better understanding of how to make sustainable seafood choices and the opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal in the Aquarium after-hours!

From 3:30pm EST today until 3:30 pm EST tomorrow, September 14, comment on our Facebook post or send us a tweet using the hashtag #FreshThoughts telling us why you’d like to join our next Fresh Thoughts dinner. A random entry will win two tickets to our Fresh Thoughts event  Wednesday, September 19, with Guest Chef Xavier Deshayes and an amazing menu featuring sea bream!

Here are the instructions:
1) Follow the National Aquarium on Twitter at @NatlAquarium and/or like our Facebook page  
2) Tweet us you reason why you’d like to attend the upcoming Fresh Thoughts dinner to @NatlAquarium and include the hashtag #FreshThoughts
3) Comment on our Facebook post mentioning today’s giveaway with the reason why you’d like to attend our Fresh Thoughts dinner in Washington, DC.

Click here to find out more about our Fresh Thoughts Sustainable Dining Series at our Washington DC location!

Contest closes at 3:30pm EST on Friday, September 14, 2012. A winner will be announced at 4:30pm EST on Friday, September 14, 2012. Entrants must be 21 or older to win. Winner and guest MUST be able to attend event. If selected winner is unable to attend, the National Aquarium reserves the right to pick a new winner.  

 

 

 

A Blue View: Sustainable Seafood

A Blue View is a weekly perspective on the life aquatic, hosted by National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli.

From the smallest plants and animals invisible to the human eye to entire ecosystems, every living thing depends on and is intricately linked by water.

Tune in to 88.1 WYPR every Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. as John brings to the surface important issues and fascinating discoveries making waves in the world today.

September 11, 2012: Sustainable Seafood

Listen to John discuss sustainable seafood in this week’s A Blue View 

Sustainable seafood: hopefully, it’s a term you’re hearing more and more lately. Similar to “buy local” and “farm to table,” it’s a term centered on a rising consciousness of what we put on our plates. After decades of extravagant eating habits and a dependence on fast food, Americans are becoming reconnected with food. We go to farmers markets. We buy local and organic. We are paying attention.

Click here to learn more about sustainable seafood.

“The Office” Star Angela Kinsey and Sustainable Chef Barton Seaver visit the National Aquarium

Seafood fraud is an important issue that hurts our oceans, our wallets, and our health. Last night, at National Aquarium, Washington, DC, guests learned about seafood fraud with experts from Oceana, the National Aquarium, and two very special guests, actress and activist Angela Kinsey and sustainable chef and author Barton Seaver.

Speakers, including Barton Seaver and Angela Kinsey, informed guests about the importance of stopping seafood fraud

Guests had the opportunity to participate in a special seafood tasting prepared by Chef Xavier Deshayes, executive chef at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, showcasing how easily species can be substituted.

Can you tell which fillet is mislabeled?

In a recent report, Oceana found that while 84% of the seafood eaten in the United States is imported, only 2% is currently inspected, and less than 0.001% specifically for fraud. Recent studies have also found seafood may be mislabeled as often as 25–70% of the time for fish like red snapper, wild salmon, and Atlantic cod, disguising species that are less desirable, cheaper, or more readily available.

“As a mother and a seafood consumer, I want to know what I’m putting on the dinner table for my family,” said Kinsey.

This reception followed a full day for Angela and Barton. The team traveled with Oceana through Washington, DC, with stops including a Hill briefing at the Capitol Visitor Center, where they called on Congress to pass pending legislation aimed at fighting seafood fraud and illegal fishing.

Click here to find out more about seafood fraud and Oceana’s new campaign.

National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli and sustainable chef & author Barton Seaver

The foundation of the National Aquarium’s mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures is public awareness and education. Choosing sustainable seafood is an easy and impactful action every consumer can take for the future health of our ocean. Like Oceana and our honored guests, we strive to provide opportunities to share knowledge about thoughtful seafood choices with programs like our Fresh Thoughts sustainable seafood dining series.