Show 4 THIS WEEKEND’S Advertisement fillets in plastic fresh as pre-cpackages A telltale sign: a large pool of water in the package ut FOOT “J"” Additives Tits truth about THE RABBIT QUIZ Furry soft and huggable Sounds like a fairly accurate description of a bunny rabbit right? But when you consider the prominent status these lovable creatures have in literature movies cartoons and even mythology you might decide famous or historic is more accurate Foremost on the list of historic and somewhat unlikely bunny accomplishments is the fact than an rabbit has become the most conspicuous secular symbol of Easter According to some ancient historians the word Easter is derived from the Celtic goddess of springtime and rebirth Eostre She and her rabbit sidekick were friends to all children and brought them gifts of eggs But as the centuries have rolled by it is the faithful sidekick the rabbit and not goddess who has endured as the holiday headliner The Easter Bunny like other holiday celebrities is recognized by more than one name Surprisingly though it wasn't until the 1949 song "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" that he officially adopted his current stage name While the Easter Bunny may be the elder statesman (it's hard to top 2000 years of service) the roll call of famous bunnies throughout history is a long one Sharron Uhler archivist for Hallmark Cards Inc offers this explanation for the furry phenomenon: "Bunnies make great characters They're soft warm and lovable If bunnies didn't exist someone would have created them as children's toys" Rabbit-mani- a spans the generations so you can gather the entire family and enjoy the following quiz from Hallmark together egg-toti- ng an What 1950 movie starring Jimmy Stewart as Elwood P Dowd featured a rabbit as the title character? 1 2 In what classic Lewis Carroll fairy tale does a rabbit wear a waistcoat and looking at his pocket watch say "I'm late I'm late for a very important date"? 3 In Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit" what are the names of Peter's siblings? What Aesop's fable ended with the moral "Slow and steady wins the race"? 5 In Joel Chandler's "Uncle Remus: His Songs and His y and is Sayings" what rabbit comes across the chased by a fox? 4 storios fresli-fis- li The FDA “Fish is better today than it was five years ago” says Row-le- y “The yuppies who eat 34‘2 pounds of fish per person per year — more than twice the national average (148 pounds) — have sent shock waves through the fishing industry They have demanded and are willing to pay for nice fresh fish” And they’re getting it Im- Frozen fish can be a better buy Many consumers equate well-handl- ed texture improved freezing techniques are making frozen fish every bit as good eating says Rowley For example much of the seafood bound for Japan’s top sushi restaurants where the quality of raw fish is essential is frozen at sea deThis bate comes as seafood sales increase Driving the demand are shoppers looking for nutrialternatives to tious low-fred meat In response many en at supermarkets have opened counters providing cooks with a new source of food but also of confusion “If it says fresh it means that the fish is anywhere from three days to three weeks old” says Rowley who advises such Seattle-are- a clients as Larry’s Markets and the seafood resfresh-fis- h taurant Ray’s Boathouse “There is no legal definition of re- quires dipped fish to be labeled but ask your retailer The picture is looking up: There’s a new catch to those tales: “fresh fish” with top quality and frozen fish with lower quality And they’re willing to pay often double for fresh But fresh is not always best argues Jon Rowley owner of Fish Works! a Seattle seafood consulting company This is especially true if the fish has languished on trawlers and in distributors’ warehouses losing taste texture and nutrients While a fresh fish will have a better taste and A perfectly fresh fish will have a very evident “bloom” a bright translu-cenc- e and clarity To make bad fish have bloom and extend shelf life some markets dip fish in salt water or sodium what fresh means Fresh basically means not frozen “The quality of fish is determined by how it is handled in the first three hours after it is caught” says Rowley The best scenario: The fish is cleaned immediately and put on ice Ask your fish merchant if any of the following handling methods have been used He may not know but if you keep asking questions he will be forced to ask his supplier for clean-tasti- ng proved handling methods aboard fishing vessels at distributors’ warehouses and in n seafood shops and a better product is reaching shoppers today supermar-ketsmea- answers says Rowley Bled and boxed at sea A new technique emerging in the New England fishing fleet The fish is cleaned chilled and placed in hard plastic boxes on board the fishing vesseL This is what you want so ask for it Frozen at sea Another By Laurence Sombke II017 to hook a good fish Look whole fish in the eyes: They should be dear not cloudy and the gills should be bright red not brown They should still have then scales and the sldn should be covered with a bright dean (Urn Whole fish wil be firm (wfaicfa rad- positive new development used by some large fishing trawlers in the Bering Sea and the Georges Bank in New England Fish are cleaned filleted and individually frozen very quickly Examples: mahi icates mahi swordfish and tuna fresh- ness) not soft (which means Super chilling Rowley calls this method “freezing in the worst possible manner” Fish are frozen at too low a temperature (between 15 and 18 degrees) Ice crystals form and puncture the flesh allowing moisture to run out These are usually thawed and sold deterioration) While it’s more difficult to judge fillets or steaks they should be firm and have good color not be flaky or murky Tar-bab- Use nose your If the place reeks of fish walk out Good fresh fish does not smefl like fish rather it has a dean sea scent Most What rabbit logged to become real in the children's story that bears his name and was written by 6 Margery Williams Bianco? retailers are not going to let you smell the fish itself So George Berirowitz of Boston’s Legal Sea Foods says to do what his favorite consumer JuRa Child does: Buy the fish open the wrapper and smell it If it has an unpleasant odor return it and demand a refund or exchange ANSWERS: 9 -- jqqey udamA aqi 'jqqey JdJg ? 'asoj joi aij pue 3JBH ati 'ibjuojjoj pue 'Asdow 'Asdojj ui aaiy £ tpuBpapuoA Z !J3mbh 1 Buy and eat your fish the same day If your plans change wrap the fish --MS' in plastic wrap and place ft on ice in the former fisherman “The Fish Missionary” refrigerator Use ft the very next day 1 I0WLEY: Julia Child calls the USA WEEKENDMARCH 7 1988 |