My partner and I had a pleasant surprise to find Ichibon's in Bangor,
Maine open a couple of weeks ago when we stopped in. Prices seemed to be
the in the usual range. We stopped in again this past Sunday. Maybe next
time we'll sit at the bar. I'm just a bit nervous about lack of
etiquette showing.

The only other currently open sushi bars that I know of are the Ben-Kay
in Portland and the Fuji in S. Portland (Maine.) Ben-Kay seems more
authentic, but we enjoyed them both.

As an aside to what is probably a beaten-horse issue, I have some
comments on farm raised salmon as we have several in our area in
downeast Maine.

First is the fact that salmon get their pink color from the shrimp they
eat. Pen raised fish are have dye in their feed to get this color
otherwise, their flesh would be off-white.

Second is the issue around the possible concentrations of mercury in the
feed which is essentially fatty processed fish. The fattier the fish
feed, the quicker the salmon gain weight, but also its likely that this
feed is high in mercury because it concentrates in the fat as you move
up the food chain.

Thirdly, the concentration of any animal in confined areas is fraught
with disease problems which is why many of the salmon farms in the area
have folded.

That said, I eat pen raised salmon because that's our fresh source in
the northeast. Side by side, I might notice a difference between wild
and pen raised (especially if the wild plate is empty ;-) )

Enough rattling on other than to say "Uni, anyone?" Urchin roe is big
business downeast. Frankly, I prefer tomally for flavor, but texture and
appearance are similar aside from color.

George

"George" > wrote in message
...
<snipped>
> As an aside to what is probably a beaten-horse issue, I have some
> comments on farm raised salmon as we have several in our area in
> downeast Maine.
>
> First is the fact that salmon get their pink color from the shrimp they
> eat. Pen raised fish are have dye in their feed to get this color
> otherwise, their flesh would be off-white.
>

So..the wild fish, if they did not feed on shrimp, or an adequate amount of
shrimp
would be white fleshed, as in the White Springs (chinook) of West Coast
Canada?

> Second is the issue around the possible concentrations of mercury in the
> feed which is essentially fatty processed fish. The fattier the fish
> feed, the quicker the salmon gain weight, but also its likely that this
> feed is high in mercury because it concentrates in the fat as you move
> up the food chain.
>

This is a pretty serious issue. Can it be that while the FDA posts mercury
warnings
about fish, that the processed fish feed is not tested at all?

> Thirdly, the concentration of any animal in confined areas is fraught
> with disease problems which is why many of the salmon farms in the area
> have folded.
>

Absolutely true, as with any type of farming.

> Enough rattling on other than to say "Uni, anyone?" Urchin roe is big
> business downeast. Frankly, I prefer tomally for flavor, but texture and
> appearance are similar aside from color.
>

May I ask, where do you find and buy Uni in Maine?
Are they sold in seafood stores?

Musashi, you asked about the Uni. I have never bought it in the stores,
but the local fisherman drag and dive for urchins. The state site calls
them Green Sea Urchin's. I found a website that sells whole live urchins
at $49.95 US for 4 pounds. http://www.shop-maine.com/sf_index.asp (no
affiliation with me.)

Ten years ago, they were trash in the lobster traps around here, but now
are over-fished and the state is considering limits. The case as always,
study after the damage is done.

I don't know about the quality, but our water is cold and we have some
of the best lobster on the planet, so I suspect our Uni should stand up
to scrutiny. - George

Musashi wrote:
> "George" > wrote in message
> ...
> <snipped>
>
>>As an aside to what is probably a beaten-horse issue, I have some
>>comments on farm raised salmon as we have several in our area in
>>downeast Maine.
>>
>>First is the fact that salmon get their pink color from the shrimp they
>>eat. Pen raised fish are have dye in their feed to get this color
>>otherwise, their flesh would be off-white.
>>
>
>
> So..the wild fish, if they did not feed on shrimp, or an adequate amount of
> shrimp
> would be white fleshed, as in the White Springs (chinook) of West Coast
> Canada?
>
>
>>Second is the issue around the possible concentrations of mercury in the
>>feed which is essentially fatty processed fish. The fattier the fish
>>feed, the quicker the salmon gain weight, but also its likely that this
>>feed is high in mercury because it concentrates in the fat as you move
>>up the food chain.
>>
>
>
> This is a pretty serious issue. Can it be that while the FDA posts mercury
> warnings
> about fish, that the processed fish feed is not tested at all?
>
>
>>Thirdly, the concentration of any animal in confined areas is fraught
>>with disease problems which is why many of the salmon farms in the area
>>have folded.
>>
>
>
> Absolutely true, as with any type of farming.
>
>
>>Enough rattling on other than to say "Uni, anyone?" Urchin roe is big
>>business downeast. Frankly, I prefer tomally for flavor, but texture and
>>appearance are similar aside from color.
>>
>
>
> May I ask, where do you find and buy Uni in Maine?
> Are they sold in seafood stores?
>
>

"George" > wrote in message
...
> Musashi, you asked about the Uni. I have never bought it in the stores,
> but the local fisherman drag and dive for urchins. The state site calls
> them Green Sea Urchin's. I found a website that sells whole live urchins
> at $49.95 US for 4 pounds. http://www.shop-maine.com/sf_index.asp (no
> affiliation with me.)
>
> Ten years ago, they were trash in the lobster traps around here, but now
> are over-fished and the state is considering limits. The case as always,
> study after the damage is done.
>
> I don't know about the quality, but our water is cold and we have some
> of the best lobster on the planet, so I suspect our Uni should stand up
> to scrutiny. - George
>

I presume the vast majority are destined for export to Japan.