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Content
of article by Television Cook, Patrick Anthony
Easter Daily Press 16/10/04
"I was standing up and holding on grimly to the cabin doorpost
of a small ferryboat which was pitching and tossing vigourously in the
Atlantic waters of Clew Bay off the West coast of Ireland.
Perhaps, kindly, to distract me from any discomfort I might be feeling, my
guide on the journey, Kevin Murphy, nodded toward a ruined castle tower
standing on the distinct landmark of Clare Island.
He informed me that this had been on of the strongholds of 16th century
Grace O'Malley the Pirate Queen who, with the 200 men and three galley
ships under her command, patrolled Clew Bay levying tolls for safe passage
and also pirating lucrative cargo.
Some doughy lady, whom the invading English described as "this most
famous feminine sea captain" and her fame has lasted - for today she
even has a website!
The purpose of my brief and hectic voyage through the surging EU Grade A
waters was to visit the Clare Island Sea Farm where they produce a
valuable harvest of sustainable, organic salmon. This is seen as an
ideal alternative to mass-produced farmed salmon and, to the sadly
declining stocks of wild salmon, due, in part, to the increasing seal
population.
And as one London-based industry insider told me recently, "seal cub
culling is not a popular option for any government to consider these
days".
So what has this particular multi-award-winning member of the Salmonidae
family got to offer to justify its "organic" classification and
how does it differ from other farmed salmon?
Well, let's start with the location. Four miles out in the raging,
pristine waters (next stop America) the vigorous wave action against which
the fish are compelled to swim provides a healthy flesh-firming workout
replicating the food-hunting activity of their wild brethren.
Hand-fed by local fishermen, their diet consists of fish meal and oil
sourced as a by-product of herring and mackerel - catches destined for
human consumption.
Organically-produced wheat and soya, vitamins and minerals - including a homeopathic
blend of garlic and rosemary - are included to stimulate the fishes' own
defence system naturally,
Plus, there's an approved yeast-based supplement to give the flesh its
distinctive natural colouring and happily, there are no antibiotics or
GMO's involved.
I was impressed to discover all this, but at the end of the day, would my
tastebuds be equally enchanted? Especially when sampled in the
salon's finest gastronomic expression- cured and smoked.
Declan Droney, a handsome chap with a quiet Irish charm, runs a small
family business in Kinvara, Co. Galway. From there he sends his Clare
Island smoked salmon abroad with justifiable pride, having been voted the
number one smoked salmon in Great Britain by the BBC Good Food
Magazine. And award winning food writer, Nigel Slater, was moved to
declare "...the best I have eaten this year was a gently smoked fish
from Kinvara." I loved it too and suggest you seek it
out. You'll be delighted by the difference."
The
Easter Daily Press Magazine 16th October 2004
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