Things To Know Before You Buy Fish or Shellfish

We have all been there, walking away from the seafood counter and wondering  just how to tell if the fish I've chosen is fresh enough!!!!!!!

Knowing how to choose fresh fish or seafood is a vital skill for a seafood cook. 

Unless you caught the fish yourself, you really have no way of knowing exactly how fresh it is. But buying fresh fish is easy if you know what to look for. 

Here are tips on choosing fresh fish.

Whole Fish


Look for bright, clear eyes. The eyes are the window to a truly fresh fish, for they fade quickly into gray dullness. 

Dull-eyed fish may be safe to eat, but they are past their prime.


Next look at the fish. Does it shine? Does it look metallic and clean? 

Or has it dulled or has discolored patches on it? 

If so, it is marginal.


Smell it. A fresh fish should smell like clean water, or a touch briny or even like cucumbers. Under no circumstances should you buy a nasty smelling fish. 

Cooking won't improve it.


Look at the gills. They should be a rich red. 

If the fish is old, they will turn the color of faded brick

Fish Fillets


Look for vibrant flesh. 

All fish fade as they age. 

If the fillet still has skin, that skin should look as pristine as the skin on an equally good whole fish – shiny and metallic.


Smell it. The smell test is especially important with fillets. They should have no pungent aromas.


Is there liquid on the meat? If so, that liquid should be clear, not milky. 

Milky liquid on a fillet is the first stage of rot.


If the fishmonger lets you, press the meat with your finger. It should be resilient enough so your indentation disappears. If your fingerprint remains, move on.


Live Things

The best way to choose a live fish or crab or lobster is to look for, well, life. 

Is it scampering around in its tank? Swimming happily?

Or is it sulking in a corner or hanging motionless and panting? 

If so, don’t buy it. 

Lobsters and crabs starve themselves in tanks and often can be almost empty inside when you crack open one that’s been imprisoned in a tank for weeks.

Your best bet is to make friends with the fishmonger and find out when the new shipments arrive. 

Plan on being there to meet it and buy then. You will be rewarded for your extra effort.


Shellfish

Buy only at the finest fish markets. 

These are the places where turnover is so rapid you can be assured of fresh mussels, clams or oysters. 

You may still get a dead one, but the ratio will be far lower.

What is a dead one? 

Shellfish are sold alive, so they should react to you. 

Put them on the counter top and back away for a moment. 

Then tap the shell: It should close tighter than it was. 

Oysters are a little tough to do this with, but clams and mussels will definitely react. 

You can also tell a dead shellfish after you've cooked them all. Dead ones do not open after being cooked. 

Throw them away.

Scallops, a Special Case

Scallops are almost always sold shucked, so what you are looking for are “dry packed” scallops, meaning they are not shipped and stored in brine. 

Those scallops you see wallowing in milky ick? 

Leave them be. 

Better to buy frozen, vacuum-sealed scallops, which are perfectly good by the way, than an inferior wet-packed scallop.


Shrimp

This one is easy. 

Buy them whole and frozen. 

Whole because the shell protects them from the rigors of being frozen without losing too much moisture, and frozen because shrimp cook – and rot – very rapidly.

Should you be near a shrimping region, or have access to truly magnificent fresh shrimp, by all means buy them. 

Head on if possible. Why? Because head-on shrimp stay moister. 

Remember: Nothing says boring like a dry, overcooked shrimp.

Everything I said about shrimp applies to crayfish, too. 

Unless you can get them live, in which case follow the instructions for lobsters or crabs.


Squid or Octopus

These are almost always sold to the wholesaler pre-frozen, so you should buy them frozen. Both squid, commonly known as calamari, and its more richly flavored cousin the octopus freeze exceptionally well.

Again, if you can buy squid and octopus – not to mention cuttlefish – fresh, do it! 

They are rare treats even at fine fish markets and should be appreciated as such. 

Like fin fish, you should look first at their eyes, which should be clean and bright.


The Fish Market

Finally, a comment on the shop itself. 

The absolute bottom line is that a fish shop should not stink. 

I’ll say it again: If you walk into a fish market and it reeks, turn around and leave. 

Fantastic fish can be had at a farmer’s market stall, a hole in the wall or in a flashy boutique, but none should smell like low tide. 

Ever.

Week 5 Of Trina's Low Carb Diet Challenge

All I can say is wine and rain and tiredness do not mix, All the good that I had done over the week I spoilt over the weekend


Loss was 400 grams, so still a loss

Felt good but was a bit ****** to find 5-6 (more like 10-12) wines would ruin all of the goodness in the week.....................................so



This weekend I drank alot of 

I sat out in alot of

and enjoyed 10CC, Starship and Lynard Skinard in the open air Taupo concert

And I certainly did not get anywhere near enough

Please check in again next week when I will be feeling a bit better, and may have more to report

Ever Wondered How To Fold A Fitted Sheet Properly

I found this tip on the WWW, and wanted to share it with you all as I hate folding fitted sheets, so instead of stressing out how they are folded, now you can do it like the professionals.

Every now and then we come across a household chore that can be a real pain to complete. Think of a cleaning task that you absolutely detest and could definitely live without ever having to do again.

That's how we used to feel about folding fitted sheets, that is until we found a few simple steps that help make this dreaded task a breeze.

We wanted to share out new-found wisdom with you, so here's a step-by-step guide that is guaranteed to take the pain out of all your sheet folding endeavors.




Step 1: Stand up tall and take a corner of the sheet in each hand and hold your arms out wide. Make sure to hold the corners of the shorter edge of the sheet. Turn the sheet inside out and then place each hand under the two corners.





Step 2: Take one of the corners of the sheet, bring it to meet your other hand and then fold it over the adjacent corner. Next pick up the third corner that is hanging in front and fold that over the corners you are already holding. The part of the sheet that is facing you should be inside out.




Step 3: Take the last corner that is hanging down and completely envelope all the other corners of the sheet.




Step 4: Lay the fitted sheet on a flat surface. You'll want to straighten the sheet out as best as you can, and remember to keep those corners folded nicely into each other.




Step 5: Fold the right and left edge of the sheet to hide the fitted corners.




Step 6: Fold the top and the bottom of the sheet in until it's a nice little rectangle.




Step 7: Now stand back and admire your work. You've just completed a task that many of us thought impossible; your fitted sheet is now folded as if it were a regular non-fitted variety. By following these instructions and using the nifty pics included as guides you'll soon be folding fitted sheets like a pro!


Then When It's Done Here Is Another Great Idea,

Store them in a matching set of pillowcases.

This tip came from

http://goldenshine.com/blog/how-to-fold-a-fitted-sheet/

Non Toxic Home Cleaners - With Easy Ingredients

HOMEMADE HOUSE HOLD CLEANERS

                         



There are many inexpensive, easy-to-use natural alternatives which can safely be used in place of commercial household products.

Here is a list of common, environmentally safe products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household applications.

Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.

Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything.
Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.

Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.

Borax - (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.

White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.

Washing Soda - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral.
Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes.
Do not use on aluminum.

Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant.
(It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water.
There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body.

Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.

Citrus Solvent - cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains.
(Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities

Trina's Progress - Week Four On '' The Low Carb Diet''

If you have been following my progress over the last few weeks you will know that I am doing the ''Low Carb Diet''

This week:

NO
Minor Headaches
No Constipation
No Withdraws

Cheating , OMG it was a bad week

Did I have lunch out -

Yes I ate out and tried to have good choices, but the weekend was bad as, I had my DIL birthday on Saturday night which required pudding and of course  CAKE and my other DIL's baby shower on Sunday, and lunch was pizza, spring rolls, sandwiches and sausage rolls, nothing I could eat, so I did the best I could, which you can interpret as I ate all the wrong foods lol

Did I have dinner out- 

Yes, main course was fine, but had to have pudding and cake, it was rude to NOT



Weight Loss- 

1 kg (couldn't believe that)

Total Loss-

In 4 weeks is 5.7 kg, 

Exercise-

2/7 been really busy and have made alot of excuses, so I have been very lucky this week.

Water:

Been really good with that, i will add i'm drinking heaps


Got to show you this picture, look what Ive just got, they are absolute time wasters, Elvis, Alice and Ozzy

Home Made Bird Feeders & Recipe

                                               Homemade Bird Feeders

  

Lets face it who doesn't like to watch birds?
Purchase some empty cages from The Warehouse or somewhere similar,  or you could make make some


Next, mix up some homemade Bird Cakes with the following recipe:


Tried and True Recipe

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups quick oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup lard/fat or shortening
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar

Mix lard and peanut butter in microwave or stove top. 

Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Pour into square containers and store in freezer. 

 Makes 6-8 cakes.

I had some cracked corn and seeds that I pressed into the front of each cake for better visual appeal.

My first batch I pressed into a 9 x 13 pan and cut to size. 

Afterwards, I discovered that it's much easier to find some tupperware containers the size you need and press into the bottom of those.

Give as a gift to another Bird Watcher

I printed copies of the recipe and wrapped with the filled cages.

Both clean cellophane and large clear goodie bags work. 

The cellophane looks prettier, since a lot gathers at the top. 

The bags are much easier. 

Top off with some pretty ribbon.

A Fantastic Prize Draw For February - 2 Books Kindly Donated By Ch'erie de Perrot

We have 2 copies of ''Tales Of The Billabong'' to give away

Thanks to Ch'erie de Perrot to two lucky people.

These have  been autographed by Ch'erie herself.

and are valued at $19.95 each

All you have to do is leave a comment underneath this thread on Facebook on whether you have been to Australia before and what is your favorite place over there, mine is Melbourne.
I absolutely loved it over there, would go back there any day.


Book Synopsis:

"Wearied and worn from his overland journey, which had taken him a long long way from home, the small Roo finally found a sunny clearing where he decided to rest a while. 

The clearing also was home to a billabong, which he did not even have the energy to hop on over to and take a drink. 
Flopping himself down, he nodded off for a bit of sleep. 
A while later after resting he hopped on over to the water's edge, where the silence of the bush was overtaken by the echo of an eerie voice coming from within the tree's, a voice with authority that could not possibly be ignored "Who was this?" 
He had thought himself to be entirely alone, with no idea of the events which were about to unfold... 


All Ch'erie asks is that the lucky two winners please go to this website address
http://www.thewritingsofcheriedp.com/index.php/books.html
and place a review for ''Tales of the Billabong'' once they have of course read it.



A little about Ch'erie

A native of New Zealand, Cherie de Perrot travelled abroad to Australia in her late teens and lived there for 31 years, before moving back to her homeland in 2010. During her years living in Australia, she travelled a great deal both with Working and on holidays. The vastness of the land inspired her a great deal, as well as the people. As a Mother and an Humanitarian who cares a great deal for the welfare of other peoples lives and living conditions, the natural disasters that occurred, became very personal, thus many of her poetic writes, were inspired from such!
She also Married and became a Mother to Six wonderful children, which in itself was, and still is a huge challenge. No shortage of inspiration therein.
After the Marital breakdown, she found herself in touch once again with her Old High School Flame, a much unrequited love, that could never blossom in its original time, but did so the second time around. She now lives back in her homeland of New Zealand with her younger children, and New Husband, surrounded by more inspiration than any writer could ever imagine possible.
So on a daily basis, just every day events are enough to keep this " Mistress O the Quill" more than occupied!


If you would like to take a look at Ch'erie's website and view all her lovely poetry and short stories that she has written the address is below.

http://www.thewritingsofcheriedp.com/index.php/home-page.html

Prize drawn on Feb 26th