One of the best ways to learn about the wonders of Great Lakes and Wisconsin-raised fish is to taste them as prepared by a professional chef. It’s even better when you can do it at an event where Great Lakes fish experts are there to answer questions and offer key perspective on one of the region’s fastest-growing food sources.
Both are on tap next Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the Trout House at Rushing Waters in Palmyra, Wis., where wild Great Lakes whitefish and Wisconsin farm-raised rainbow trout and shrimp will be on the menu for a special Eat Wisconsin Fish dinner event. In addition to a delicious four-course meal, special guests from the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and the Shedd Aquarium’s Rite Bite Program will be on hand to answer questions about local fish.
The event, organized by Wisconsin Sea Grant and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, is part of the Eat Wisconsin Fish campaign, a statewide effort to educate consumers about the availability and benefits of Great Lakes caught and locally farmed fish.
“Health experts recommend that everyone should eat two servings of fish a week,” said Kathy Kline, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s education outreach specialist. “There are as many reasons to eat Wisconsin fish as there are great ways to prepare it. An event like this is a compelling way for people who aren’t as familiar with the delicious types of fish available in their own local markets to learn more about them.”
“Sustainable seafood is one of the most delicious actions you can take to protect the health of our waters worldwide,” said Aislinn Gauchay, manager of Great Lakes and sustainability at Shedd Aquarium. “Shedd is committed to supporting sustainable seafood — to protect the wild counterparts of the animals in our care and ensure future generations of humans have access to healthy, sustainable seafood. Through Shedd’s Right Bite program, each of us can be a culinary conservationist, supporting healthy, abundant oceans through what we choose to put on our plate.”
The evening’s four-course menu begins with whitefish from the Susie Q Fish Company in Two Rivers, Wis. cooked into a stew and served over red potatoes. A second course features a lemon dill salad garnished with shrimp raised at Dairyland Shrimp Farm in Westby, Wis., the state’s first shrimp farm. The evening’s main course features rainbow trout from Rushing Waters almandine served with roasted root vegetable ratatouille and garlic whipped potatoes (Rushing Waters Fisheries, Palmyra, Wis.)
The dinner begins at 6 pm on Dec. 2 at the Trout House at Rushing Waters, located at N301 County Highway H in Palmyra. Tickets to the event are $29, with an optional wine pairing available. Call 262-495.2089 for reservations. To learn more about the benefits of healthy local seafood, visit eatwisconsinfish.org. For more information about the Right Bite program visit http://www.sheddaquarium.org/rightbite
