I've looked at a variety of different sources, and I'm going to share the results of my research with you all:
Health Factor: seal meat is rich in protein (lots and lots of protein,) calcium, iron, magnesium and Vitamin B-12 (foodists.ca)
Taste Factor: "tender as butter" "It's like beef with a side of controversy" (thestar.com) "gamey" "reminiscent of caribou or venison" "silky smooth" "flavor familiar of the ocean" (foodist.ca) "somewhat briny flavor" "It was spectacular!" (foodrepublic.com)
Conclusion:
-Chefs and eaters who have tried seal usually enjoy it. (They usually have had salt, spices, and sauces to boost the flavor.)
- Yet, the overwhelming majority of people maintain that seals are just too cute to eat- and it's still illegal in many places.
Now we can feel even closer to Albanov and his gang when we picture them hunkering down in the snow with a big 'ol plate of blubber!
http://foodists.ca/2012/01/03/the-seal-meat-experience.html
http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/10/28/eating_seal_its_like_beef_with_a_side_of_controversy.html
http://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/08/09/eating-seal-meat-ok
When deciding what post to comment on, 9 times out of 10 my decision hinges on the post title, and after reading this title, I swallowed this post hook, line and sinker. Want to know what else I have swallowed? Ostrich meat. Following in Rizzo’s footsteps, I’d like to provide some information on the aforementioned delicacy.
ReplyDeleteOstriches are flighty animals. They have poor vision and small brains. Although they can’t fly, they can run—fast. Their meat is red, good for you because it’s packed with protein, according to American Heart Association, and simply delicious. If you can get your hands on free range ostrich meat, more power to you because I have seen the conditions on certain ostrich farms, and they are not the best, blindfolding ostriches before forcing them to run around with tourists on their backs. Let the ostriches run free, people.
Anyways, the point I am trying to get at is that food matters. It matters a lot when you are Krakauer or Blum, attempting to summit a mountain, and all you have to look forward to is the peanut butter mnm’s at your next camp, and it matters to Albanov, who writes about food—biscuits, seal, what have you—in his narrative. Is this because everyone likes to talk about food? Or because food is a driving force in the text? Albanov and his crew were brought to the arctic in search of new hunting grounds, and hunting seals certainly keeps them going. It is also worth mentioning that while Krakauer and Blum are snacking on potatoes and rice prepared by their cooks, Albanov and his crew are doing the dirty work of hunting seals for food themselves.