Newswatch 2010-01-25 (3)

KOWALSKI'S READY FOR SUPER BOWL

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kowalski's Markets here is seizing Super Bowl Sunday as an opportunity to score points for its signature deli products. In its January newsletter, the nine-unit independent emphasizes that it's not too early to be thinking about Super Bowl Sunday and what to serve guests. Then, a description of deli-made appetizers and easy-to-serve-and-eat items follows. Included are rotisserie chicken wings — in nine different flavors, including General Tso, Buffalo and raspberry chipotle — along with pizza, hot dips, cheese spreads and soups. All are touted as popular things to serve during the big game and at halftime. Kowalski's fresh, chilled soup, packaged in 22-ounce containers, was suggested as an accompaniment to sandwiches at halftime. A couple of soup varieties — asparagus white cheddar and chicken pot pie — stood out as unique, but favorites like beef vegetable barley and chicken noodle were there, too. Hot dips are popular, Kowalski's points out, and lists three flavors of its own bakable dips: jalapeno, artichoke and Buffalo chicken. Kowalski's own kaiser rolls also had a place in the lineup. The newsletter also highlights Kowalski's catering menu, noting that orders can be delivered just in time for kickoff.

SEAFOOD WATCH UPDATES GUIDES

MONTEREY BAY, Calif. — Seafood Watch, the sustainable seafood advisory list sponsored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, has added U.S.-farmed coho salmon, Alaskan wild-caught pollock, and U.S.-farmed freshwater prawns to its list of sustainable seafood choices, effective this month. The updated Pocket Guide to sustainable seafood choices included domestically farmed shrimp for the first time. Many U.S. farmed shrimp are raised in inland ponds or closed tanks with no saltwater access, and are able to eat the plants and insects that naturally occur where they're raised, with very little feed required. Separately, Seafood Watch adds that freshwater prawns are naturally resilient to disease, and “their inability to tolerate winter temperatures reduces the risk of escape and establishment in the wild.” U.S. farmed freshwater prawns were given a “best choice” ranking, while U.S. farmed shrimp received mostly “good alternative” rankings with a small percentage of “best choice” rankings. Imported and foreign-farmed shrimp are still on Seafood Watch's “avoid” list. U.S. farmed freshwater coho salmon is listed as a “best choice,” while traditional farmed salmon is ranked as “avoid,” because closed systems, such as the tanks used to raise coho salmon, have less of an impact on the environment than open net pens, Seafood Watch said.