Climate Change And The Cajun Coast

Climate change is affecting all areas of the food chain. One is the seafood industry, especially in Loiusiana. Rising tides and pollution threaten people who have been fishing the waters for generations. Is there any hope for them?

 Regular contributor Brett Severson alerted us to this in today's New York Times food section. Louisiana's Cajun Coast is facing one of the most dire situations in its' history.  The coastline is vanishing thanks to ravaging super hurricanes like Ida and Katrina. The water is changing due to fossil fuel pollution is eradicating some species and forcing others to look for cleaner habitats. There is also off shore oil exploration, another damaging factor which is causing for sea levels to rise. These are chipping away at the wetlands , home both to marine and land life. everything will disappear according to Melissa Martin owner of the Mosquito Supper Club and cookbook author. Her book title says it all : Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes From A Vanishing Bayou. Not only is the climate challenged, but culture is also in question too. Residents are moving to higher ground , taking their family's histories  and recipes with them.

This is another point that is affecting the shrimping and fishing industries. The storms have destroyed boats  along with the waters. in 2019 heavy rain and snow runoff flowed down the Mississippi River from the Midwest inundating the coast and flooding the area with fresh water. It killed off millions of oysters ,a vital ingredient in Louisiana cooking. Land loss and flood control have also altered the salinity of coastal lakes, forcing fishermen to look at other areas. Between this and families going bankrupt and being more concerned for their own homes, there is little chance for fishing fleets to trawl the waters. Then there's what's known as the graying of the fleet where younger generations are either moving away or just not going into their father's and grandfather's business. There is some hope. Louisiana is  still second in the nation to Alaska in producing the country's seafood along with newcomers like Scott Maurer. Mr. Maurer fell in love with the oysters and area when he came to build homes after Hurricane Katrina. He created the Louisiana Oyster Company and is sticking with it no matter what.

We have to treat our land and water with extra care. It's never more so with the Cajun coast. Is there hope? Yes, but with our help and concern.

A Rare Grape A New Wine

Is it possible for a wine to be new and salty? Surprisingly yes.There's a different kind of wine hitting oenophile's palates this summer and it's far from the other traditional whites.

Eric Asimov wrote about this refreshing change of pace in his Pour column in yesterday's New York Times Food section. He interviewed wine maker Salvo Foti at his vineyard located in the shadow of the famed Mt. Etna. He grows the rare carricante grapes that have been part of the Sicilian landscape  for millennia. They grow well  in the spongy volcanic soil. that's constantly soaked by endless rainstorms. In fact the Italian bureaucrats have recognized the area's affinity for the variety. In fact the brand Etna Bianco Superiore with 80 percent carricante can only come from the town,The flavor is unique because it has a certain salinity or saltiness Yet they can also be herbal and citrus tasting with a great minerality.. The wines are high in acidity and low in alcohol. They're different from the usual Sicilian whites, such as catarrato which can be bland tasting and low in acidity. Grillo and inzolia grapes can also be used for white wine however winemakers prefer using them for making the vastly popular  sweet, red Marsalas.American winemakers are taking notice of the grape. Californian winemaker, Kevin Harvey of Rhys Vineyards of the Santa Cruz Mountains is interested in growing the  variety.

Mr. Asimov suggests trying other carricante whites. They're not as rich , deep or complex as the Etna Bianco Superiore however they are cheaper ($20 to the other's $50) There is Tenuta delle Terre Nere which is only sixty-five percent carricante blended with four other grapes for a nice alternative.Like the better one, it does taste of herbs and citrus, and is both fresh and refreshing. There is the Outis  made by wine maker, Ciro Biondi whose vineyards are on the island's warmer southeast section,It is fresh and energetic with a fresh, lemony taste. There is also the 2014 vintage single vineyard Chianta Bianco that has a scent like a big basket of flowers. Another carricante based wine is Vigna de Milo which comes from outside the Etna region (and is also made by Signore Foti. Mr. Asimov declared it almost oceanic with great salinity and minerality. There is also Alberto Aiello  Graci's carricante, coming from north Etna which is seventy per cent and has a flavor that's herbal, mineral and sublime.  Carricante wines will probably be more and more popular here in the States as Californian wineries  start growing them,  I can see their novelty appealing to many American oenophiles , thanks to the novel salty taste.

Carricante wine is a different and refreshing alternative to the usual white wine. Try it chilled, this summer. Sip and pretend you're on a Sicilian beach , enjoying the breezes off the Mediterrenean