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McDonald's was the first to use "whitefish" as a generic term to obscure what it was.
Back in the 50s or early 60s, there were still a lot of Catholics who would only eat fish on Fridays. McDonald's found that in heavily Catholic areas their revenues fell way off on Friday. So they decided (after much internal debate) to offer a fish sandwich, which still remains today as the Filet-o-Fish.
At the time, the combination of cost and taste was best met by cod. (This in the days before overfishing cut the cod market down and raised the price.) However, lots of people still had a bad memory of being dosed with cod liver oil, so they didn't want to advertise "cod sandwiches". They found out they could legally call cod (and numerous other species) "North Atlantic whitefish", so, knowing that few of their customers were going to be knowledgeable enough to realize this was a generic term, that's what they called it, and still do so today. I am sure that over the years, they've used cod, scrod, haddock, flounder, sole, and who knows what else, all of which can legally be called "North Atlantic whitefish".
Of course today cod is seen as a high quality high price fish; no one remembers cod liver oil; and the internet means you ain't foolin' anyone any more.
McDonald's was the first to use "whitefish" as a generic term to obscure what it was.
Back in the 50s or early 60s, there were still a lot of Catholics who would only eat fish on Fridays. McDonald's found that in heavily Catholic areas their revenues fell way off on Friday. So they decided (after much internal debate) to offer a fish sandwich, which still remains today as the Filet-o-Fish.
At the time, the combination of cost and taste was best met by cod. (This in the days before overfishing cut the cod market down and raised the price.) However, lots of people still had a bad memory of being dosed with cod liver oil, so they didn't want to advertise "cod sandwiches". They found out they could legally call cod (and numerous other species) "North Atlantic whitefish", so, knowing that few of their customers were going to be knowledgeable enough to realize this was a generic term, that's what they called it, and still do so today. I am sure that over the years, they've used cod, scrod, haddock, flounder, sole, and who knows what else, all of which can legally be called "North Atlantic whitefish".
Of course today cod is seen as a high quality high price fish; no one remembers cod liver oil; and the internet means you ain't foolin' anyone any more.
Hah! Hook, line and sinker! Tell us about the "scrod" they've used.
I won't eat Tilapia. It is horrible. Much prefer Flounder for a lighter fish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TabulaRasa
Tilapia is garbage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pikabike
I assume it is whatever white-fleshed fish was available inexpensively.
I always ask what kind of fish is being prepared. If the server can’t answer, I pass.
Recently, I ate grilled tilapia at a restaurant. Although they cooked it perfectly, it confirmed why I always prefer cod, haddock, or sole. Tilapia is flabby; other than being white, it has little in common with the delicate, sweet flavor and moist, distinct texture of cod.
I won’t touch McD or BK fish. Best fast food fish I’ve had is the once-a-year fried cod sold at Freddie’s before Easter.
Its because only the chinese can cook Tilapia properly
Mislabeling of fish is pretty common - saw fillets of white tuna as a daily special at a upscale restaurant a few years back. This isn't tuna; other names for it include oil fish, butter fish, and escolar. The restaurant may not have even known what it was getting from its supplier. Escolar contains toxic waxy fats that are indigestible, and is illegal to sell in Japan. I personally won't order a fish variety unless I've researched it.
There is another fish as bad or worse than Tilapia, it's called "Basa". The actual name of it is Pangasius bocourti. A fancy name for a crap fish. It looks just fine but it is not. It's cheap and nicely packaged. It is a native of Vietnam.
Heads up on this one. If you don't ask when you order fish at a restaurant, you will never know.
There is another fish as bad or worse than Tilapia, it's called "Basa". The actual name of it is Pangasius bocourti. A fancy name for a crap fish. It looks just fine but it is not. It's cheap and nicely packaged. It is a native of Vietnam.
Heads up on this one. If you don't ask when you order fish at a restaurant, you will never know.
In terms of saltwater, the number one fish is probably porgie, mackerel or whiting. For the freshwater rankings, I usually consume processed carp in a paste or ball form. I grew up eating whole Asian carp regularly and its bony nature leaves much to be desired. As an adult I eat porgie because it doesn't have a lot of bones.
Tilapia and swai are good but I'm not sure what water they inhabit. I don't eat much fish honestly. A lot of people here in NYC eat shark steaks. I used to believe only portions of the animal was edible, but what people do is soak it for a while so that the ammonia goes away.
People in NYC also eat red herrings because sometimes the fridge doesn't work right. So they have to keep salted meat around. The way to cook it is to soak it in water overnight, get rid of the water and then cook it into your rice porridge (Not an Asian dish, I'm not sure what culture it relates to).
I ate this growing up all the time. The best part is the just under and behind the gills.
Are you defending the cooking methods or the quality of the fish? I think the issue is the fish itself, it is just not healthy to eat. Any fish can be made to taste good, it goes beyond that.
Are you defending the cooking methods or the quality of the fish? I think the issue is the fish itself, it is just not healthy to eat. Any fish can be made to taste good, it goes beyond that.
Tilapia doesn't have many bones unlike Carp. Carp is healthier and has a better flavor but its bone structure leaves much to be desired.
Tilapia and swai are good but I'm not sure what water they inhabit.
You may have misunderstood my post. The water they inhabit is usually a cesspool. I am speaking of farmed fish where they swim in their own feces and are fed tons of antibiotics and who knows what else. Under any circumstances, that cannot be good.
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