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For Cod and Country: Simple, Delicious, Sustainable Cooking
Even though there are hundreds of types of fish for sale, most chefs are only familiar with a few varieties. That's where Barton Seaver comes in with his unique By combining all manner of fish (not just the familiar standbys) with loads of fresh vegetables, he fosters sustainability both in the sea and on the farm. Organized by season, For Cod and Country features only fish caught in those months (plus "a fifth season" for farmed fish), along with ideas for preparation, seasonings, and lists of alternate fish to substitute in inventive new dishes.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2011
About the author
Barton Seaver
12 books5 followersBarton Seaver is a chef who has dedicated his career to restoring the relationship we have with our ocean. It is his belief that the choices we are making for dinner are directly impacting the ocean and its fragile ecosystems.
Seaver has manned the helm of some of Washington, D.C.’s most acclaimed restaurants. In doing so, he brought the idea of sustainable seafood to the nation’s capitol while earning Esquire magazine’s 2009 “Chef of the Year” status from acclaimed food writer John Mariani.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Seaver has cooked in cities all over America and the world. Having been bitten by the travel bug, Seaver found work in southern Spain at a small family restaurant. Their casual, ingredient-based cooking style would prove to be an important influence in his perception of food as an essential part of community. When the off-season arrived, Seaver hopped on a boat to Morocco and landed in the small seaside village of Essaouira. There, he took part in generations-old fishing methods, becoming a part of a community whose survival was directly linked to the oceans. This had a huge impact on his belief that sustainability is, at its root, not only an ecological matter, but also a humanitarian one.
While sustainability has largely been assigned to seafood and agriculture, Barton’s work expands far beyond the dining table to encompass socio-economic and cultural issues. Locally, he pursues solutions to these problems through D.C. Central Kitchen, an organization fighting hunger not with food, but with personal empowerment, job training, and life skills.
Barton has been lauded as a leader in sustainability by the Seafood Choices Alliance and was named a fellow with the Blue Ocean Institute. Barton has joined the board of Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment. Together with National Geographic, the Center is partnering with hospitals and health care providers in the Greater Boston area to educate them about healthier and more sustainable food service opportunities.
He is the author of For Cod And Country (Sterling, Spring 2011), a book of recipes that inspires ocean conservation through the experience that we all share—dinner. In addition, Barton is working on television and online shows that will engage consumers by telling stories everyone can relate to, whether they are preparing a meal or preparing to eat it.
Seaver has manned the helm of some of Washington, D.C.’s most acclaimed restaurants. In doing so, he brought the idea of sustainable seafood to the nation’s capitol while earning Esquire magazine’s 2009 “Chef of the Year” status from acclaimed food writer John Mariani.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Seaver has cooked in cities all over America and the world. Having been bitten by the travel bug, Seaver found work in southern Spain at a small family restaurant. Their casual, ingredient-based cooking style would prove to be an important influence in his perception of food as an essential part of community. When the off-season arrived, Seaver hopped on a boat to Morocco and landed in the small seaside village of Essaouira. There, he took part in generations-old fishing methods, becoming a part of a community whose survival was directly linked to the oceans. This had a huge impact on his belief that sustainability is, at its root, not only an ecological matter, but also a humanitarian one.
While sustainability has largely been assigned to seafood and agriculture, Barton’s work expands far beyond the dining table to encompass socio-economic and cultural issues. Locally, he pursues solutions to these problems through D.C. Central Kitchen, an organization fighting hunger not with food, but with personal empowerment, job training, and life skills.
Barton has been lauded as a leader in sustainability by the Seafood Choices Alliance and was named a fellow with the Blue Ocean Institute. Barton has joined the board of Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment. Together with National Geographic, the Center is partnering with hospitals and health care providers in the Greater Boston area to educate them about healthier and more sustainable food service opportunities.
He is the author of For Cod And Country (Sterling, Spring 2011), a book of recipes that inspires ocean conservation through the experience that we all share—dinner. In addition, Barton is working on television and online shows that will engage consumers by telling stories everyone can relate to, whether they are preparing a meal or preparing to eat it.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 19, 2011
An amazing book...it's got background on making sustainable and healthy fish choices, a huge amount of material on cooking techniques, and recipes, all arranged seasonally. I have yet to cook any of the recipes but am really looking forward to trying lots of new things!
March 5, 2023
This is one of my favorite “cookbooks“ I’ve ever read. It’s so much more than that… It’s a very personal autobiography with food culture commentary and recipes thrown in. I rarely read cookbooks cover to cover, but this one is a must.
December 23, 2019
One of the best books on sustainable seafood movements. The techniques are simple and easy to create. Would recommend to anyone starting off basic on cooking different kinds of fish ..
February 10, 2012
Okay, I must be a food-loving geek... I'm sitting down and reading a cookbook from cover to cover. I saw this in the seafood department at the grocery store today and had to buy it. The recipes sounded fabulous -- butternut soup with Dungeness crab, halibut with ginger-raisin crust, smoked catfish with fig and citrus salsa -- but I was also drawn in by Seaver's personal history of cooking, his straight-forward explanations, tips and directions, and the emphasis on, as the subtitle states, "simple, delicious, sustainable cooking." I'll report back when I finish the book.
I'm eager to try recipes in this book! Everything sounds delicious and Seaver makes it sound simple. Plus he provides excellent instructions and step-by-step photos in the techniques section. I love that he even provides seasonal side dish pairings with the fish entrees. I suspect I'll be reaching for this book frequently when planning meals and cooking!
I'm eager to try recipes in this book! Everything sounds delicious and Seaver makes it sound simple. Plus he provides excellent instructions and step-by-step photos in the techniques section. I love that he even provides seasonal side dish pairings with the fish entrees. I suspect I'll be reaching for this book frequently when planning meals and cooking!
January 9, 2012
Um, freaking YUM!
Full disclosure - I have a cookbook "problem," and I like just about every cookbook there is. But this one has lots to offer besides recipes, and unlike most of the cookbooks I read (I just like to read them and look at the pictures - I never "use" them unless it's a baking cookbook), I may actually try some of the recipes.
Full disclosure - I have a cookbook "problem," and I like just about every cookbook there is. But this one has lots to offer besides recipes, and unlike most of the cookbooks I read (I just like to read them and look at the pictures - I never "use" them unless it's a baking cookbook), I may actually try some of the recipes.
August 25, 2011
Love everything I have read thus far re: sustainable fish consumption. Love the emphasis/focus on quality, local ingredients -- as opposed to fancy spices, intricate sauces, etc. Will definitely let Seaver guide me as I grill my way through the rest of summer...
August 9, 2011
Wow! Super wow! What a beautiful book and the recipes are amazing! I will be adding this book to my cookbook shelf!
April 26, 2013
Great tips. Great pics. Focus on sustainability. Good recipes. Makes you want to go 100% pescatarian.
February 15, 2016
Interesting focus on sustainable fish but most of the recipes were too exotic for me.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews