Do you know your seafood?

With the holidays right around the corner there will no doubt be plenty of indulgences. It is important to keep in mind that seafood can also be considered an extravagance if you’re choosing an unsustainable option to serve or taste. Did you know that the global fishing fleet can catch up to two and a half times what the ocean produces? 80% of fish stocks are harvested at or above maximum sustainable yield? Check out this infographic by One World One Ocean that was released last month for National Seafood Month  for those facts and a whole lot more, including 1) fish on the red list (not good) and green list (good), 2) reasons why these fish are on these lists, 3) chefs and grocers to support, and 4) important guides to download.

From 'One World One Ocean'

From ‘One World One Ocean’

Indian food is everywhere. You go to any corner of the world and you’ll find an Indian Restaurant serving the taste of India. Moreover, Indian Food is heartily welcomed and loved by everyone. But very few know that Indian food offers more benefits to your health than satisfy your appetite. Tamarind Cuisine provides the best Indian Fine Dining in Orlando.

Very often people think of Indian food as a hot, spicy, full of gravy and heavy food which is good for the taste buds but not for the health. But that’s not true, in fact, Indian Food can be the most healthy food one can ever have considering all those fresh vegetables and authentic spices added in the dishes. All these authentic spices used in Indian food are in fact very important for your health. Most of us might haven’t noticed this yet but that’s true and to understand more, let’s dive deep and know more about the Indian Cuisine:

  • Most of the Indian Cuisine recipes include the most refreshing array of vegetables and fruit cooked in different ways that help retain their freshness and nutrients. A lot of cooking processes practiced in other parts of the world tend to cause these refreshing vegetables and fruits to lose their nutrients and other health benefits but this is not the case with Indian Food. It allows you to enjoy their health benefits in a more enjoyable way than their original form.
  • It always uses fresh ingredients. It also involves making dishes from scratch leaving less space for the use of preservatives and artificial ingredients. This makes the Indian Food way far healthier.
  • Indian Cuisine widely uses spices like turmeric, Ajwain, ginger, garlic, cardamom, and green chilies. All of them have some or other medicinal and healing properties, which are very beneficial for your health. The spices used to make the Indian Food are not just offering some savory taste but also are actually good for the health.
  • Authentic Indian meals are abundant carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fibers, which are highly needed for a balanced diet and a healthier life.
  • Another reason why Indian Food is so important for your health is the use of yogurts and other dairy products. These are often used in Indian food and many dishes are made from fermented milk, which keeps the digestive tract healthy. They also come with lots of calcium, which means eating them regularly can help you have healthier bones and overall body fitness.

There is more to Indian food and if you might think to explore the delicious and savory Indian Food Orlando, then Tamarind is your only destination that offers the best and authentic Indian Food in Orlando, Florida.

About Tamarind

Here at Tamarind, we bring a part of India to you through its rich and selective variety of food. Our tailor-made Menu is created to suit the plates of all our customers and will also give them an authentic taste of some of India’s most popular regional dishes. We try to serve you the true taste of North Indian food and South Indian Food. Our customers are passionate about food and we took into account their views — how they look for comfort food and seek flavors of best home-cooked meals. We have our restaurants in Orlando and Winter Park. We are happy to serve the best and the most authentic and the best Indian food in Long Beach. Come & Rejuvenate!!!

13 apps for your day at the beach

It’s time to get the most out of that last trip to the beach!

Whether you’re ready for a day out on the boat, lounging, beachcombing, catching some waves, or preparing a feast there is an app to get you more involved in your marine environment. Apps are not only a great way to learn something new on the fly but can be a useful tool for engaging one another in settings where you may not have common ground. (OK, at the very least apps settle many ‘discussions’.)

Here is a list of useful and rather attractive apps that can connect you to your inner marine biologist.

AUDUBON FIELD GUIDES: Audubon Fishes of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico and Audubon Fishes – A Guide to North American Fishes include photos, geographic ranges, and concise yet detailed descriptions of appearances. Coming soon is the field guide for the Mid-Atlantic shoreline. ($9.99)

OCEANOGRAPHY STUDY GUIDE: If you are into fun oceanography trivia and want to learn more about the geography of the sea than download this app. It isn’t an endless list of “did you know?” facts but rather a large range of topics with well written articles for the serious beach chair scientist. ($4.99)

OFFICIAL APP OF ISSF: The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) was founded in 2008 when leaders of industry, scientists and environmental champions voiced concern over the future of tuna fisheries. This app provides a glossary of terms, videos, and a list of the status of stocks. (Free)

SEA TURTLE APP: This app was created by the Sea Turtle Conservancy and allows you to follow read the latest on sea turtle news but much more exciting you can track the global migration of different sea turtles with interactive satellite tracking maps! (Free)

Enough sitting around – it’s time to get out there and do something:

MOBILE APP FOR IGFA: The International Game Fishing Association created an app for weigh station locations, angler rules and regulations, customizable quests, and advice for trip planning. What more does a sport fisherman need?

MARINE DEBRIS TRACKER APP: This collaboration is brought to you by the Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative. The reporting of where you find marine debris can help to focus and prioritize federal efforts. The app uses GPS and allows you minimal work of sorting through lists of common marine debris. (Free)

CRAB APP: This app is an offshoot from the marine wild lab and allows you to collect horseshoe crab species data that will be used in scientific research. Horseshoe crabs are of enormous importance to 1) the drug industry due to their blood, 2) to fisheries for bait, and 3) to migratory shorebirds for its eggs.  (Free)

TIDE GRAPH: I found out that there are many, many apps out there to help you monitor the tides. Tide Graph will work for both coasts in the US and provides graphs to help you see how the tide changes over the day and the month. ($1.99)

If you are preparing a feast or gorging on some dockside seafood:

SEAFOOD WATCH: For years the Monterey Bay Aquarium has produced adorable pocket-sized regional cheat sheets so you can get a quick overview of what species are considered over fished or not in your neck of the woods. They continue to produce this application for your iPhone and use GPS tracking to discover where you are so you can get the most relevant information. (Free)

PROJECT FISHMAP: Monterey Bay Aquarium also gets you more involved by asking you to submit information when you find a restaurant or market that advocates sustainable seafood. As the map grows you can see what spots you’ve not uncovered in your neighborhood. (Free)

FISHPHONE APP: With one quick text (example: “fish salmon”) to 30644 Blue Ocean Institute will fed you intel on your species of choice. For instance, they’ll rank the sustainability and toxicity levels and send an overview of its conservation status. (Free)

SAFE SEAFOOD: This app takes information from ten different seafood rankings (including Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Environmental Defense Fund) to create its list. The app outlines choices in an easy to review “best to worst” list. I particularly like that fish with multiple different market names are listed by each of common name too. ($0.99, but 10% of the proceeds go to EDF)

I am certain I missed many wonderful apps. Please do not hesitate to email at info@beachchairscientist.com to share!

Added October 27, 2011: An app for water quality and to get the most up-to-date grade for your beach presented by Heal the Bay in California.