Farm raised salmon are fed a diet that normally produces a rather grayish color to the flesh. To give them the reddish color people associate with salmon, a feed additive is necessary. They are fed fairly high levels of antibiotics (disease in overcrowded conditions is a constant factor in fish farming). In addition, they have VERY LOW levels of Omega-3 oils. The additives do nothing to enhance the flavor of the fish. I personally find the texture of farm-raised salmon to be much softer and more watery than wild salmon. The latter is, however, much more expensive. Here is an excerpt from a website concerned about fish farming of salmon. A link is included to the entire article for those who are interested: "Artificial Color: Farmers use a vendorÂs chart to choose the color for their salmon. Colorants, added to the food, can account for up to one-third of total feed costs. Industrial salmon farms use artificial color to make farmed fish  whose flesh is typically greyish white  appear a more appetizing "salmon" pink. Market research found that consumers "buy with their eyes" and put a premium on color. Since 1982, the use of artificial coloring in farmed salmon has more than tripled. One of the most commonly used colorants, Canthaxanthin, has been linked to human eye defects and retinal damage. In 2003, the European Commission ordered salmon farmers to sharply reduce the use of Canthaxanthin, and most countries, including the U.S., require labels to identify farmed and colored salmon as such. Yet, fish are occasionally sold without labels: Safeway, Kroger, and Alberstons were sued in 2003 for failing to identify artificially colored, factory raised salmon." Here is a link that might be useful: Coloring and chemicals in farmed salmon

Amy - I live in CT too (you're in MA?), our tomato plants are growing like a jungle, lots of fruit but nothing ripening! Told DH I had a recipe for green tomato pickles but he didn't think that sounded good. We planted Sweet 100's and Early Girls. Plus a couple of butternut squash (hope those do well) and lots of lettuce hoping for a salad garden. The lettuce I started from seed at Mem Day is about an inch tall, the seedlings I got for free from nursery a month ago just got very tall and have started to flower, hardly any leaves so I haven't picked - we've been eating grocery store salad all summer! We have wild blueberries and blackberries, about 2 cups of each all summer long (blueberry bushes are growing well since we've cleared around them, but hardly any fruit - not enough sun). We're going to try transplanting some of the ones that are far back in the woods to sunnier spots along edge of lawn, maybe we'll get more next year. I'm making blueberry buckle (my grandma's recipe) for reunion this weekend, probably make a blackberry crumble tonight. I'd love to get recipe for raspberry chocolate jam so when the rest ripen I can try that. My dad gave me a couple huge (as long as my forearm) zucchini, I made 2 batches of bread/muffins on Friday, threw another 3-4 cups of shredded zuch in the freezer for later - might make more this w/e while I have the oven going for buckle. Made stuffed peppers last night, but with grocery store peppers. We had some of my dad's green beans too. Kids don't eat them, so we won't plant them. It's been a bad year up here - haven't checked farmer's markets (usually more $$, at least in the 2 affluent towns near us - I'll have to check more modest town on Friday). But grocery stores haven't even had very good prices. Corn just now getting knee high (a month late!), and *some* people have started 2nd cutting of hay, but not us (we just did 1st cutting 4th of July, other people were even later). Too much rain, no sun for all of June.

My dog has many serious health issues, one of them being anorexia. After being at the ER for a week a few years ago he was extremely close to death, the Vet said let him have anything he wants as he will most likely die. He's alive and kicking. I did what the Vet said for a few years. Now I am feeding him some special very expensive food that his general Vet put him on. He has CHF and failing kidneys and this new food is supposed to help manage these conditions. He's happy as can be and always has been. He hasn't had any hair on his back for 8 years. Every Vet has tested him because they all have theories as to his hair loss, and thrown their hands up, and said who knows, but he's happy. His current Vet said he has an unstoppable will to live :) I love him, he's a wonderful little dog. The food costs $60 he doesn't love it, or hate it. If he's in a mood he will pass up ANY THING so his love it or leave it attitude is pretty normal for him.

I agree. No need to apologize. Made for a good comparison and talking point. I also saw very little of Paula Deen, and I've only seen the one episode of Miss Brown, and that not with full attention. The thing I see in common is that they took their cooking background and made it a business--Deen with a restaurant, Brown with, IIRC, a pop up, and both got Food Network shows showing their cooking and points of view. Both are Southern. Deen's schtick was excess and indulgence which I never related to. Some people enjoyed watching her add more butter, the way some people enjoy the oft repeated movie scene of people literally rolling in dough (money) on a bed. Miss Brown's food is joyful and real food. It's not snobby food or diet food, or political food, but it's appealing. LPink, Thanks for the tip about Lidia! I have made a couple of her recipes. They're really great and I learn a little something each time.