| Herring heritage is one healthy way to ‘get stinking’ on New Year’s Eve ... by Tim Hennagir |
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| Wednesday, 26 December 2007 | |
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I’m planning on getting pretty stinky New Year’s Eve. My soon-to-be teenage son and younger daughter will join me. Don’t worry. Our plans won’t involve imbibing any alcohol. Instead, we’ll be breaking out the pickled herring jar and the cans of sardines while munching on ice-cold crustaceans (shrimp) during our end-of-year holiday seafood feast. My significant other won’t be attending. She leaves home for an afternoon of revenge shopping the minute the goodies hit the table. She can’t stand the smell of the three of us having a little fun as we continue a family tradition that had its genesis many years ago. Growing up a kid in Richfield, my mom always had a rather large jar of pickled herring stashed at the back of the refrigerator. Every New Year’s Eve, Ma would break out what some consider an offensive form of fish as well as the saltine crackers and stink up the kitchen with that wine and onion smell. I didn’t really appreciate my herring heritage until Ma passed away a few years ago. Searching for a new way to keep fun-loving memories of her close at year’s end, I introduced the tradition to my kids, adding additional aquatic treats to the menu so I could have the herring jar all to myself. About two weeks ago, an interesting press release caught my attention as I was cleaning out my electronic mailbox with a wary eye towards holiday preparations back home. The release in question was sent by the Baensch Food Products Co. based in Milwaukee, Wis. Its headline simply read, “Herring - A Traditional Holiday Favorite.” As I read further into the news release, I learned a number of new trivia tidbits about my favorite New Year’s Eve treat, courtesy of the “Ma Baensch” brand of herring. Herring has been a traditional dish in many Midwestern homes during Christmas and New Year’s for generations. For starters, herring was a popular food in the diets of many of our ancestors. Families in many Northern European countries, especially Germany, Scandinavia and Poland, found herring was an abundant and affordable food with high nutritional value. When later generations began immigrating to the United States, many settled in the Midwest where herring was less available. Herring then became more of a treat served only for special occasions. The food brought back nostalgic memories of the past, and with time, these cultures began to believe that eating herring on Christmas Eve or at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s would bring good luck in the year to come. According to the news release, herring’s nutritional value may be as important to many families today as its good luck status. Herring is rich in omega 3s, which are considered key in the battle against heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids are a unique class of oils found almost exclusively in marine animal and plant life. These highly unsaturated fatty acids, concentrated in fish oil, are key in the battle against heart disease. Medical research has shown there is tremendous potential for defeating our nation’s number-one killer with a diet that’s high in omega-3 fatty acids. Doctors believe people who regularly eat seafood, especially fish, are less likely to develop diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, kidney disease and bronchial asthma. According to the American Heart Association, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids found only in fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These two fatty acids can help prevent heart disease, cancer and many other diseases. The human brain is also highly dependent on DHA, and maintaining DHA levels can help deter depression, schizophrenia, memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Herring contains 1.71 to 1.81 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per 3-oz. serving. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times a week. So, instead of reaching for a bottle of whatever this coming Monday, why not grab a jar, tin or can filled with your favorite fish? I can’t think of a better reason to get stinking this New Year’s Eve. Food, family and a lot of fun recalling a unique tradition. The best part? There’s no morning-after hangover, just a stomach filled with good food and a body warmed by many pleasant memories. |
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