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Many of the stories currently causing the tapeworm scare stem from a Chicago man who is suing a restaurant, claiming he was infected with the tapeworm from a raw salmon dish in 2006 that has since grown to be a 9-foot-long tapeworm.
Oddly enough, almost all of the articles on the subject stop just short of revealing the fact that the Chicago Department of Health has cleared the restaurant in its own investigation. Hey, don’t let the facts get in the way of a sensational story!
Sushi and raw fish make great punching bags since they are scary and foreign foods. Nobody wants to mention that you can catch a tapeworm from beef and pork, by playing with your dog, or just shaking the hand of a person who has a tapeworm. Believe it or not, you can even catch a tapeworm from eating your breakfast cereal (if an infected bug is in it). Beef and pork tapeworms are the most common in America, yet we don’t seem to hear about those cases. Evidently the beef industry must have a high-priced assassin on retainer scaring off any reporters.
I was recently in a Sacramento sushi bar and was watching the sushi chef prepare ingredients and put them in the refrigerated case. When you have been in the aquaculture and food industry as long as I have, you develop an eye for spotting things that don’t fit. I watched the chef pull out a tilapia filet and then trim away some of the major red portions of the meat so that the filet now looked like a small red snapper filet.
In a matter of a few moments he had turned an inexpensive freshwater fish into what looked like an expensive saltwater fish. The average tilapia filet sells for $2 a pound while the snapper demands almost $20. In the past, I have found some Lake County restaurants substituting tilapia for red snapper on their menus. Not only do tilapia filets look different than snapper filets but tilapia tastes a lot like an anorexic snapper.
In Japan this type of substitution is a fairly common practice since the Japanese are much more interested in the flavor of the sushi, not the pedigree. Red snapper on Monday’s menu could actually be red snapper, while on Wednesday it might come from a rockfish. This has never been a real problem until tilapia came along. Salt water fish have a very low incidence of parasites while freshwater fish, like the tilapia, have a very high incidence of parasites.
Most (not necessarily all) saltwater parasites come from fish that are infested with marine mammal parasites. These marine mammal parasites don’t find the human body a hospitable place and usually die within a couple of weeks at most.
Freshwater parasites on the other hand, tend to be tapeworms which love the human body and travel though it like tourists on a three day weekend. As I’m sure you already know, tourists sometimes turn into residents and never leave. These tapeworms can live in a body for decades without giving off any symptoms at all. The fact that tapeworms can live in the body for so long without detection makes it very unlikely that the infected person could accurately trace ingestion back to the original source, and so sushi bars tend to get blamed just out of convenience.
Tapeworms can be contracted from any kind of restaurant that uses poor sanitation practices. The fact that sushi is prepared in front of the customer means that sushi bars tend to be cleaner than most other types of cuisine. Sushi chefs are trained to spot parasites in sushi, so only eat sushi prepared by high quality restaurants that know what to look for.
A little information about tilapia. Tilapias are actually several varieties of fish related to the Oscars that you see in aquariums everywhere. They are fast growing and omnivorous, meaning they’ll eat just about everything.
Vegetarian fish food is the least expensive to purchase so most fish farms use it. This keeps costs down and mercury levels almost non-existent, which is the good news. However this diet also adds no omega fatty acids that fish is so valued for, so at best tilapia is a good source of protein but that’s about all.
Tilapia also can be raised in almost any conditions, so a field being used to grow rice can also be used to raise tilapia, making the land more useful but also keeping the price on the fish low. On the other hand, this keeps the tilapia trapped in a small shallow pond to be an easy victim to play host for tapeworms. This is also why you only see saltwater fish on the sushi menu, but freshwater fish such as catfish, largemouth bass and bluegill must be cooked before eating to eliminate (kill) any parasites.
Since tilapia isn’t considered to be a common sushi ingredient it isn’t required to be frozen to sashimi grade standards. If you get a fish wholesaler that wants to make a higher profit he may offer tilapia to sushi bars as “red snapper,” and if the sushi chef doesn’t know better he may just offer this tilapia as snapper. Or it’s possible that, along the lines of what I witnessed, a sushi chef who wants to save some money will actually cut the tilapia to look like snapper. Either way, a knowledgeable and ethical sushi bar can stop Red Snapper from being counterfeited.
Now I don’t want to sound like an alarmist, so let me give you a statistic that might calm you. While it’s possible to catch a tapeworm from ingesting almost anything if it’s not properly or handled in a sanitary fashion, the incidence of tapeworms treated in the United States every year is about one person out of every 100,000. That is less than one person in the entire county here. So the chances of catching a tapeworm are very slim.
To be perfectly honest I have filleted hundreds of fish in my life and I have only actually ever found two live parasites in supermarket-purchased fish. The risk is there, but chances are quite low.
However, since I still buy Super Lotto tickets, this proves I believe in the long shot and I think it’s better to be safe than sorry, so if you want to make sushi at home but also want to avoid being like one of those people on the “Alien” movies with the creature bursting out of your chest, here’s how ...
First and foremost, only use commercially caught fish for sushi. The possibility of a home-caught fish being infected with a parasite is very high and despite what you hear about freezing fish killing parasites, your home freezer cannot reach the temperature needed to kill parasites. I’m sure that more than one fisherman reading this has frozen fish at home and thawed it weeks to even months later only to have the fish come back to life, and if the fish can do it the parasite can certainly do it too.
Secondly, when at the fishmonger’s be sure to ask for sashimi-grade fish. This is a fish that has been nitrogen blast frozen then stored at an incredibly cold temperature regulated by the Food and Drug Administration which has been shown to decisively kill all parasites.
Sashimi-grade fish go through several layers of grading and testing before they make it to the standard, each test making the fish that much safer than before. If you see a fish marked “sushi grade,” it is exactly the same as sashimi grade. The phrase “sashimi grade” is the actual FDA term while “sushi grade” is just the dumbed-down expression.
It’s best that you don’t make sushi at home without some sort of training. Of all of the cases of parasitic infection that are found per year, almost all of them are attributed to fish being served raw in some form by an untrained cook at home.
So take the time to take a sushi making class.Coincidentally I am planning to teach another one soon at Chic Le Chef in Hidden Valley Lake. Contact Julie Hoskins at Chic Le Chef, telephone &07-355-0174, or visit 19024 Redbud Road in Hidden Valley Lake for information on a class.
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
If you're curious about great local food and wine, you can now follow me on Twitter. Log onto www.twitter.com/foodiefreak and see what events I’ll be attending.
Aug. 2
Sunday Brunch in the Garden, Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe, 9520 Main St., Upper Lake. Brunch served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chris Forshay featured on guitar and vocals, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: 707-275-2244 or www.bluewingsaloon.com .
Aug. 5-8
Blue Wing Blues Festival, Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe, 9520 Main St., Upper Lake. Four nights of blues music, two bands each night plus a barbecue dinner. 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $45. Information: 707-275-2244 or www.bluewingsaloon.com .
Aug. 8
No Fireworks Pancake Breakfast, Lakeport Fire Department, 445 N. Main St., 8 am. until noon. Hosted by the Lakeport Kiwanis to help support funding deficits for the Channel Cats Swim Team caused by new regulations banning fireworks sales. No Fireworks Pancake Breakfast tickets are available from Channel Cat swimmers, Miss Lake County Pageant participants and supporters, the Lakeport Kiwanis members and the firefighters at the firehouse. The cost is a $10 donation for a single breakfast and $25 for a family ticket. Info: www.kiwanislakeport.org; Arlin Pischke, 707-263-5412, or Jennifer Hanson, 707-263-3131.
Aug. 9
Sunday Brunch in the Garden, Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe, 9520 Main St., Upper Lake. Brunch served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vocal group Ear Reverence will perform, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: 707-275-2244 or www.bluewingsaloon.com .
Aug. 16
Sunday Brunch in the Garden, Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe, 9520 Main St., Upper Lake. Brunch served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Patrick Fitzgerald and Shelly Mascari will perform, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: 707-275-2244 or www.bluewingsaloon.com .
Aug. 21
Taste of Lakeport, Main Street. Lakeport. 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Twelfth-annual wine tasting event featuring food, wine tasting, live music, and dancing. Businesses in downtown Lakeport stay open late for the event, which is a benefit for the revitalization of downtown Lakeport. Presented by Lakeport Main Street Association. Information: 707-263-8843, www.lakeportmainstreet.com .
Aug. 22
Concert in the Vineyard Series, Moore Family Winery, 11990 Bottle Rock Road, Kelseyville. Doors open at 5 p.m., show starts at 6 p.m. Bill Noteman and The Rockets, West Coast blues style music. Cheeseburgers cost $8; corn dog meal, $5. Information: 707-279-9279, http://moorefamilywinery.com/ or
Aug. 23
Sunday Brunch in the Garden, Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe, 9520 Main St., Upper Lake. Brunch served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chris Forshay featured on guitar and vocals, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: 707-275-2244 or www.bluewingsaloon.com .
Ongoing activities
The New Cool at Konocti Harbor featuring David Neft. Konocti Harbor hosts “The Piano Man” David Neft, playing the grand piano from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., every Friday and Saturday in the relaunched dining room. 8727 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville. Information: 800-660-LAKE or www.konoctiharbor.com .
Certified Farmers Market, Steele Winery, 4350 Thomas Dr. at Highway 29, Kelseyville. Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. until noon, May through October. A variety of produce grown in the area as well as flowers, coffee, pastries and bread, arts and crafts, and live entertainment. Information: 707-279-9475.
Langtry Estate and Vineyard Tours, 21000 Butts Canyon Road, Middletown. Langtry Estate and Vineyard is offering exciting and innovative tour programs. Guests ride in battery-operated Global Electric Motorcars. Tours are offered Tuesday through Saturday. The Tephra Vineyard Lunch Tours are offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. $40 per person includes lunch and wine tasting. Reservations required 24 hours in advance. Info: 707-987-2385
Tuscan Village Friday Concert Series, Main Street, Lower Lake. Live music, food, wine tasting. Presented by 2Goombas and Terrill Cellars. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Information: 707-994-3354.
A Taste of Lake County Wine Tours, countywide. Spend the day sipping fine wine, enjoying a gourmet picnic amongst the vines, taking in the rustic beauty of Lake County. Tour includes picnic lunch and tasting fees. Perfect for small groups. Tours of Napa also available. Information: 707-987-1920 or www.aeroshuttleservice.com .
Beer Master Dinner Series, Molly Brennan’s, 175 N. Main St., Lakeport. Second Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Different brewery featured each month, with beers paired with each course of a five-course meal including dessert. Advance reservations required. Information: 707-262-1600.
Lake County Wine Tours, countywide. Experience the “Undiscovered Wine Country” that is Lake County. Taste award winning premier wines at friendly tasting rooms and in stunning vineyards. Knowledgeable guide, all tasting fees and a gourmet picnic lunch included. Information: 707-998-4471 or www.lakecountywinetours.com .
If you have a food or wine related event and would like to have it listed in the coming months, call Ross at 707-998-9550.
But the budget still has a $1 billion deficit, and North Coast legislators warned that the budget agreement won't cure the state's problems.
“These are difficult economic times that demand courage from elected officials, including those in the Legislature,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Both Republicans and Democrats stepped up to the challenge, and I want to thank the legislative leaders and the entire Legislature for passing this difficult but necessary budget solution that cuts state spending, reforms government so that it runs more efficiently and does not raise taxes.”
He added, “Our job is not over, and I will continue to work with the legislature to move California forward, to stimulate our economy and create jobs and to enact additional reforms that will make government more cost-effective for the taxpayers.”
With a $25.1 billion budget shortfall plaguing the state, the Legislature approved 31 bills as part of a budget package that, according to the governor's office, includes $15.9 billion in cuts – $9.4 billion in education, $785 million in corrections, $1.6 billion in general government, $820 million in state employee compensation and $3 billion in health and human services.
The Legislature vetoed $1.1 billion in fund shifts, including Cal Fire's interagency agreement with the Legislature, $3.5 billion in revenue proposals and $1.4 billion in estimated savings that would have realized by delaying state payroll and health premiums.
Most significantly for local agencies, legislators vetoed suspending Proposition 1A, which protects local government revenues.
Legislatures also voted against taking a loan from the State Highway Account and other loans and shifts, such as one that would keep open state parks.
The California State Parks Foundation reported Friday that there is an $8 million cut slated for the state's Department of Parks and Recreation, which could result in the closure of between 30 and 50 state parks.
Another $2.3 billion was realized in reforms, including $510 million in 2009-10 for CalWorks, $300 million in 2009-10 and $4.2 billion in 2012-13 by stopping automatic funding increases and cost of living adjustments, $526 million 2009-10 and $2.27 billion in 2012-
2013 by reforming In-Home Supportive Services. Information technology reforms are expected to accelerate tax revenues by more than $160 million over five years and Medi-Cal reforms that are estimated to lead to savings of $1.8 billion beginning in 2012 through 2013.
In all, the budget found $24.1 billion in cuts, putting it just short of addressing the state's full deficit, according to the governor's office.
First District Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata) said Friday that he was relieved that the state now has a budget, and can start paying its IOUs and improve the state's credit rating.
Chesbro said it would be wrong to call the new budget a permanent solution.
“It has too much borrowing and it postpones too many payments,” he said. “Too many people will be hurt by cuts: not just children, but also the poor and the aged. All Californians will feel the effects of these cuts.”
He said he wasn't willing to wait for months for a better budget. More tough choices likely are ahead if the country's economy doesn't improve, Chesbro added.
North Coast Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) said the budget reflects the reality of just how volatile the revenue picture is in California.
“This budget revision was full of tough decisions,” she said. “Over the last five months, we have slashed state spending by more than $30 billion. The cuts we’ve made have been difficult for our schools, our children, higher education, public employees, public transportation, and the frail and elderly.”
She said the budget protected the minimum levels of education funding that Californians sought through Proposition 98, so that children can still receive a public education that prepares them to enter the workforce. CalWorks and Healthy Families also survived, 80 percent of parks funding was restored and IHSS remains largely intact.
Wiggins said the Assembly rejected the oil drilling bill, and the local gas tax bill also failed, which shaves off more than $1 billion off the deficit reduction effort. She said the governor could make up the the remaining deficit by line item vetoes of other services.
“We will continue to challenge the governor to tell Californians why he believes that initiatives like the decimation of social services are preferable to capturing additional revenue through the closing of corporate tax loopholes, imposing an oil severance tax, or implementing an independent contractor withholding plan to increase current tax compliance,” Wiggins said.
Local officials said this week they are still analyzing what the impacts of the deal will be on county and city governments and services.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
Last month, Linda Suzan Holloway was convicted of felony elder abuse and inflicting great bodily injury, with a strike enhancement for a previous robbery, according to Colusa County District Attorney John Poyner.
Colusa County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Thompson sentenced the 56-year-old Holloway to three years for elder abuse, which was doubled to six years due to the strike enhancement, with five years for the great bodily injury charge, Poyner said.
Holloway's sentence comes nearly three years after 76-year-old William Lowe was found dead in his Colusa home, Poyner explained.
Lowe and Holloway were romantically involved, and Poyner said Holloway – a licensed vocational nurse – also served as Lowe's caregiver.
Poyner said their relationship was filled with violence that took place both in Lake and Colusa counties.
The Lake County District Attorney charged Holloway with assault with a deadly weapon – in this case, two butcher knives – for a Sept. 27, 1999, assault on Lowe, according to court records.
Poyner said Holloway stabbed Lowe 14 times in that case. Despite that fact, Lowe begged not to have her sent to prison. That charge couldn't be used as a strike in the case, Poyner said.
Because of state rules, Lowe was able to keep Holloway as his caregiver despite the violence and criminal cases, Poyner said. In the mean time, she arranged to cut him off from his family.
On the night of July 26, 2006, Holloway was arrested for driving under the influence in Colusa County, Poyner said.
After getting out of jail the following day she went to Lowe's home and found his body. Poyner said she attempted to take an overdose afterward.
But the autopsy – which Poyner had reviewed by two separate pathologists – revealed that Lowe had bruises on his chin and head, and that he suffered from broken ribs.
The medical examination found that Lowe died of a heart attack. Poyner originally had charged Holloway with homicide and wanted to be able to prove that the heart attack was induced by an assault, which the pathologists' reports suggested.
However, Poyner said that everything that could go wrong with the case did, including the pathologist missing his court date and losing the microslides that Poyner wanted to use to discuss the heart attack's cause.
The result was that he didn't have the evidence to prove Lowe's heart attack had been induced by the assault, said Poyner.
“It was a nightmare case to do,” he said.
Lowe, who owned a taxi company, didn't have much money. Poyner said Holloway was found to have some of Lowe's possessions but Poyner didn't have enough evidence to pursue charges of theft.
Holloway told investigators three or four different stories about what happened between her and Lowe during their last encounter. Poyner said each story included more physical contact between the two.
Finally, she told one of Poyner's investigators, “When I left I hit him like a linebacker.”
In the interim, while the case was working its way through the courts, Holloway was charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol and received five years probation in February of 2008, Lake County Superior Court records show.
Poyner said of the case involving Lowe's death, “It's one of the screwiest cases I've ever tried.”
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
The rave, with an estimated 100 people taking part, was reported on the night of July 18 to the US Forest Service, said Capt. Julie Lombard of the Forest Service's law enforcement branch.
Lombard said the event was discovered near Lake Pillsbury on land owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
The rave began July 16, said Lombard. During that time, Forest Service officers made periodic walk-throughs at the event.
They made one arrest for possession of the drug Ecstasy – commonly used at raves. Lombard didn't have details about that arrest.
She said citations also were issued for off-highway vehicles, seat belts, possession of guns and ammunition, and possession of marijuana.
However, because the event was taking place on private land, Lombard said Forest Service officers didn't have the authority to shut it down.
Instead, on Sunday morning, they notified PG&E.
PG&E spokesperson Jana Morris confirmed that a company employee received a call for the Forest Service at 10 a.m. Sunday.
She said when PG&E employees got to the scene, they found a few people picking up trash and cleaning up.
No damage was reported and Morris said the company didn't know who had organized the event.
The concern for the company now is not having a repeat performance. “We have been working with the Lake County Sheriff's Office to identify a method to prevent it from happening in the future,” Morris said.
They're considering improving signage in the area to emphasize that the land is privately owned, Morris said.
Morris said the company neither condones trespassing or the kind of event that took place. “That's not an activity that we support.”
If people find suspicious activity taking place on PG&E land, Morris said they can report it by calling the company at 1-800-691-0410.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
The fifth-annual Lake County Wine Adventure, a two-day passport event, will be held Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This year’s Lake County Wine Adventure is once again being hosted by the Lake County Winery Association.
Lake County is part of the North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA), which also encompasses Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Within Lake County, five other AVAs exist – Clear Lake AVA, Benmore Valley AVA, Guenoc AVA, and the recently approved Red Hills AVA and High Valley AVA.
Adventurous wine enthusiasts will have an opportunity to discover “wine with altitude” and taste the reason why Lake County – with a grape-growing history that extends back to the mid-19th century – is fast becoming known for its award-winning wines, ultra-premium winegrapes, resort-style wineries, and friendly tasting rooms.
Throughout the weekend, “wine adventurers” will taste wines from five of Lake County’s six distinct viticulture areas (AVAs) as they visit participating wineries, including: Ceago Vinegarden and Tulip Hill Winery in Nice; Brassfield Estate Winery in High Valley; Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, High Valley Vineyard, and Noggle Vineyards & Winery in Clearlake Oaks; Villa La Brenta in Clearlake; Gregory Graham Winery, Ployez Winery, Terrill Cellars, and Six Sigma Ranch, Vineyards & Winery in Lower Lake; Langtry Estate & Vineyards and Off the Vine at Twin Pine Casino in Middletown; Moore Family Winery on Cobb Mountain; Kelseyville Wine Co./Dusinberre Cellars, Rosa d’Oro Vineyards, Steele Wines, Inc., and Wildhurst Vineyards in Kelseyville; Shed Horn Cellars, Sol Rouge Vineyard & Winery, and Zoom Wines will be offered at Lake County Wine Studio, a multi-winery tasting room and wine bar located in the town of Upper Lake; Bell Hill Vineyards will be offered at Focused on Wine, a wine bar located in downtown Kelseyville.
Adventure tickets may be purchased online at www.lakecountywineries.org for $30 each. Each ticket entitles the holder to wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres at each winery, as well as a logo wine glass, wine tasting booklet and winery map.
Several of the wineries also will offer barrel tastings, winery tours and entertainment. Event-goers may leave their adventure tickets with the last winery they visit to be entered into a raffle for several prizes.
Event organizers promote responsible hospitality and encourage all participants to designate a driver.
For more information, call 800-595-WINE, (707) 355-2762 or visit www.lakecountywineries.org .