Crown Prince Walks in MDA Fundraiser
On Saturday February 25th, Crown Prince staff will be participating in the Long Beach/Inland Empire Muscle Walk – a fundraising event through the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Funding from the walk supports Muscular Dystrophy Association’s research, support service, and education initiatives.
About Our Team
We formed a team in the MDA Muscle Walk because we want to do something meaningful this year. We chose MDA because of all the tremendous things they do for the families they serve. We hope you’ll do the same and join our team!
Our team is a combined team: Crown Prince Seafood staff and the EC Riders (Southeast Los Angeles/San Bernardino Chapter of MDA Executive Committee [EC])
How we got involved
Denise Hines, Marketing Manager for Crown Prince and Vice President of the EC chapter we are walking with, shares how we as a company came to be involved with MDA:
Denise writes:
“My older brother Paul had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy so I have been involved all my life. This year will mark the 7th year since his passing. My first event with the MDA was in 2003 when I participated in a Lock-Up event and had to raise my bail money to get out.
Over the years many of the Crown Prince employees have participated with me in other events such as golf tournaments, Muscle Walks and Fill the Boot with local fire fighters. The last 2 years Crown Prince has had almost 100% participation in the walk. Employees either walked or donated to the walkers in support. “
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Please consider adding your support by visiting our team fundraising page. Donations made on the site are submitted securely.
Or, to participate as a walker in your own city, visit walk.mda.org to find an event near you.
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Crown Prince Clam Juice: Production and Recipes
We round off our Global Spotlight Series trip to Holland with a look at how our clam juice is made and a few recipe recommendations (though as we all know, nothing compares to your mom’s recipe).
Fishing and Preparation
Clams live on the sea floor, and the clams we harvest are found close to the shore in tidal areas ranging 1-10 meters in depth. They’re harvested by dredgers, flat-bottomed, low-draft boats about 30 meters in length.
The Geopotes 14 lifting its boom on a canal in The Netherlands. (gēopotēs is Greek for “that which drinks earth”) via Wikimedia Commons
As the name implies, the dredgers dredge up the clams, which go through a sizing machine before being kept on board: the undersized clams (smaller than 2”) fall back into the water, ensuring that the population continues to mature and reproduce at healthy numbers. To aid this, the Dutch government tightly regulates fishing areas, and licenses are required for the clams to be taken ashore.
The preparation of clam juice is quite simple. Transported to the cannery by truck, the clams are sent through an automated process of washing, steaming, and shucking before their juice is collected, strained, and poured into sterile bottles, ready to ship!
Cooking With Clam Juice: Go Classic With Chowders and Pasta
Clam Juice is an interesting member of our product line. It’s one of the only ingredients that really cannot be the star of the dish, but as we know from the Oscars, strong supporting actors can make or break a film (or a meal).
Some purists insist that clam chowder isn’t authentic without clam juice in the base. Here’s our take on Cheesy Clam Chowder – however it’s not the only soup that benefits from this briny, flavorful addition. Try these Salmon Chilean Ceviche and Tuna Red Pepper Potato Soup recipes.
Pasta dishes are also a classic way to use clam juice, particularly linguine. We pair it with lemon and salmon in this Lemon Linguine Salmon recipe.
Step Outside Your Shell – Try Clam Juice Someplace New
From salad dressing to bloody marys, there are some surprising uses for clam juice out there. Here are our top 3 Crown Prince tested recipes that use clam juice someplace you might not expect it – and do so deliciously!
Global Spotlight Series: Holland Edition
Next up, our Global Spotlight Series takes us to Holland, a region that is geographically small but known worldwide for its rich heritage and culture.
Holland is actually just a small part of the Netherlands, but its name has come to refer to the country as a whole. (Vocabulary lesson of the day: this is known as “synecdoche.) The Netherlands borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the north and west.
It is here on the North Sea that fishermen catch the clams used for Crown Prince Clam Juice. It’s the only product we source from Holland, but it’s a special one. In that sense, it’s fitting that it comes from such a small, yet special place.
Given Holland’s location, fishing is a notable industry, as well as a hobby, for many Dutch families. However, it’s hard to describe the overall culture of the Netherlands with a single image or description. For a snapshot of cultural highlights and visitors’ favorites, the Holland Tourism Board has assembled a great slideshow and overview: http://www.holland.com/us/Tourism/Activities/Dutch-Culture-1.htm
What would you want to see if you visited the Netherlands: The Hague’s historic landmarks? St. John’s Cathedral? The Canals of Amsterdam? The contemporary art museums in Rotterdam?
Call us biased, but we think a side trip to watch the clam harvest come ashore would be a great addition to your itinerary. More on that next time as our Global Spotlight Series: Holland Edition continues.
Crown Prince Seafood Announces MSC Certified Salmon
Our two Pink Salmon offerings (Low Sodium Alaskan Pink Salmon and Skinless & Boneless Alaskan Pink Salmon) are now officially MSC Certified!
“Crown Prince, Inc. is proud to have been granted COC [Chain of Custody] certification by MSC and we have committed ourselves to switching our canned seafood to third party certified sustainable seafood as it becomes available. Crown Prince would like to be in business for at least another 60 years; responsible partnership with fishermen and packers around the world is our part in assuring consumers of great canned seafood for generations to come.”
What is MSC Certification?
MSC stands for the Marine Stewardship Council. This organization has led the push for sustainable harvest certification and has become the gold standard for third party verified sustainable seafood harvest.
How does the Marine Stewardship Council Define “Sustainable”?
The MSC standard has 3 overarching principles that every fishery must prove that it meets:
Principle 1: Sustainable fish stocks
The fishing activity must be at a level which is sustainable for the fish population. Any certified fishery must operate so that fishing can continue indefinitely and is not overexploiting the resources.
Principle 2: Minimizing environmental impact
Fishing operations should be managed to maintain the structure, productivity, function and diversity of the ecosystem on which the fishery depends.
Principle 3: Effective management
The fishery must meet all local, national and international laws and must have a management system in place to respond to changing circumstances and maintain sustainability.
Learn more about Marine Stewardship Council Certification
What Does The Certificate Mean for Crown Prince?
Our certificate is a COC, or Chain of Custody, certificate. It starts with verification that our Alaskan Salmon supplier is MSC certified. Then we, as a company, are audited to ensure that all of our departments are properly handling and tracking the seafood. The result is a fully documented supply chain that tracks a sustainably harvested fish from the ocean to the retail shelf.
You can view our certification here.
Will Crown Prince Have Other MSC Certified Products?
Yes. We are already in the process. Our partners for kippers, anchovies, tuna, and skinless/boneless sardines are all in the pre-assessment phase or are in the process of being certified. Once those certifications are official, we will apply for MSC Chain of Custody certification for each product.
Myth: Exercise Without Pain Isn’t Effective
It’s 2012…and who hasn’t made at least one New Year’s resolution on getting into shape? Whether you’re just starting to break out that fitness machine you were given at Christmas, or are getting back into your regular workout schedule, remember one thing: don’t overdo it. More than a few people who start working out think they can make up for lost time by hitting the weights too hard the first day—and end up with a painful injury that takes a month to heal.
So if you’re dreaming about getting fit and trim this year, remember that overdoing it the first day will simply lead to unwanted injuries. Try to limit your first workouts by lowering the amount of weights you’re using, or setting your machine on low. Pain doesn’t necessarily mean gain when you’re just starting out on the exercise path.
Incorporate strength training. This is a handy tip to avoid joint injuries that can often occur with a first (or second) workout. Your joints aren’t used to the stress they’re getting these first few times around, and if you aren’t in a regular exercise schedule, you need to build those muscles up. Strength training can be done with a light to medium weight dumbbell, increasing the weight as you increase your time in the gym.
Use proper warm-ups and stretching. Reduce your muscle soreness commonly felt after a new exercise regime by doing proper warm-ups and stretching. Make a goal to stretch and warm-up before and after your workout. This not only helps you to avoid injury during the workout, but increases your flexibility while decreasing stiffness. Your stamina will be greater while lessening the pain.
Use the following exercises to strengthen the three core areas where exercisers generally feel pain (the lower back, shoulders and knees):
- Lower back exercises: lumbar extension, the lower back lift with a Swiss ball, and lunges using a dumbbell press. Try to start out with one to two lower back exercises for 10 to 15 reps twice a week.
- Knee exercises: Swiss ball squats, leg lifts, forward lunges, wall squats, squats with calf raise and dumbbell press, lateral lunges, forward lunge with dumbbell, and hamstring flexion using a Swiss ball. Start with one to two exercises 10-15 reps twice a week.
- Shoulder exercises: push-ups, shoulder press with Swiss ball and dumbbells, dumbbell shoulder press, dumbbell lateral deltoid raise, reverse flys with Swiss ball and dumbbells, and rear delt raises with a resistance band.
Activity is key to a healthy lifestyle, but so is safety! Remember to use and wear the proper gear at all times, use the right form, incorporate the exercises we’ve listed, and consult with a professional when you can. Your joints will be grateful!
Brown Bag Lunches: An Eco-Friendly Solution
Many of us are trying to be healthier and trying to live more eco-friendly lives. Looking for an easy way to achieve these? Bring your lunch to work. This simple solution takes care of both, and saves you money (something we’re all interested in!)
Brown Bag, Green Bag
What is so eco-friendly about bringing your lunch to work? Most noticeably, it cuts down on packaging and waste, as long as you use re-usable containers from your home. You’re also using up leftovers rather than letting that food spoil and go to waste. Plus, by not driving on your lunch break, you’re saving on fuel and carbon emissions and keeping miles off your odometer: those short trips add up over the course of a year.
These stylish lunchboxes are eco-friendly and contain NO phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), or lead. They are available in a variety of styles and colors from www.laptoplunches.com.
And the Health Benefits?
If you pack your lunch from home, you have a lot more say in its ingredients. Almost all restaurants (both fast-food and sit-down) use much more oil, fat, and salt than you would cooking from home. If you bring your own lunch, you can control the ingredients, choose a balanced meal, and set a healthy portion size. Make sure to bring a healthy snack so you don’t rely on a vending machine come mid-afternoon!
Saving Time
It may sound like this is a lot of extra work, but in truth you can pack your lunch and snacks in just 10 minutes a day – how long does it take to leave the office and buy lunch each day? This also means you have more time to actually relax over your lunch break. Read a book, sit and chat with a colleague, or go for a short walk. You can even eat outside when the weather is nice.
There are so many reasons to bring your lunch to work – now is a great time to make this not just a goal, but a habit!
Make Time for Fitness
Here we are in New Year’s Resolution Season once again, where we set the tone for the rest of the year. Will 2012 be the year when you finally get serious about exercising?
The #1 reason for not working out is this: “I just don’t have enough time!” But is that really true? Try this simple exercise: List your top five life priorities. A sample list might read “Family, friends, health, caring for family, and learning a new skill.”
Now keep track of how you spend your waking hours for a couple days. What are the top five uses of your time? Do they match your priority list? If your top five reads “Work, spending time with family, housework, watching TV, checking facebook” then you do have more time, you just aren’t prioritizing that time according to your true priorities.
Here are 3 easy ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine:
1. Wake up earlier. By the end of the day, your to do list is growing and your energy is fading, so why not get your exercise in before you have a chance to be diverted? Going to bed just 45 minutes earlier allows for 45 minutes of healthy exercise, which is a great way to start your day!
2. Cut down on media. For many people, their Angry Birds get more exercise than they do. Snap out of it! Your time is precious, so why waste it on things you won’t remember? Cut down on time wasters and you’ll save enough time to make a noticeable difference in your health.
3. When you’re not doing much, do more. From desk jobs to couch surfing, there’s a lot of sitting going on in America today. Find a way to incorporate activity into your low-activity tasks. At work, use an exercise ball instead of a chair, or set an alarm to stretch and do 5 minutes of exercise every hour. At home, set the coffee table aside and do exercises while you’re watching your favorite show (save the more distracting exercises for during the commercials).
You do have time in your day for exercise. As long as you’re smart about it, you can get fit and feel better without making your planner any fuller than it already is.
Crown Prince wishes you a fit and happy 2012!
Healthy Weight Commitment: It Starts With You
Today in America, the national epidemic that millions of people are facing is obesity. And one of the largest age groups succumbing to this epidemic is children. It’s no wonder that combating obesity is a leading concern for healthcare groups, schools, foundations, and others across the nation.
The HWCF, or Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, is making some major steps to counteract today’s national epidemic. They’re going large-scale, too. First launched in 2009, HWCF has been sending out a nation-wide initiative to reduce obesity, with a focus on childhood obesity, by 2015. The Foundation is made up of 160 members and is a CEO-led effort. Each of these members provide the needed funding and support to bring life to the goals of the Healthy Weight Commitment.
The commitment itself in the HWCF centers around programs and activities that are designed to help normal people just like you achieve and keep a normal, healthy weight by balancing calorie intake and output (also known as energy balance). During the past 
few years, the HWCF has undertaken all kinds of efforts to upkeep their goals that include transforming entire products, labels, packaging, advertising and even marketing. And that’s not all. They’re promoting healthy lifestyle habits and are encouraging and supporting efforts made by others in the healthy weight commitment.
One of the latest efforts of HWCF included the “Together Counts” program that encourages families to eat a family meal together and stay active together. It shares the same objective that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, has created in her Let’s Move! campaign, in which an award and challenge is held out to encourage families to commit to physical activity 5 days a week.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet and increasing physical activity are two key points of the HWCF goals. The Foundation has definitely already begun to impact lives, starting with the pledge the HWCF members made in 2010 to reduce annual calories in the marketplace by an astounding 1.5 trillion by 2015. Both schools and businesses have been impacted by the efforts of the HWCF. The HWCF is currently seeking partners to collaborate in the promotion of helping people achieve a healthy weight, whether that’s through initiatives or policies.
The Healthy Weight Commitment starts with you. Reducing calorie intake and increasing physical activity is something each one of us must take responsibility for. Get started today. Discover more at the HWCF online resource, visit www.YourWellnessAdvantage.com.
Crown Prince Involvement
Inspired by the HWCF, we started hosting a “Lunch & Learn” where employees gather together to enjoy a healthy lunch, while getting an education on wellness and improved quality of life. We also formed a “Walk-a-Mile” club to encourage each other to get moving! Whether taking a short walk outside during break time, or hitting the gym after work, every mile counts. We plan to incorporate other events and programs in 2012 to promote a healthy lifestyle, and we will keep you updated on our progress!
From the Sea to Your Table: Global Spotlight on Chile Concludes
Today’s post wraps up our trip to Chile as part of the Crown Prince Global Spotlight Series. Now that we’ve introduced you to our three species of Pacific-dwelling clams, we’ll walk you through the canning process to the best part of all: eating!
After harvest and transport to the canning facility, the clams are removed from their shells, gutted, trimmed and cleaned. Then they are carefully chopped or minced (we offer both preparation methods) and given a quick bath in citric acid to maintain freshness inside the can. When the clams are clean and ready to go, they are weighed and placed into cans. The cans are filled with fresh water and salt then sealed. Once sealed, the cans are put through a pasteurization process that sterilizes the contents. The cans are labeled and packed into cartons, then shipped up the coast, ready for distribution across America’s supermarket shelves!
Now comes the fun part: cooking and eating! Crown Prince chopped and minced clams are quite the versatile pantry staple. Uses for canned clams range from a supportive role in a seafood risotto or seafood bisque, to a starring role in clam fritters, clam sauce and of course, clam chowder!
What are your favorite uses of canned clams in the kitchen?
Favorite Holiday Recipes
The holidays are a time when you usually enjoy the company of family and friends, host parties, share gifts, and enjoy great meals. Contribute a little something special this year to your holiday meals with a Crown Prince Seafood recipe. Whether it’s a quick tuna salad for a family lunch or a hearty clam chowder to impress your visiting guests, we’ve got the perfect recipes for you!
Bayside Farmers Bread: Smoked oysters, corn bread, zucchini and onion contribute to the wonderful flavor of this tasty farmer’s bread. It’s simple to make, and the tasty flavor is sure to be not only a favorite dish but a topic of conversation at the dinner table.
Curried Cashew, Apple & Tuna Salad: Here’s a salad your guests will never forget! Made with golden cashews, apples and albacore tuna, this can either be served as a salad, pita pocket stuffing, or a sandwich filling.
Fabulous Fish Spread: For the seafood lovers in your holiday guest list, this delicious fish special is created with the best of 
ingredients: kipper snacks, flat anchovies, olives, soy sauce and a flavorful drop of hot sauce.
New England Clam Chowder: Cooked clams seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper will add satiety to your Christmas dinners. It’s easier than you think, too: just fry, add ingredients, and cook. Delight your guests with this tasty dish.
Kipper & Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Who doesn’t like hot, steaming mashed potatoes with their holiday dinner? This year, make the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever served. Made with kipper snacks, fresh peeled potatoes, butter and chives, these creamy mashed potatoes will be a dinner hit.
Oyster Stuffing: Sprinkled with hints of parsley, celery, and onion, this delicious oyster stuffing will be a real treat for family and friends. Serve inside a turkey or as an appetizer.
Crown Prince Seafood Blog 