Eat Fresh! Eat What is in Season! Wild Salmon!

Such a great adage. Eat seasonally. Eat fresh. Works for me!

And, for me? It's fresh wild salmon! O. M. G. Talk about food of the gods!

On Friday, Morgana bought a lovely Copper River fillet and asked me to smoke it. Well, it's just as easy to smoke one fillet as several. So, on Saturday, I bought 8 pounds of fresh wild sockeye to add to the mix. They have been marinating their little hearts out for the last thirty-six hours. 

This morning, I cleared off the kitchen counter, put down a layer of kraft paper, got out the smoker grates, took the fully marinated wild salmon out of the refrigerator and arranged them on their respective grates.

They are now relaxing on the counter under the fan while the pellicle is being formed.

     

This afternoon? Into the smoker.

I predict smoked wild salmon Caesar salad for dinner. Maybe in the back deck.

I'll keep you posted.

Day 59 Everyday Grateful ~

Sunny and completely beautiful.

Blue skies, clean air. Still.

Salmon in the smoker. Heaven!

Summer is here!

Copper River Salmon BBQ ~ First of the Year!

So, Kim is new to Seattle. Since she arrived last week, she's been hearing about this mysterious food ~ Copper River Salmon. Not only has she heard about Copper River salmon from me but, also from friends at work. Kim's a foodie, so it makes sense that she  is adventurous about eating. But, Copper River? It's a mystery!

This evening, she came home from work with a shopping bag from Whole Foods. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and asked if I had had dinner yet. "No," sez I.

"I bought some Copper River salmon for dinner. Would you care to join me?" she said.

"Wow, that would be great. I'll be right down."

"I don't know how to cook the salmon. Shall I bake it in the oven?"

"Oh, no! It's BBQ, baby. I'll start soaking the cedar plank, make the marinade and start the wood for the BBQ."

Usually when I BBQ salmon, I have lots of time to get the cedar plank soaked; make sure the wood has burned down to red coals, but tonight, it was a bit of a rush. More flame than usual. But, the Copper River King was wonderful. Moist and flavorful!

And, best of all, it was Kim's first taste of this very elegant fish.

She was in charge of the green Caesar salad, the Greek salad and the brown rice. I was in charge of the Copper River and keeping the flames from devouring this succulent morsel.

Kim brought a nice white wine ~ Kim Crawford Marlbourough Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and fragrant.

Ramses enjoys the evenings when I BBQ salmon. He waits patiently for the skin.

All and all, perfect! Much laughing. Much talking, and, a lovely way to start the weekend.

Day 41 Everyday Grateful ~

Drizzly, lots of small projects

completed or fully in the works.

First Copper River Salmon of the Season!

Lovely.

Wild Salmon is King in Seattle ~ It's Copper River Season in the Puget Sound

Photo: AP / SL

Last Friday, Alaska Airlines flew into Seattle with the first wild Copper River King Salmon of the season.

What is Copper River salmon like?

The first time I had Copper River salmon was about 35 years ago. In Seattle, the first weekend in May is Opening Day. Sure it's also Kentucky Derby, but in Seattle, it's the Opening Day of boating season. The Friday before, the boats start lining up in Lake Union to go through the Cut between Lake Washington and Lake Union.

From 1992 to 2000, my sons rowed, first Junior Rowing champions and then on to the University of Washington Crew ~ a national powerhouse. I've spent many years standing on the Montlake Bridge watching the shells fly through the Cut to the finish line. Yes, Opening Day in Seattle is our first outdoor festival of the summer.

My friend, Gwynne always has a spring party that weekend. I was new to Seattle and was utterly clueless about fish (except brook trout, the occasional bass and canned tuna). So, really what did I know? And, having lived most of my life in the desert southwest, I really didn't know from wild salmon.

So, I get to Gwynne's party and the buffet on the dining table is groaning with food. Smack in the middle of the table was an enormous whole salmon. Oh uck, I thought. Fish! (and not in a good way). I was picking my way around the side dishes when Gwynne came up and said, "Let me help you dish up some salmon."

"Oh, thanks," sez I. "I'll get some later."

"Nonsense," sez she. "If you don't get some now, there won't be any left."

Inwardly, I'm thinking, "Oh, jeez." Outwardly, I said, "thanks, that would be great." I have to say I gasped when I saw her cut off about three inches of fish. No way in hell I can hide that under a lettuce leaf. She stood there in intense anticipation. Oh crap! Caught! I'm really going to have to at least make a good show of eating this. I'll look for a potted plant later. So, I take a small forkful and carefully put it into my mouth.

Oh! My! God! It was utterly delicious.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It's salmon," she said.

"No, salmon is fishy and tastes like cat food. This is wonderful. Really, what is it?"

"It is really salmon. It's from Alaska. QFC brings it in every spring from the Copper River."

And, here we are today. The first Copper River Kings are now in Seattle. It's such an elegant fish. Deeply red, extremely moist and flavourful. Once you've had Copper River King or Sockeye, every other salmon gets in line behind.

I am reminded of the importance of wild salmon in the cultural history of the Pacific Northwest. Everything about this place we love is a direct result of the birth, life, death and rebirth of this magnificent fish.

And, our wild stocks are in desperate peril. It's ironic that the arrival of Copper River Kings to the shops in Seattle occured just as the Seattle Times published a front page article about the dangers of fish farming in Canadian and US waters. Alexandra Morton has worked tirelessly to bring attention to the dangers of this filthy industry. She has documented the existance of a virulent virus found in farmed stock that is finding its way into wild runs as they pass by the salmon farms.

Will her work do any good? I don't know. But, lots and lots of groups are working to protect this indicator species. If we give up on wild salmon, we're screwed. What are we going to eat? Radioactive tuna?

If we care about the future, we must protect wild salmon. Everything our children need, wild salmon need. If you care about wild salmon and can't think of what to do with $100, $500, $1000, support a nonprofit working in this important area.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018296338_viruslady27m.html

http://www.greatwildsalmonrun.org/

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/boeing/article/Alaska-Air-delivers-first-Copper-River-salmon-3568964.php#photo-2952881

http://copperriversalmon.org/

Day 39 Everyday Grateful ~

Getting ready to iron napkins.

What can I say?

Ironed napkins are another thing

that keeps civilization together!

Lovely.