When I moved to Seattle, I said something to my father that I’ve
never been able to live down: “I don’t like salmon.”
I have since
changed my position, but this does not stop him from doing things like
calling me to say, “I am making dinner, but you should not come over
because I’m cooking salmon and you don’t like it,” then laughing
maniacally.
For most of my life, the only salmon
I encountered either came
out of a can or was smoked and served as lox on a bagel. My only
dealings with “fresh” salmon involved dry, overcooked pink slabs,
reminiscent of chubby sunburned white baby flesh, served at wedding
banquets.
I was ignorant. Back then, I didn’t think about the difference
between farm-raised and wild fish. I had no idea that fishermen like
those from Cape Cleare Fishery catch individual wild Alaskan salmon on
the line and freeze it at sea immediately after catching it and sell it
off a boat in Port Townsend directly to customers. I certainly didn’t
know about Lummi Island Wild and their fishermen who catch wild salmon
in reef nets, a Native American tradition, then reverentially bleed
them live before resting them in ice, resulting in salmon that is
unforgettably flavorful and supple.
If, like me, you want to continue your salmon education, head to
TASTE at SAM on Sunday, August 3, for a five-course dinner
featuring Lummi Island Wild salmon, along with a presentation on
reef-net fishing.
Sunday Supper at TASTE, Sun Aug 3, 1300 First Ave, 5:30 pm, $90
per person, reservations 903-5291.
