Farm Raised Salmon
Ninety-five percent of what we consume is farm-raised salmon. Due to fraud, much of what is listed in restaurants as 'wild salmon' is about as wild as Aunt Myrtle on Bingo Night at the senior center. At least Myrtle could do a mean Lindy Hop back in her day back in the day and she never lied about the farm she came from. Let's be clear, there is some very, very good farm-raised salmon and we often carry it. Of course there is also some very bad farm-raised salmon, raised on farms that are ecological catastrophes and we tend to avoid those.
Ocean-Caught Wild Salmon
Wild salmon is a cut above. It is less common than you might think, and it is unquestionably delicious. It gets its color from feeding on crustaceans. The same thing that turns your crab and lobster shells red when you boil them give the salmon its hue. There are a range of types and these wild salmon can be caught all over the world.
River-Caught Wild Salmon
The holy grail of fish. Once salmon reenter fresh water, they stop eating. They swim upstream for miles upon miles relying only on the energy stored in their bodies, to get them to the calm spawning grounds where the journey started. This makes these salmon, the tastiest and one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet. It also means that salmon from different rivers have different tastes to them. The two main reasons for this are the genetic isolation of fish that spawn only in one place; and the characteristics of the river. These fish are rare and seasonal. As these salmon populations are at risk, they are managed very carefully and the harvest is strictly regulated based on the returning salmon population.
Taku River Salmon (ding ding ding ding ding)
The ne plus ultra of Salmon! Taku River Salmon are a personal favorite of Mark and mine. The season here is always very short. There is often little or no fish to sell. Because of strict fishery management, we were unable to get our favorite fish from 2010 through 2014. We have a shipment arriving Thursday. It is being over-nighted directly from The Taku today. Please note that, because of great and responsible management, The Taku River is one of the most sustainabl and healthy wild salmon fisheries in the world. It is some of the most delicious fish you will ever eat!
Where your Salmon Comes From
Click the Image for a Great Video
The Taku River begins in British Columbia and drains into an inlet at Juneau Alaska. The Salmon from the Taku must make an arduous journey up a frigid and fast-flowing river. These salmon have spent years in the wild, eating variously from its many oceans. Their bodies are packed with oils and nutrients that give them a flavor and texture unlike any other. Please note, that because of great management, Taku is one of the healthiest and most sustainable salmon fisheries in the nation. It contains all five varieties of Pacific salmon. In Stage Left, we're going to be serving two types side-by-side in a delicious summer dish.
Two from Taku
Sockeye and King Salmon
Baby Shiitake Mushrooms, Sugar Snap Peas
Sweet Pea Pistou, Pea Tendrils and Beets
$45