Reply #103: Be prepared when you return...

[pinboy3niner]

...we not only have dems, we also have teabaggers. Natural selection doesn't work overnight. :)

We also have good Pacific salmon, preferably sockeye (and Copper River salmon is the cream of the crop).

The restaurant review that accompanied my recipe explains why Copper River salmon is prized:

Each year, for a few weeks in May and June, Neuman is even busier than usual in the kitchen as he and his staff prepare the dozens of daily requests for Copper River Salmon, a wild fish known for its rich, complex flavor. It's at this time of yiear that the great salmon is caught in the headwaters of the Copper River, high above the Gulf of Alaska. The river itself is more than 250 miles long, and the current is strong. Because the native salmon that navigates these waters doesn't eat once it's entered the fresh water, it depends solely on its body fat and natural oils for the energy needed to reach its spawning ground. Therefore, each fish weighs between 30 and 40 pounds, not the 8 to 12 pounds Oregonians are used to seeing in salmon in their local markets.


Copper River salmon meat is bright red-orange in color, with with a flaky texture and moist taste, thanks to its natural oils. To take advantage of these superior traits Neuman keeps preparation to a minimum--basting the fish in a seasoned oil, grilling it and serving it with freshly roasted vegetables.

--Sara Perry, "Two friends discover a recipe for success"
In The Sunday Oregonian (Portland, OR)
June 1, 1997

And it's always a special treat for me when a certain friend from Alaska shows up for reunions. He always brings a ton of smoked salmon with him--the best I've ever had!