Smoked salmon question

You had "cold smoked salmon", by far the most delicate of any salmon
preparation. The only competitive preparation is Gravlax, which is very good
as well.
What brand was it? What was the date on the package relative to today's
date?
I like Costco's Norwegian cold smoked salmon, and it's the best deal around
for a certified tightwad.

"The Bubbo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I don't know much about smoked salmon but I got to thinking about it this
weekend. I made crostini with curried mascarpone, spiced sweet potato and
smoked salmon. This was not the dry, flakey, smokey type of smoked salmon.
This was soft, almost like raw with no smokey flavor at all.

The label clearly said smoked salmon but how do I differentiate when I am
describing it to people? I really don't care for that dry flakey kind.
Even
the stuff that is completely naturally smoked tastes like chemicals to me,
i
think it's something in the process maybe.

--
.:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

Kent said:

You had "cold smoked salmon", by far the most delicate of any salmon
preparation. The only competitive preparation is Gravlax, which is very good
as well.
What brand was it? What was the date on the package relative to today's
date?
I like Costco's Norwegian cold smoked salmon, and it's the best deal around
for a certified tightwad.

Thank you!
It was in fact the Costco Norwegian stuff. I dn't have the package, my sister
had purchased some a couple days ago so I took a huge chunk from her.

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

The Bubbo said:

I don't know much about smoked salmon but I got to thinking about it this
weekend. I made crostini with curried mascarpone, spiced sweet potato and
smoked salmon. This was not the dry, flakey, smokey type of smoked salmon.
This was soft, almost like raw with no smokey flavor at all.

The label clearly said smoked salmon but how do I differentiate when I am
describing it to people? I really don't care for that dry flakey kind. Even
the stuff that is completely naturally smoked tastes like chemicals to me, i
think it's something in the process maybe.

I'm not sure from the description you give, but I think that the dry
flakey type is hot smoked, and the very thinly sliced, almost like raw
type, is cold smoked. I am not the full bottle on the preparation of
either, I'm sure good old Google would turn up something. No doubt if I
consult Harold McGee there'll be something there as well, but I'ver
gotta go go cook the dinner.

Christine

at Mon, 13 Feb 2006 03:28:32 GMT in
<[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
(The Bubbo) wrote :

Quoted message said:

I don't know much about smoked salmon but I got to thinking about it
this weekend. I made crostini with curried mascarpone, spiced sweet
potato and smoked salmon. This was not the dry, flakey, smokey type of
smoked salmon. This was soft, almost like raw with no smokey flavor at
all.

The label clearly said smoked salmon but how do I differentiate when I
am describing it to people? I really don't care for that dry flakey
kind.

Out here on the west coast (Seattle) the type you got is invariably called
"lox". If you want to be really technical, lox is a specific type of cold-
smoked salmon, but since the generic is in such wide use, specifying it
will probably get you what you need.

By comparison the hot-smoked, flaky kind, is usually called out here
"Northwest-style". There may be other designators.

Beyond that you also have "salmon jerky" which has been dried and smoked -
a common Native American practice.

These are also in ascending order of shelf life. Lox is pretty perishable
and should be kept in the refrigerator. Northwest-style is much more robust
and can survive outside refrigeration for considerable time. Salmon jerky
is room-temperature stable and will keep for weeks.

--
Alex Rast
[email hidden]
(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

The Bubbo said:

I don't know much about smoked salmon but I got to thinking about it this
weekend. I made crostini with curried mascarpone, spiced sweet potato and
smoked salmon. This was not the dry, flakey, smokey type of smoked salmon.
This was soft, almost like raw with no smokey flavor at all.

The label clearly said smoked salmon but how do I differentiate when I am
describing it to people? I really don't care for that dry flakey kind. Even
the stuff that is completely naturally smoked tastes like chemicals to me, i
think it's something in the process maybe.

The process involves bringing the fish first. Smoking is the last and really an
unnecessary process in cold smoking. The fish is first brined in a combination
of salt and brown sugar. Then is is rinsed and soaked in a saturated salt
solution after which it is rinsed of excess salt. After that has been done it is
usually often brushed with a mixture of brown sugar and rum. It is quite edible
at that point but can be cold smoked for the smoky flavour. This style of
smoking salmon should give you a product that looks raw. It should be a little
drier than raw salmon.

Then there is hot smoked salmon which involves some bringing before slow cooking
with some heat and smoke. This results in a completely different texture.

Kent said:

You had "cold smoked salmon", by far the most delicate of any salmon
preparation. The only competitive preparation is Gravlax, which is very good
as well.
What brand was it? What was the date on the package relative to today's
date?
I like Costco's Norwegian cold smoked salmon, and it's the best deal around
for a certified tightwad.

My sister in law was visiting a few weeks ago and brought some smoked Salmon
from Giant Tiger, $1.99 for a 5 oz package. It wasn't bad.

In article <[email hidden]>,

The Bubbo said:

Thank you!
It was in fact the Costco Norwegian stuff. I dn't have the package, my sister
had purchased some a couple days ago so I took a huge chunk from her.

Hey, have you got a Costco membership?
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 2-11-2006, Sausage Roll Ups

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

The Bubbo said:

Thank you!
It was in fact the Costco Norwegian stuff. I dn't have the package, my

sister

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

had purchased some a couple days ago so I took a huge chunk from her.

Hey, have you got a Costco membership?

no, my sister does. She tried to give me one for christmas, but it's just
david and me, i don't really need it.

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

The Bubbo said:

Quoted message said:

Hey, have you got a Costco membership?

no, my sister does. She tried to give me one for christmas, but it's just
david and me, i don't really need it.

I am afraid to get one. I know there are some good deals in there, but there
are just two of us here. When I did have a card I would go in for something
specific, not find it and still spend more than $100, mostly on stuff I
didn't rally have much use for.

Dave Smith said:

I am afraid to get one. I know there are some good deals in there, but there
are just two of us here. When I did have a card I would go in for something
specific, not find it and still spend more than $100, mostly on stuff I
didn't rally have much use for.

I only really go when I am having a party and need lots of something, but
honestly, even for parties of 30 or 40 people I don't get much there.

Of course I did buy the 15 pack of Kraft mac and cheese!

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

The Bubbo said:

I only really go when I am having a party and need lots of something, but
honestly, even for parties of 30 or 40 people I don't get much there.

Of course I did buy the 15 pack of Kraft mac and cheese!

I found a good deal on frozen shrimp there, but when I went back they no longer
had it. I get the impression that a lot of their deals are matter of special deals
from suppliers but that they are not committed to carrying any particular
products. They had some good deals on thinks like Breton crackers and some pasta
sauces which were sold in packs of 3 or four, but they were all variety packs.

I make gravlax. http://www.recipezaar.com/31131
You're describing making gravlax and smoking following at a very low temp.,
75-80F or so. I've tried this at a temp. of 110-125 in the Luhr Jensen
Little Chef with marginal results. I've never tried it with smoke and no
heat. That's probably the answer to a question that has haunted me for
years.
Thanx
Kent

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Bubbo said:

I don't know much about smoked salmon but I got to thinking about it this
weekend. I made crostini with curried mascarpone, spiced sweet potato and
smoked salmon. This was not the dry, flakey, smokey type of smoked
salmon.
This was soft, almost like raw with no smokey flavor at all.

The label clearly said smoked salmon but how do I differentiate when I am
describing it to people? I really don't care for that dry flakey kind.
Even
the stuff that is completely naturally smoked tastes like chemicals to
me, i
think it's something in the process maybe.

The process involves bringing the fish first. Smoking is the last and
really an
unnecessary process in cold smoking. The fish is first brined in a
combination
of salt and brown sugar. Then is is rinsed and soaked in a saturated salt
solution after which it is rinsed of excess salt. After that has been done
it is
usually often brushed with a mixture of brown sugar and rum. It is quite
edible
at that point but can be cold smoked for the smoky flavour. This style of
smoking salmon should give you a product that looks raw. It should be a
little
drier than raw salmon.

Then there is hot smoked salmon which involves some bringing before slow
cooking
with some heat and smoke. This results in a completely different texture.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

The Bubbo said:

Quoted message said:

Hey, have you got a Costco membership?

no, my sister does. She tried to give me one for christmas, but it's just
david and me, i don't really need it.

I am afraid to get one. I know there are some good deals in there, but there
are just two of us here. When I did have a card I would go in for something
specific, not find it and still spend more than $100, mostly on stuff I
didn't rally have much use for.

I'm still working off that barrel of maple syrup I bought back in
1998...

sd

me said:

I'm still working off that barrel of maple syrup I bought back in
1998...

Barrel of maple syrup?

We are about half way through the litre jug I bought in December, and that is
probably the fastest we have ever gone through the stuff.

I consider myself lucky. There is a farm nearby that produces maple syrup and it
is just down the road from the stable where I take riding lessons. It is much
cheaper to buy it in larger volumes. I cringe when I see it in shoppes (with an
extra p and an e) where they charge almost as much for a very small bottle of it
as I pay for a litre.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

me said:

I'm still working off that barrel of maple syrup I bought back in
1998...

Barrel of maple syrup?

It was a joke (and apparently not a good one) about the size of
products at the buying clubs and how difficult it can be for a
single person to finish them. :-)

Quoted message said:

We are about half way through the litre jug I bought in December, and that is
probably the fastest we have ever gone through the stuff.

I consider myself lucky. There is a farm nearby that produces maple syrup and
it
is just down the road from the stable where I take riding lessons. It is
much
cheaper to buy it in larger volumes. I cringe when I see it in shoppes (with
an
extra p and an e) where they charge almost as much for a very small bottle
of it
as I pay for a litre.

Ditto. I actually buy my maple syrup at the co-op, where it is sold
in bulk. I prefer Grade B, which I don't often see in bottles. But,
either way, it's a much better deal and the syrup is local.

sd

me said:

Ditto. I actually buy my maple syrup at the co-op, where it is sold
in bulk. I prefer Grade B, which I don't often see in bottles. But,
either way, it's a much better deal and the syrup is local.

Absent a local co-op, shoppers at Trader Joe's can also get Grade B
maple syrup. My current bottle is from Quebec but they also have some
from New England, and I guess they also have Grade A, the lighter
stuff. Like you, we prefer the darker Grade B. -aem

aem said:

me said:

Ditto. I actually buy my maple syrup at the co-op, where it is sold
in bulk. I prefer Grade B, which I don't often see in bottles. But,
either way, it's a much better deal and the syrup is local.

Absent a local co-op, shoppers at Trader Joe's can also get Grade B
maple syrup. My current bottle is from Quebec but they also have some
from New England, and I guess they also have Grade A, the lighter
stuff. Like you, we prefer the darker Grade B. -aem

The local maple farm sells it in light, medium, amber and dark. I prefer
the dark.

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

me said:

Ditto. I actually buy my maple syrup at the co-op, where it is sold
in bulk. I prefer Grade B, which I don't often see in bottles. But,
either way, it's a much better deal and the syrup is local.

Absent a local co-op, shoppers at Trader Joe's can also get Grade B
maple syrup. My current bottle is from Quebec but they also have some
from New England, and I guess they also have Grade A, the lighter
stuff. Like you, we prefer the darker Grade B. -aem

Funny, to me, I looked for it for a long time, couldn't find it, even
on my forays into New England. Tried to buy some online, but really,
I could only find it in jagunda size, I don't use that much of it, and you
know it's not cheap. One day last fall, I was looking for maple syrup
when ! there it was! Grade B, right in my local store.

At any rate, last time I bought some, a woman was also looking for
maple syrup and she asked, why was my bottle different looking from
hers, being the same brand. I pointed out about the grade b, she asked
what it was like ... I struggled ... uh, it's ... heavier? No. It's ...
well,
I forget how I explained it to her, she understood, I think. First she'd
heard of grades of maple syrup.

nancy

Nancy Young said:

Funny, to me, I looked for it for a long time, couldn't find it, even
on my forays into New England. Tried to buy some online, but really,
I could only find it in jagunda size, I don't use that much of it, and you
know it's not cheap. One day last fall, I was looking for maple syrup
when ! there it was! Grade B, right in my local store.

If you buy it in larger quantities it is no more expensive than jams. It also
costs more in those fancy jars that some people seem to like. I buy it in
plain glass or plastic jigs for $16.95 per litre at the local maple farm. They
sell 500 ml jogs for $925 and fancy maple leaf shaped 250 bottles for $8.50,
which works out to twice the cost per unit volume that I pay.