Cucumber and Smoked Salmon Wraps with Paradise Seeds — Rouleaux de saumon fumé au concombre et graines de Paradis

Smoked Salmon and the story of the Grand Canyon: are they related?

When the salmon is coming fresh right from Ireland, I have all the good reasons to think about more fancy ways to eat smoked salmon. In many ways I find it ironic to realize that I really now eat smoked salmon on a weekly basis-even daily- when while I was growing up, smoked salmon was really only reserved for special occasions. Christmas in France was and remains a time when smoked salmon can be seen as a delicacy on your table. Do I think it is better that I eat it very often? It actually has me wondering. You might think it is a bit crazy, some of my friends do, but I have always had an inclination for being deprived of one thing to truly appreciate it again. Within limits of course, je ne suis pas folle tout de même! (I am not that crazy!)

Take this example.

In the spring of 1995, while I was spending my first year in the US, I travelled a lot throughout the country. In April of that year, I enrolled myself to do a 6-day hiking trip in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. I had to have the real American experience, you see, l’Amérique avec un grand A! I believe that anyone who has hiked the Grand Canyon could report that it is simply a beautiful place. BUT. Because there is always a but! (with “one t” please, I know how to spell!) For 6 days, we did not see a soul around as we carried our heavy backpacks down to reach the canyon. Down down before going up up. Now, as much as I love backpacking and hiking, every minute was not true joy. I remember principally my backpack which very soon became my enemy. I started hating my backpack so much. It felt so heavy at times that during my most extreme angry times (yes you can get a bit grumpy, you know), all my thoughts were focused on trying to find out how I could get rid of it. I felt I was bearing my cross. I was then thinking, “Wow if this feels heavy, what would it have been if I had taken all the other things I had first envisioned packing?” Which comprised fresh juicy oranges, saucisson, red tomatoes, in other words, solid heavy food. I remember packing my bag and thinking that it could have been perfect if I had had a little donkey carrying all of my treasures. But my reality was different as I was to be the donkey and there was no way I was going to be able to sustain the load of these extra delicacies. Relunctantly, I had had to remove my most fancied foods from my bag and thus, during our 6-day hike, I ate anything (rehydrated food) but fresh food. Incidentally, anyone who wants to have a good insight as to what the backpacking life can be like has to read A walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. I just adored that book! But I am disgressing and should go back to my story. After 6 days without a shower and any fresh fruit or vegetables intake, I will have to share the following: the first shower felt like Heaven and the first bite in a piece of fresh fruit was like injecting 200% joy in me. The missed food and shower, or the fresh towel felt like gold in my hands. But I truly enjoyed and loved the Grand Canyon (although I got lost at some point while I was too busy taking pictures, yes I said it, I got lost in the Grand Canyon but here I am now, so that was not too bad after all). I hiked the Grand Canyon. Tick!

Why am I saying this again?

Ah yes smoked salmon. So whether it is a good thing to have it often or keep it special is debatable. I however enjoyed this dish and did not think twice about it. Irish smoked salmon is good! Especially when it was specially brought to me from Ireland.