The King of Smoked Fish

This year we have decided to give some recommendations on where to get some of the bare essentials for making an ultra special Scottish foodie Christmas. Today we look at the quintessential king of smoked fish, Salmon. 

Although Scottish Smoked Salmon is still considered somewhat a luxury food item, steady supply has maintained the prices at relatively the same levels they were years ago, making it an affordable food item that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack. 

Salmon can be of course be farmed or wild. The latter is rarer and more expensive. Both are delicious and any preference will be a matter of your own personal taste.

Generally speaking farmed salmon has a higher fat content while wild salmon will be leaner from the exertions of swimming in fast waters. 

We are blessed to have many fantastic artisan producers of top quality, award winning salmon, some of which we take you to visit on our various food tours across Scotland or in the restaurants we select or recommend for you. 

Each smokehouse we visit has their own particular curing/brining recipe which along with the product chosen to create the smoke are some of the main reasons for why each smoked salmon has a different taste. 

Everyone who joins us to meet Rob, Tracy, Ronnie and Phil at Dunkeld Smoked Salmon in Perthshire are suitably impressed when they taste from their range. Their award winning smoked salmon has after all our Queen’s seal of approval, having served it at her 60th jubilee lunch in Scone.

The salmon from Dunkeld is delicate, lightly smoked with a melt in the mouth texture and most definitely one of our favourites. Both farmed salmon and the more luxurious wild salmon and both hot and cold smoked versions are available. Or, if you’re lucky enough to have caught your own salmon when fishing, Ronnie or Phil will smoke it for you.

Dunkeld Smoked Salmon offer a mail order service too, so a quick order placed now ensures that’s another thing off your Christmas ‘to do’ list. Ah, bliss!

Top Tip: So how do you tell a good smoked salmon? Well it shouldn’t be bright orange for a start. Good smoked salmon varies in colour from pink to reddish-brown. It should have a silky texture and shouldn’t feel oily. There should be a good balance of smokiness, which enhances rather than overpowers the fish. 

Did you know? the Greeks and the Romans also enjoyed smoked salmon, serving it at their lavish festivals.

If you would like to learn to make your own smoked products come and join us on Saturday 6th April 2014 (or one of our others dates) for our 6 hour ‘Food Smoking at Home’ course. Or if you are looking for the perfect present for a food lover this Christmas or for that someone who has everything else you can think of, look no further. There are still a few places available. And it sure beats socks! Book here.

Tastefully yours, Brenda 

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