Seeing Salmon

Pat and Gilburt Peterson are 5th generation Ojibwe/Scandanavian fisherfolk and own Peterson's Fish Market on Rt 41 just north of Hancock, MI. Petersons Fish Market. You have never tasted smoked salmon until you have broken off a piece from a fish caught in Lake Superior the day before and smoked in the Peterson's own maple wood smoker.

Deep rich flavor, succulent flakey texture. I can barely wait to get to the car to unwrap my piece and stuff chunks in my mouth.

Peterson's is a family affair: Mom, Pop, sons, daughters-in-law, grandkids and some times a few hired hands. They fish from their own boat 'Three Sons', in Lake Superior everyday, sometimes starting as early as 2 AM. The catch comes back to be cleaned and ready for restaurants in the UP--lake trout, salmon, white fish by mid-morning. 

Then the walk in customers begin. Fish is put to smoke in wisps of fragrant maple--no additives or amendments --fish and smoke. It is ready the next day.

This summer, they added a little fish fry operation in the parking lot run by their youngest son who has just completed a course at the French Culinary School in NYC.  Fried fillets, french fries and cole slaw under a red-striped awing off the side of a lunch-truck. Plus a little upscale cream fish soup. Folks are lining up.

I think about the fish and their Omega 3 oils so healthy for us humans and giving us Boomers longer life, and wonder if I should say a prayer to the salmon in thanks for its sacrifice allowing itself to be caught in the nets the Peterson's make in the red barn out behind their little white market. Salmon.

As a totem, fish give us clarity and vision--no wonder with the Omega 3s. And salmon bring clarity to a visionary journey. With the pure air and delicious food here in the UP, I can only hope the journey I have been on in the last few years stays as true down in Troll Land (below the Mackinac Bridge).

The Peterson's show us about family, partnering, commitment and great simple food. Thank you.

More on Omega-3 oils:  Susan Allport

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Comments

[Nancy Mehegan]

SALMON IN THE TREES: A wildlife biologist did a study on trees near a river in Alaska. Oddly enough he found traces of a nitrogen in the trees usually found in fish only. They soon realized - when the bears discarded the salmon - the salmon were absorbed by the trees. The lines begin to blur -- animal, fish, trees...nouns are only constructs.
read more: http://www.taiga.net/yourYukon/col442.html

[susan allport]

Thought you might be interested in this short omega-3 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIgNpsbvcVM

[sixty-five]

This sounds wonderful! I see that they fish year-round and offer shipping.