When I am traveling down below, I am always keeping an eye out for salmon products, especially Alaskan salmon. Sometimes the wild Pacific salmon products I run into while traveling are interesting. Sometimes, however, they help explain why salmon isn’t more popular in other places.
Last night was one good case in point. Whenever I go to visit my dad in Northern Arkansas, we make it a point to hit Shoney’s seafood buffet on Friday and Saturday nights at least once. My dad is a BIG fan of the frog legs they serve. He can sit and fill up on them. I like a few but usually enjoy the other stuff more, like shrimp and grilled trout.
Last night I saw something that looked like baked salmon. I wasn’t really sure what the variety was. I asked a serving person, mainly because I was hoping it wasn’t that Atlantic farmed crap but good Alaskan wild salmon. It was indeed salmon, but she looked baffled when I asked what kind as there are 5 species of Pacific salmon and they aren’t all created equal.
She came to our table a few minutes later. She had talked to the main cook to find out what the salmon was. According to the package it was in fact wild Pacific salmon (Yeah!). Then it was my turn to be baffled when she went on to say it was Keta salmon. This was a term I’d had to look up when I first ran into it a few years ago. Turns out this was the official name of what we refer to Chum salmon or “Dogs.” Most of the Chum salmon I was familiar with was smoked; I had never seen it served like this. I had to try a piece.
The salmon was in fillet chunks and baked in butter and garlic sauce. Most likely they came prepared like this and were simply put on a sheet pan and baked. They looked nice. I wasn’t so impressed with the flavor. Something seemed off. Also the salmon wouldn’t peel off the skin which was face down. This is a normal way to bake salmon but the skin usually peels right off. If this had been my first experience with Alaskan salmon, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been impressed or in any hurry to try it again.
One mainstream product I did like was the smoked wild Alaskan salmon that Subway tried in their sandwiches a couple of years ago. I don’t know if they are still doing them but these were pretty tasty. They were just pink salmon but they did have a good taste. If your Subway still offers them, give it a try. You just might decide you like salmon after all 
.
I’ve also run across several restaurants, including Red Lobster, over the years who did serve salmon but it was Atlantic farmed salmon. Don’t eat that stuff! It has none of the health benefits of wild Pacific salmon. If you see your favorite eating spot doing this, ask that they get the real thing: wild Pacific salmon. Your tastebuds will thank you. If you’re traveling in Alaska you’re safe; no Alaskan restaurant would dare serve anything but genuine Alaskan salmon.
I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on other places you have run into salmon at; especially whether it was wild Pacific salmon or farmed Atlantic salmon. Note: If it says Atlantic salmon it is probably farmed. If you are eating salmon because of the health benefits you have read about, make sure it is wild pacific salmon. Farmed atlantic salmon has almost none of these health benefits. More on this later.
Tags: Alaska salmon, Chum salmon, Keta salmon, wild Pacific salmon
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