As you may have gathered, my parents had the sense not to give me a first name like Salmon, and our family name is definitely not Man. My given name is actually Ron (my mother still calls me Ronald which I can still remember being shrieked loudly across the street in my childhood). My family name is Aratema. It is Maori, indiginous New Zealand, from my father.
Salmon Man is the name of the business I started in 2004. I produce salmon products, as the name might suggest. Mostly Hot smoked, cooked in the smoking as well as other value added product like gravlax, marinated, kebabs and of course unadulterated salmon.
I source the salmon I use from a sea-run farm in Stewart Island in the deep south of New Zealand. They, as with most salmon farms in New Zealand produce King salmon (chinook). I get salmon weekly. It arrives whole and I fillet, pin-bone, cure, smoke and pack it. I predominantly sell at local farmers markets, online and direct. Recently I have move toward selling to on-sellers but prefer the direct interaction and feedback I get from dealing with individuals. Its a rapport that has been priceless with helping me to develop the products and business I have.
The reason I started this blog is because I really enjoy working with such an amazing product and I would love to make contact and share thoughts and ideas through the whole spectrum of what I do, and more, with like minded people.
If you're in Gods Own (NZ) and would like to try something of what I offer you can catch me or someone helping me out at the markets this weekend.
My recipe of the week this week has to be scrambled egg and salmon. There was a time when I'd eat them regularly but just recently for reasons I'll be able to divulge soon, they've been off the menu. Gutting really but hope they'll be back on the menu soon.
Anyway, they go like this. Mix 3 eggs, a splash of cream and season to taste. A bit of oil in a pan on med-high heat until oil is vaporizing and add egg mix. Tilt the pan away from you and with a flat ended wooden spoon pull the mix toward you so that the runny uncooked mix runs down into the area you've just cleared. Tilt the pan in different direction and continue pulling cooked mix up away from the heat until all mix is cooked to satisfaction. Add salmon and eat with buttered toast, or not.
I'm trialling something I'm quite excited about this week. Smoked capsicum. I've also added some smoked garlic and a very nice Balsamic marinade. I'm hoping other get as excited about them as am, they're delicious!
Very much looking forward to a weekend of less rain. Especially as its my beloveds birthday and we're going to the Coromandel with some friends to celebrate it!
