The Summer spent on the Deck

Growing up, we didn't have a lot of money. Most days, the only time I ate was at school. I remember when I was about fourteen, I was worried that my Dad didn't have food at home to eat and I put my lunch sandwich in my sweatshirt pocket to bring home to him. During the summer I was able to escape my house to my grandparent's house.

My grandparent's house was a different story. My Grandma would buy our favorite cereal and we would go out to dinner or grill our food out in the summer's evening air. My favorite food of our summer paradise? Grilled Salmon. I grew up in a little town on the lakeshore of Lake Michigan. When I was a kid, salmon were over abundant. My Grandpa would take us out on the big lake and we would catch eight or so. Although I was too small to reel them in on my own, I remember holding the rod with my grandpa's arms around me, reeling in the mighty fish. Once the fish was aboard the boat, Grandpa held it high for all to see- the fish was longer in length than I was tall. When we lived in Georgia for a summer, the locals down there often asked us about the fish that lived within our lakes. The salmon were so large that people in the south believed folk tales about salmon eating small children. Looking at that fish, I could see how they believed the tales.

Once ashore, Grandpa showed us how to clean the salmon at the fishing station. We would rinse the pink filets and Grandpa had his own trick to debone so that there wouldn't be any bones in the meat. My Grandma would package the meat to freeze, can it to last many months or we would cook some at home for dinner. Growing up I was never a picky eater, I couldn't afford to be, but I did not like fish. But Grandpa's smoked salmon fell into a category that wasn't considered "fish". I remember smelling the grill from the porch and my mouth watering. Fish from where I am from have a tendency to taste like the lake from which they come from. Many tourist like this taste which is why our chartering boats* are always busy during the summer. But I was not a fan of the taste of the lake. Grandpa's fish did not taste like the lake; he seasoned the filets to perfection, all there was to be tasted was mouth watering goodness.

Once the fish was done, we walked to the grill and Grandpa placed a filet on our plates. We would take small steps up to the porch, careful not to spill our plate. Salmon was a delicacy even in those days. We sat under the umbrella on Grandmas deck. I remember my first time trying salmon. I was wary. I knew it was fish (which I didn't like) and there were black specks of seasoning on it. At the time I wasn't quite sure what seasoning was- my parents couldn't afford it except for the basic salt and pepper. Skeptically, I put a forkful into my mouth. The meat fell apart in my mouth. So many flavors I had never experienced before! I could taste a hint of the smoke from the grill and I liked it. Smoked salmon now reminds me of that fateful summer. The sun shining and the warm air. Sitting in the cool shade at the umbrella table on Grandma's deck. We had many good summers on that deck and many good mouthfuls of smoked salmon. My cousins and I grew up experiencing ice cream on hot summer days to smoked salmon on special occasions. We are all grown up and some of us live across the country in Hawaii, others in Florida and I'm still right here at home in Michigan.

Now I'm older and the days of Grandpa smoking salmon on the grill are gone. I enjoy reminiscing about those days, when I was younger and the world was full of wonder. Not only does smoke salmon remind me of those younger days, it also reminds me to not be afraid to try new things. I'm older now, but the world is still full of wonders.

*Chartering Boats are a service provided in which you can experience Lake Michigan fishing and keep your fish to eat later! If you're interested in visiting Michigan and booking a trip I highly recommend: Fishing Affair Sport Fishing Charters (can be found on Facebook).