Imagine going to Alaska and catching a wild salmon, snatching it away just in front of a grizzly bear. Well, like many people, I am no hero when it comes to surviving in the wilderness and catching your own ‘food’. Lucky for people who are afraid of fish hooks there is somebody called Frank Heyn from Frank’s Smokehouse. The only person in Holland with ‘friends’ in Alaska who deliver wild salmon (caught with a tackle!) to his doorstep. Every week when in season. And the new catch had just arrived when we entered his shop in Amsterdam last weekend. Lucky us!

After buying the salmon, some smoked and some raw, we went home with our other catches of the day from the organic Noordermarkt and had a feast. Delicious bread from ‘Het Vlaams Broodhuis’, a ripe avocado, the smoked salmon and a lovely ‘guilt free’ light sauce to go with it (see recipe). We sat on a rug on the floor with our plates of salmon pink and avocado green and looked at each other. Life is good!

Look at my ‘a taste of Holland’ page for details on Frank’s Smokehouse

Recipe for the guilt free sauce

4 tbsps yoghurt
2 tbsps crème fraiche
tsp mild mustard
a pinch of cayenne pepper
a pinch of salt
chopped chives

Mix everything together and enjoy!