Fast food, special treats

We had to have a very quick lunch today. As I was walking home I saw some very nice smoked salmon in a delicatessen, gastronomia. This made me think of how much my dad loved smoked salmon. He had a real reverence for it. He went on a salmon fishing to Ireland once and came back singing "The salmon leap above the surging weir". The Londonderry air was one of my mum's favourite pieces of music at the time.

Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) Irish Folk Song (Celtic harp & tin whistle)

He also loved Scotland and was so happy when he discovered that you could take your salmon and have it smoked especially for you. He made us see smoked salmon as a real treat. Whenever there was some in the fridge he practically padlocked it. We had to savour every mouthful, not wolf it down like the ravenous teenagers that we were. My dad liked to serve smoked salmon with bread and butter and a sprinkle of black pepper. If the quality was good there was no need for lemon juice. Last week I saw a programme about the Cairngorms. There was a man salmon fishing in a sparkling stream. It looked wonderful! He said it was like fishing in champagne.

So today for a quick lunch, but to be savoured as the treat it is, smoked salmon and salad.