El Gringoqueño

How do you judge the value of a salmon steak. Take the person who buys it. Without the money for having bought that salmon steak it wouldn’t be a reality. It would never arrive to the hands of the seasoner. Sprinkle lemon, a little cilantro. Sprinkle precious drops of olive oil. Rub it into the pink meat. Let it set. So without those who would season the meat, there would be no great salmon steak. You have to give those seasoners credit. Let’s pass that filet to the grill. Without the griller, the right temperature, a few smoldering briquettes for smoky flavor. Watch that meat, it only takes five minutes to cook a piece of fish to perfection. Too hot, it’s blackened… too cool and you risk it falling apart. Pass that fish to the serving plate. They eat it, exclaiming, "Wow, that was the most wonderful salmon I’ve ever eaten. My hat is off to you chef."

"Ah, but," he replies, "I couldn’t have done it without the seasoner. That salmon was only as good as the seasoner. Seasoner, my hat is off to you."

She smiles politely, "Very well, but without the buyer, I wouldn’t have had anything. Without that great delicacy to start with, I wouldn’t have anything to season."

"Thank you, but my part is a small one." says the buyer.

It was a fine salmon and all are in accord. They had made a fine meal and it was a team effort.

And then my mind drifts off to the salmon waters of the North Pacific. I see a great strength darting through the cold ocean waters. Is this greatness a gift of the buyers, seasoners, and grillers? I think this as I imagine its life, and I see that the grand beast was magnificent.