07/18

Chapter Three

SMOKING FISH

Mon. July 18th

Bonjour Meme,

You'll be proud of me meme, I separated the wood in the woodpile, into two separate piles, separating the alderwood from the other wood. The fish I caught should cure in a few days of smoking, they're not overly large.

I filled a large stainless steel tub with saltwater from the bay, by taking the wheelbarrow and a tub to Sea Lion Bay, and wheeling them back to Marvella. I'm letting my catch soak overnight in a saltwater brine. I did as you and pappy taught me by filleting and removing the backbone, and spreading the fish flesh with wooden sticks.

Tomorrow I'll smoke the fish with alder over a slow-burning fire, which should take about 2 days to totally cure the meat. I smoke it the way I was taught, slowly, on sharpened sticks, with the flesh facing the heat, and allowing the smoke to cure the fish rather than the cooking to cure the meat.

I'll let some of the meat smoke long enough to make jerky that won't spoil and mold; that way it should last through the winter months.

Oh, and I didn't catch anything in the crab or shrimp pots. Because I forgot to bait them!

Sleep well tonight, meme.