Alaskan Salmon Burgers

One of my families favorite things to do on Saturday's is to go to the Mill City Farmers Market in Downtown Minneapolis. The market overlooks the sparkling Mississippi River making for a gorgeous setting. The market is filled with tables that are piled high with beautiful, organic, stunning produce, baked goods, meats, wild rice, and apples. One of my favorite stands to go to is the Wild Run Salmon Table.  Last season we purchased many pounds of two types of Salmon and Cod. We still have some fish in our freezer which we can't wait to eat. Last Saturday we stopped by the stand and talked with the fisherman. He remembered that I had a food blog and wanted me to try his ground Salmon. He gave us a frozen pack of it. A few nights later my mom made some amazing Salmon Burgers. The Salmon was delicious. My mom made a wonderful homemade tartar sauce that topped the burger. The burger was prepared with homemade bread crumbs, herbs, and scallions. Fresh Romain Lettuce and a perfectly grilled bun completed the sandwich.

Here is a picture I took of the burger:

Labor Day Feast

Over Labor Day weekend my family was invited to a cabin on Madeline Island which is on the North Shore of Lake Superior. This was only my second trip to Madeline Island. The cabin was owned by a chef who has strong beliefs about good wholesome food, where food comes from, and how it is prepared. I had the honor to cook a couple meals with her. My favorite was a oven broiled white fish. The White Fish was caught that morning and was so tasty and beautiful. The fish was prepared quite simply. A little salt and pepper and some lemon juice was all that we added. We had some stunning mushrooms that were foraged earlier that day to accompany the fish.  They were some of the most delicious mushrooms I have ever had. I learned on this trip that great food can be prepared simply but can be so delicious. The quality of the food is a big factor in how good or bad it tastes. The quality of the ingredients has a great impact on the outcome of your meal.

Working In the Food Industry

I have been working at Clanceys Meat & Fish Market for about two months now, and I never realized how rewarding working in the Food Industry would be. In the time that I have worked at Clanceys, I have realized what goes into preparing high quality food. Every day that I have worked at Clanceys I have learned many new things.  I would truly recommend this job to any teenager. There are many jobs that you can do, you could be washing dishes the whole time like me or you could be making sandwiches. On each shift I have worked with great people, who are willing to share their knowledge. So far I have learned the importance of team work, working efficeintly, and being flexible. I am loving my job and I hope to work there for many more years to come.

First job in the Food Industry

 It all started 6 years ago when I walked into one freezer full of meat and saw other delicacies at Clancey's Meat & Fish Market. I instantly fell in love with butchering and this business, and the owner recognized that. As we walked out she said,"Piet, when you are 14 you can have your first internship here". From that moment on I was counting down the days.
 May 9, 2015:
Today was my first day of training at Clancey's. I am really excited but also at the same time didn't know what to expect. I knew that today was only a training day but I also knew that  I had to make a good first expression. As I started working I learned new things left and right. I was in the back in a corner washing dishes which is a typical first job at a store like this. I learned how to stay organized and how that would help me make my job a lot easier. As the day went on I got more and more comfortable with what I was doing, my surroundings, and working with the staff. I am so lucky that the staff is so so nice and was willing to answer any question that I had. As the day ended I realized that working in the food industry is actually really interesting and complicated . I really look forward to learning more about food and the this industry as I start my working career at Clancey's.