Sir, - I was very pleased to see Linda Farmer's fascinating salmon flavoured research featured on October 26th ("In Time's Eye"). Our understanding of salmon flavour is rudimentary. For example, "the fresher the fish the better the taste" is the universal truism of the cookery writers. But does it still apply when farmed fish can be on the customer's plate a couple of days after harvest, instead of a week, or sometimes more, for wild caught fish?
In my experience, salmon benefits from being "hung" (chilled, of course) for at least five days after harvest. Many game anglers believe their catch tastes better after freezing than if eaten on the day it comes out of the water.
The Irish salmon industry (both wild and farmed) is small, and getting relatively smaller as Norway and Chile pile glut upon glut. EU action to halt the dumping is urgently needed if remote, fragile coastal communities in Ireland and Scotland are not to lose their only livelihood.
But the industry must also target a niche market. This means demonstrably improving quality and flavour - hence we need more of Linda Farmer's research. Would the Marine Institute provide some cross-Border support for the modest sum needed?
Yours, etc.,
Northern Salmon Co. Ltd,
Olenarm,
Co. Antrim BT44 OAA.