By Rachel Belle

photo courtesy of the Seattle PI

Listen to Copper River Salmon Arrives – Mania Ensues!

It was like Elvis Presley stepping off a plane to be greeted by adoring, fainting fans. Only this morning, on the tarmac at SeaTac Airport, the clapping and cheering was directed towards some fish. More specifically, the first beloved Copper River salmon of the season.

Twenty-four thousand pounds of the high price salmon was on board and chefs and seafood mongers were there to greet it. The first fish off the plane, a 45 pounder, was given a kiss.

Paula Speltz co-owns Wild Salmon Seafood Market in Queen Anne, Fisherman’s Terminal and Issaquah. She says they only got one Copper River King Salmon this morning and they quickly sold out. But they’ll have a fresh supply by tomorrow.

People pay big bucks for the beloved Copper River salmon. At Wild Salmon Seafood Market, a King Salmon will cost you $23.99 whole or $32.99 for a fillet. Paula points out that the King was $60 a pound, out of the gate, last year so it all comes down to supply and demand.

Paula set up a little blind taste test for me, to see if I could differentiate between a Copper River King Salmon and an Alaska Troll Caught King Salmon. She seared them in avocado oil, which is light and practically flavorless, and cooked them just slightly underdone so the fillets stayed flaky and tender.

Both were amazingly good, but I was able to pick out the Copper River! It was a little bit more flavorful, rich and fatty, in a good way. But, truthfully, the Alaska Troll caught was also pretty buttery and delicious. If I wasn’t paying such close attention I might not have noticed a difference. But, seafood shops and restaurants won’t miss my business, because locals with salmon fever are buying out all the Copper River salmon they can get their hands on.