“Everyday” Honey Smoked Fish Un-Loxs A Secret

(Gerry Furth-Sides)  Smoke master, Kevin Mason and his sons at  Honey Smoked Fish //www.honeysmokedfish.com are determined to convince the world that smoked salmon is not a “special occasion” food.

The reason Smoked Salmon is considered a delicacy is its high price because it involves a fillet, the curing of this fine piece of fish, plus the smoking of it hot or cold. And do not confuse it with lox.  Smoked salmon is cured or brined, then smoked. Lox is cured, but not smoking.

Family owned and operated Honey Smoked Fish marks 24 years of producing the world’s finest lightly hot-smoked salmon. Smoke master Kevin Mason started fishing the seas at the young age of five and has been in the seafood industry for nearly forty years.

Kevin began his seafood venture working at Bob’s Fresh Fish, his father’s Kosher Fish Market on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. It was there that the idea for Honey Smoked Salmon was born.

Long before that, smoked salmon was devised as soon as cooks realized that smoking prolonged the shelf life of fish.  In fact, during the Middle Ages, smoked salmon became part of people’s diet and was commonly found in soups and salads. The first smoking factory was in Poland in the 7th century A.D.  The rise of the American smoked salmon industry in the West Coast, processing Pacific salmon from Alaska and Oregon took place much later in the 19th century.

Somewhere in the middle of all this history, the “London Cure” method of smoking salmon became the gold standard by which the fish is the star rather than the smoking process.  This school of smoked fish frowns upon any extra flavoring, and especially the addition of lemon of any kind. //www.formanandfield.com/notebook_history_smoked.html 

We met the lively, fit Mason family at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo  //www.westernfoodexpo.com this year in Los Angeles who is determined to change it to daily fare — something like the drive to serve turkey year around and not just on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Kevin’ explained,  “Motivation was pretty simple.  We were looking to our own best way to preserve the shelf life of fish for delivery.”  And the company only took shape after “many years of perfecting the Honey Smoking Process.”

Today there are several versions of the product.  Original Honey Smoked Salmon remains the most popular and features a blend of all natural herbs and spices with a light hickory smoke.  Also on the Honey Smoked Fish menu are: Lemon, Cajun, Cracked Pepper and Chipotle Lime — all of which would be frowned upon by purists.

A very mild, savory flavor can be detected on the front end, followed by a delightful faint touch of lemon. 

It is light but substantial, not the least bit salty and a texture that makes the fish fall apart in your mouth in a wonderful way.

This impressive artisanal pizza topped with tender marinated artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and Honey Smoked Salmon. The company website offers recipes.

 Honey Smoked Salmon Pizza