Want to know a word that I absolutely adore? Whimsy.
The moment I utter or even type it, I suddenly feel the urge to dream in vivid kaleidoscopic colors, to fill my head with beautiful sounds and to surround myself with all varieties of unapologetic creativity. One dictionary defines whimsy as “extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression” — which is exactly the kind of attitude I like to bring into my kitchen.
You see, I think of cooking as an individualized art, a form of personal expression; and now that I regularly prepare wild-caught fish at home, I’ve learned to replace any apprehension or intimidation I may have previously had about handling seafood with the simple notion of having some good old-fashioned fun.
With that, I invite you to get whimsical with your wild seafood. Dare to travel metaphorically to Northern Africa and live out all your Berber fantasies with this Moroccan Grilled Sockeye Salmon; or experience your very own Latin American flight of fancy by making ceviche; or turn up the flavor, texture and bright chromatics with these Bay Bounty Salmon Tacos, cheerfully drizzled with chili avocado cream; or dive into a whole weekend project and make a gravlax with gravitas!
The point is, lose yourself in the possibility of experimentation, free yourself from the notion that you have to play by any rules, and be bold enough to tap into your inner child-chef, that creative culinary artist who just wants to express!
Until then, live wild and stay playful!
Monica
Pictured: simply pan-fried wild salmon wearing an avocado-black sesame topper, all on a pile of tagliolini arcobaleno (rainbow tagliolini) I picked up on a trip to Lake Orta, Italy — or as I like to call it: Psychedelic Sockeye!
