GARDENING @ NIGHT

You know dill and cuke spend most of their time growing at night? Can't truly confirm this without Internet search. Some wack-job that carries a leaf-press around town told me this the other day in the hardware store while I was buying shotgun shells. Strange unprovoked small-talk subject no?

Even stranger considering I was locked into preparing wild steelhead salmon that evening. K's deep in her third trimester and we're trying to pour as much good fat into her bod as possible. Enter poached salmon. Tried the Scandinavian approach, which is to say embellished the poaching liquid - plain water - with handfuls of fennel and mustard seed, cloves, juniper and allspice. A few tablespoons of vinegar and to a boil. Turn the eye off and slip the fish into the liquid. Cover for two or three minutes. Check the fish's firmness. Poke and prod and then pull from pot.

New potatoes roasted with garlic, shallots, dill, parsley, mint, goose fat. Salad of sliced cukes, onions, red pepper flakes, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar. Grate horseradish and mix with creme fraiche or good quality sour cream. To the plate. No one will stop you from swilling Aquavit at the table. At least not me.