Tasting Sessions at the Smoke House.

Daily Daytime and Early Evening tasting sessions in the heated 'tasting shed' . (available year round). Price £50 for 1 person and £45-00 per person 2 or more :   No minimum /  6 persons is a comfortable maximum per session.  However seating for 8 persons is available upon request.  Wheelchair accessible. 

Sessions last for around 1 1/2 hours. They include a wee look at the smokehouse followed by an informal gathering in the tasting shed where I discuss salmon farming in Shetland and how I choose my salmon . I then give a brief description of how I prepare the salmon fillets for smoking and how I produce my own sawdust including plenty of sampling from every part of the smoked salmon fillet . I have invented all of my own smokers and I have one on display in the classroom where I describe how it works and how the salmon fillets are smoked.

At the start of the presentation we'll  touch on the science of taste, smell and flavour, cleansing our palates with a cup of first flush Darjeeling tea from the Margarets Hope estate in Darjeeling. I use little terracotta 'kuhlar' cups from Gujarat that have been hygienically sealed with food grade Liquid Quartz but still allow the earthy clay flavour to permeate the tea. Initially we'll be sampling pieces of my smoked salmon cut with a knapped flint knife but will move on to slicing with a stainless steel knife and discover how metal affects the flavour of smoked salmon in the same way as it affects caviar. Then it's question time followed by the opportunity to purchase small vacuum packs of my smoked salmon.

Finally, your booking will be just for you and  I will never mix groups ! 

Also please ensure that you are not wearing a strong fragrance or chewing gum. However muddy boots and wet waterproofs are almost mandatory !