2 Summer 2016 Applegater
Paul Tipton’s basic
smoked salmon recipe
In the spring Applegater, you read
about Paul Tipton winning first place
at the Smoked Salmon Festival in 2015.
Paul has generously offered to share
his smoked-salmon recipe with our
readers—here it is:
Start with the freshest and brightest
fish you can catch, or buy fresh flash-
frozen Alaskan salmon as a reasonable
substitute. You can prepare the dry brine
mixture ahead of time and let the flavors
blend. The quantity of this mix will get
you through multiple smokings if you
keep it in an airtight container. This is a
fairly mild mix, not too spicy, and can
be varied to suit your taste.
Dry brine mixture
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sea salt (or other salt)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (substitute
or add black pepper)
1½ teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1½ teaspoons mustard powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
The night before the smoking, cut
the salmon into pieces—smaller pieces
will get more smoke contact, so Paul
usually cuts 4” x 4” or 5” pieces, but you
can do a whole fillet or any size portion
you want. With bigger fish and thicker
meat, put a slice halfway down through
the middle of the piece to allow more
brine and smoke contact. Put the fish in
glass or stainless containers in a single
layer. (Paul uses large glass baking pans
with 1½” to 2” sides, of different sizes,
and stacks them in a big cooler with ice
to avoid taking up refrigerator space.)
After mixing the dr y brine
ingredients, shake or spoon the mixture
over the fish with one hand and rub it
in with the other, coating all exposed
meat surfaces. Be careful—if you apply
too much, it won’t stick. Cover and
refrigerate overnight, 8 to 12 hours.
Early on smoking day, clean, oil and
prepare your smoking racks. Take the fish
out and quickly rinse the excess brine off
each piece, then place on an oiled rack.
Let it dry for at least two hours in an airy
place so that the “pellicle,” a sealing layer,
will form over the fish.
For Paul’s smoking process, use a live
alderwood fire with a little bit of charcoal
to keep it going. Keep some wood soaked
in water
and a spray
bottle ready
to knock
d ow n t h e
fire. This is
an intensive
process, and
there are
many types
of smokers
that could
Paul Tipton preparing
salmon for smoking.
provide
a similar
result. Try to keep the initial temperature
of the smoker from 120 to 150 degrees F
for the first two to six hours of smoking
to allow this cooler smoke to be absorbed
into the fish. The slow rise in temperature
also prevents an excess flow of juices from
the fish.
Gradually raise the temperature to
about 200 degrees F or slightly above,
and occasionally rotate your racks from
hotter to cooler positions. When the
internal temperature of the fish reaches
110 to 120 degrees F, start with the
first of three to four bastings to provide
additional flavors to the finished product.
Basting ingredients
¼ cup fresh or frozen orange, lemon,
or other citrus juices, or apple cider
brown sugar—enough to make a
slightly syrupy mixture of two to
three tablespoons
water, vodka, brandy to adjust the mix
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger, cayenne,
or other pepper
Baste every 20 to 30 minutes until
the salmon reaches 140 to 145 degrees
F. Remove from or cool in the smoker
until ready for wrapping. Wrap the fish
in plastic wrap and freeze it on cookie
sheets overnight, then slip it into pre-
cut vacuum bags and vacuum pack
immediately. (In the rare case that too
much moisture is in the vacuum bag, put
a little piece of paper towel at the edge
of the seal inside to keep from messing
up the seal.)
The vacuum-packed salmon never
lasts long around Paul’s house, but it
could keep this way for several years at
zero degrees. Finally, Paul warns, be very
careful who you tell about having some!
Fish on! For more information,
contact Paul Tipton at 541-846-7501.
Applegate authors to read at Terra Firma
Saturday, June 11, 1 to 3 pm
When the Applegater asked for contributions to its proposed anthology of Applegate
writers, From the Heart of the Applegate, the literary pieces came flooding in. The
Applegate is full of good writers! This anthology contains works of 36 of those writers,
represented in 10 pieces of nonfiction, 9 pieces of short fiction, and 45 poems.
On Saturday, June 11, ten of the authors represented in the book will be reading
their pieces in the upstairs room of Terra Firma at 135 West California Street in
Jacksonville. The readers, chosen by lottery, will be Lisa Baldwin, Dolores Durando,
Beate Foit, Lily Myers Kaplan, Haley May, H. Ni Aodagain, Christina Strelova, Barbara
Summerhawk, Christin Weber, and Greeley Wells.
Topics of the essays, poems, and short stories range from living in the Applegate
to travels abroad, from childhood experiences to contemplations about age, from
environmental writing to personal revelations. Some pieces are humorous; some explore
grief or love; some speak of our spirituality, others of our relationships with animals or
with each other. It’s an anthology that reaches broadly, but the biographies at the back
of the book reveal that its common ground is the Applegate itself.
Come to Terra Firma on June 11 to hear the readings, to meet the authors, to enjoy
some refreshments, and to buy the book. The proceeds from sales support the ongoing
publication of the Applegater, the quarterly newsmagazine of the Applegate Valley, which
is mailed free to all residents and businesses.
“The commitment that the volunteers
bring to the organization is incredible.”
■ NEW FIRE CHIEF
Continued from page 1
need. Not to mention the great people
in the firefighting field!
Mike started as a “paid-call”
firefighter for Orange County in 1986.
He’s also worked as a firefighter at
Camp Pendleton, in Big Bear Lake, and
as a captain at the Fort Irwin National
Training Center in the Mojave Desert.
In 2005 he was hired as a captain
with the San Bernardino County Fire
Department, where he stayed for 11
years, working in both the mountain and
desert divisions.
Mike said that after 20 years,
he and his wife, Becky, were “tired of
the snow” and the California lifestyle.
A friend suggested they check out
southwestern Oregon, so they did last
summer. Feeling that the area offered
great opportunities for their three
children, they moved the family to the
Applegate last September.
Mike and Becky have three
teenagers, so they were especially pleased
to discover the terrific sports programs
that our Hidden Valley High School
offers. Mackenzie, 17, is an athlete; she
enjoys playing volleyball and also runs
track. Hannah, 15, is on the school
cheerleader team. She loves animals
and the lifestyle here in the Applegate
Valley. Their son Gavin is 13 and attends
Lincoln Savage Middle School. He also
enjoys the Applegate lifestyle and is an
outstanding (Dad’s word) baseball player
(look out, MLB!). Mike and Becky are
obviously very proud of their children
and their accomplishments to date.
Chief Mike says that there are a lot
of similarities between Applegate Valley
Fire District #9 and San Bernardino
County’s Mountain Division, where he
worked for over two years. Large forests,
open spaces, mountains, homes on long
rural roads—basically wildland-urban
interface! Both areas count on mutual
aid from neighboring agencies. Mike
noted that San Bernardino is a large,
paid-employee department that can
address all types of risks, such as hazmat
and ambulance service (much like
Medford), while the Applegate is a smaller
department comprised of both full-
time and volunteer personnel working
together to mitigate all emergencies.
And what’s been the chief’s
first impressions of his new district?
He said, “My experience with the
paid staff has been very rewarding.
These individuals truly enjoy serving
the Applegate community. As for the
volunteers, all I can say is ‘Wow!’ The
commitment that the volunteers bring
to the organization is incredible. These
individuals are truly the backbone of this
organization, and I am excited to get to
know all of them better as time goes on.”
Chief Mike told me that after
six weeks, he’s still getting used to the
day-to-day operations (and finding his
way around the valley). He feels that
“my experience working in different
organizations throughout my career has
groomed and prepared me to develop
the necessary skills to lead the Applegate
Valley Fire District #9.”
The chief says, “I was fortunate
enough to work for some outstanding
leaders while employed with San
Bernardino County Fire, and I look
forward to leading and mentoring
the members of Applegate Valley Fire
District #9.”
Stop in at the headquarters station
in Ruch and meet your new fire chief
when you get a chance!
Sandy Shaffer
sassyoneor@gmail.com
The Applegater
welcomes
Shelley Manning
to the Board of Directors
Shelley Manning, a retired salon owner
and hair colorist, grew up in Los Angeles
County, attended Cerritos College, and
migrated south to Carlsbad, California. She
and her husband, Cary, fulfilled their dream of
being self-employed hair salon owners. Then,
“Thirty years went by in the blink of an eye,”
said Shelley.
By the mid-1990s, Shelley was hired as a guest artist by Goldwell, an
international hair color manufacturer. As the job required a “million miles
of travel,” she had the opportunity to experience communities all over the
US and Canada.
That’s why, when the time came for the next phase of Shelley’s dream—a
sweet little farm—she knew the Applegate was nirvana. Ten years ago, she and
Cary started combing the valley to find their perfect property. Their search
came to fruition two years ago on Thompson Creek.
These days you can find Shelley puttering around in her garden, moving
dirt, sprouting seeds, or just sitting by the creek. She has found contentment
as a neophyte farmer, but still likes to do a little hair coloring on the side.
Shelley said that the Applegater was her lifeline to the community when
her Applegate life was still a fantasy. Now she is delighted to be serving as a
board member.
As we welcome Shelley, we say good-bye to two former board members,
Richard Goodnough and Heather Murphy. A huge thanks to both of
them for their valued service.