Fish

I grew up in - and still live - in the Pacific Northwest. And when it comes to food, the first thing many people think about the PNW is seafood. Tons of seafood. As if everyone who lives north of California and east of Idaho consumes nothing but salmon all day long. Granted, areas like Western Washington State are famous for their seafood restaurants and markets. But once you get east of the Cascade Mountains, seafood is not available fresh, so it's red meat territory. Oregon is not known as a fresh fish Mecca. I think those in Oregon feed themselves - mostly - on kale and Voodoo Donuts, but I have yet to find an Oregonian (vegan or otherwise) who can muster enough energy to dispute this claim.

As I got older, I developed an allergy to seafood. Specifically, salt water fish and crustaceans. (Side-thought here - why is it that freshwater fish, like trout, are still called "seafood", when they don't spend any time in salt water?) Anyway, as I got older, my allergy to seafood got stronger, to the point where I can no longer eat things like shrimp (I used to be able to eat breaded or beer-battered shrimp by the boxcar-load) or fish like salmon (salt-water season), without a severe allergic reaction.

Now, I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy, but when I'm in the mood for fish, I'd like to have an option that doesn't send me into anaphylactic shock. Fortunately for me, there is halibut.

While I was in high school, my father and I went on fishing trips to Alaska and caught some nice-sized halibut, which he would craft into these golden, breaded nuggets of awesome.

Just last weekend, after learning I could - possibly - be able to eat halibut, my seafood-loving wife and I went to Uwajimaya in Seattle and bought a rather sizable slab of fresh, right-off-the-boat halibut. Growing up in Eastern Washington, she had never had halibut that fresh. We ended up making a few dishes from the fish slab. Having spent so many years accommodating my dietary restrictions, and to finally find seafood I could eat without allergies, she was happy and I was very pleased.

Next time we buy halibut, I hope we can recreate those seasoned, breaded nuggets my dad would make for my family. It was the memory of those tidbits of yum that brought me back - albeit partially - into the seafood-loving Pacific NW fold.

I Don't Give Up

A person I've known for decades unfriended me on social media after the election, claiming that my "privilege and guns" are part of the problem. He gave up on the friendship because of a difference in political persuasion. He then made an effort to cut as many ties as he could with me online.

Today, I found out he hadn't blocked me on Instagram. He posted a picture of something he made with his kids. I gave it a "love" and left it at that. I'm sure he didn't expect my reaction to his post, and I'm pretty sure he will block me once he sees it.

Folks, I don't give a rats ass who you voted for. Friendships (for me) transcend voting preference. If I see you post something that resonates with my values (friends, family, etc.), I'll let you know I appreciate that.

I don't give up on friendships because of who they vote for. The friendships I have earned don't involve politics, and I don't value the quality of a relationship on voting choices. I've lost a ton of long-time friends recently, because they found out what box I checked on my ballot. Their choices are theirs to make. I choose to NOT do that.