Tasting Upstream: how to serve and eat smoked salmon

Our salmon is antibiotics and  preservatives free : thanks to our Non intensive Control System, the Upstream salmon's quality journey begins at sea and continues until the moment it becomes a delicacy inside the elegant black and silver packaging. 

Its natural quality deserves to be tasted in a way that highlights its different flavours, which are partly linked to the delicate marinating and smoking process; the former is carried out using a little sugar and sea salt alternately, the latter using beech wood from the Emilian Apennines and a special smoking process that is unique in its kind.

To be enjoyed all year round, Upstream smoked salmon is healthy, lean and just the right amount of flavour. It is immediately visible when you see the product, but it is on the palate that its qualities are revealed through surprising combinations of taste.

Its goodness can be savoured in the most natural way possible; simply take the right care before eating Upstream smoked salmon.

The flavours of Upstream smoked salmon

There are several flavours in our salmon; we encounter them together in each side. This is Upstream's flagship product, as it contains all the nuances of the fish in smooth, evenly textured flesh. 

How to carve the different parts, and how to season and serve smoked salmon?

The preparation with the salmon side gives the answers: we know the cuts and their relative flavours, we learn about bringing them to the table and how to enjoy them.

Fillet, belly, classic, tartare are the most significant cuts of salmon side. 

Fillet

Obtained from the middle part of the side the fillet captures the sweetness and flavour of the sea in a remarkably delicate taste. It is distinguished by its soft, velvety texture with hints of fresh butter, a quality that makes the fillet the most authentic expression of Upstream salmon. 

In small slices, the salmon fillet is ready to be enjoyed in natural form, accompanied by a good glass of wine or a craft beer.

Belly

From the belly of the salmon this cut  has a slightly marine flavour. Together with its soft texture, it wraps the palate with its hints of the sea, which can be fully enjoyed by eating the belly in its purest form, cut into slices or chunks. This particular cut of the side can be served with burrata or buffalo mozzarella; also perfect as an ingredient for an exclusive gourmet pizza.

Classic

This is the back cut, the one with the most distinct flavour, it is the classic salmon cut. When tasting it, you experience an intensity of flavour and an aromatic smokiness, both of which enrich the meat without covering up its authenticity.

The Classic remains delicate and has a soft texture. Cut into slices, it can be served on croutons with fresh butter and appreciated in tartare and as an ingredient in the most traditional of salmon dishes, vodka penne.

Tartare

All the flavours of the side in small pieces: salmon tartare comes from selected cuts revealing a balanced taste, with the usual delicacy and texture of Upstream smoked salmon. 

Quickly and easily seasoned and served, the tartare is fresh and versatile, from a ready-made dish to the main ingredient of tasty salads. The preparation of salmon tartare with a drop of peat whisky and grated fresh ginger or tropical fruit is particularly tempting.

Before serving smoked salmon

Sliced to perfection, placed on a support that is worthy of its value: before serving the smoked salmon, Upstream accessories are designed to help us prepare and present it in the best possible way.

The forged stainless steel knife is designed to make a clean, decisive cut with a long, thin blade, separating the meat and preserving its consistency and unique flavour.

The service is entrusted to the thermo-treated ash wood cutting board. A sober and elegant accessory whose natural materials release a delicate toasty aroma when the salmon is served.

The right accessories enhance the qualities of the fish through the combination of functionality and design, preserving and enhancing the Upstream style to serve the smoked salmon to perfection.

Eating smoked salmon: inspirations from the Upstream book

In our book Evolutions and variations of the divine salmon, preparing and serving Upstream smoked salmon are hands-on with the Italian culinary art: our chef and pizza chef friends share their ideas. More than just recipes, these are exclusive combinations of the best flavours, of which our salmon is the main one.

An alternative way of eating Upstream smoked salmon is in an exclusive sandwich. Chef Salvatore Cautero inspires us with his Upstream Sandwich: a combination of flavours  that has the salmon fillet as the main star. A preparation rich in nuances of taste, a lot of flavour but with discretion, to be matched with an equally intense and elegant red wine.

These ideas are the result of a special combination of chef creativity and friendship, and the unique flavour of our smoked salmon: read how the book Upstream - the best guide to incomparable tasting - came about.