My husband’s fishing buddy was turning 50 and I needed to come up with a great gift idea. I had also offered to help my friend Jane by bringing an appetizer to the party. John and his friend Rich have enjoyed many salmon fishing trips in Alaska so I decided to take one of their pictures and have it printed on a large canvas showing off their great catch. I thought it would be the perfect addition to Rich’s new office.
When ordering the canvas print, I was a bit skeptical but was so pleasantly surprised at the quality. I ordered it online at the Costco Photo Center. It’s as simple as uploading your picture onto their site and placing the order for the size of canvas that you want. It was free delivery by having it sent to my local Costco and I picked it up at my convenience. If you are in need of a special gift, this will fit the bill!
Since our gift was based on their salmon fishing, I thought it would be fitting to make a smoked salmon appetizer. The guys love bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon so I concocted an appetizer reminiscent of their breakfast favorite. It’s easy to assemble and for those that love smoked salmon (I do not), a delicious appetizer.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Smoked Salmon on a Stick
Purchase smoked salmon which is already thinly sliced. Cut salmon to the size you want and spread whipped cream cheese on one side. I am a huge fan of Kraft’s Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese in a tub. It’s so easy to spread and not as thick as the brick cream cheese.
Sprinkle cream cheese with lemon zest, pepper and sliced green onions. I love the Microplane® zester at Sur La Table. Also, make sure your green onions are washed and dried very well. When wet, they don’t slice as easy.
Place a thin breadstick (I used Delallo’s tall thin breadsticks and broke them in half) on one end of the salmon and roll up as shown in the picture.
The salmon is such a pretty color that it would look good on just about any dish but I tend to favor white serveware.
Garnish the platter with chopped fresh parsley. It’s easy and delicious.
If you have a favorite smoked salmon appetizer, please share in the comments below.
This is a great idea. My only concern is how far in advance can you make this dish. seems like you might need to serve it right after making to keep the bread sticks from getting soggy
Adele – I wouldn’t make them too far in advance as I do they they will get soggy.
How far ahead can you prepare them so the breadsticks don’t get soggy?
They will get soggy when placed in the fridge for too long. You could prepare them up to the point of placing the breadstick on the salmon. Cover with saran wrap, and finish preparing right before your party. Enjoy!