the golden hue of the leaves waving at me during my morning commute, seem to match the color of my 'check engine' light that gleams at me from my dashboard. in the distance of all this colorful fauna, lay various islands anchored in lake superior. a few weeks ago, i was on one such island- isle royale. it was a wonderful time spent hiking and lusting over our surroundings. i have been meaning to write about the trip, but have been dragging my feet...trying to connect food with thoughts...

there was one night on that island that was unforgettable. sharing a campfire with several fellow backpackers, we all watched as a boat docked, and we all shared thoughts about how exciting it would be if that boat were bringing us a warm cooked dinner and maybe a beer or two. minutes later a crew member of the boat came to shore and asked if they could share our fire. in return for the sharing of the fire, they would bring us some fish (they had caught more than they could eat), and some beers (they seemed to have packed too much). dumbfounded that our daydreams had transpired, we all quickly grew with excitement as smells of grilled fish wafted towards us.

the first side of fish that was brought to us was a freshly caught lake trout, which had been slathered with lemons and herbs , grilled, and was the size of a small child. next came sauted mushrooms, followed by venison steaks fried with bacon and onions. we all ate like hierarchy, with our fists full of wonderful eats, and our thirsts quenched by beers. the dessert was the other half of the previously mentioned lake trout, but this time it had been lightly dusted with mediterannian spices. hints of cinnamon and chili lingered in our mouths after eat bite. it was this dish that has stuck with me. what a great idea! it worked perfectly with the fresh fish. cinnamon, dried chilis, cumin, maybe some smoked paprika...these flavors of the spice trade are so remarkable, and so exciting to experiment with. familiarize your palette with these flavors. you'll find yourself slowly incorperating them into your cooking more and more.....