Fresh salmon is something that played a big part in my childhood in Oregon. Every September, my father took the whole family to Nehalem Bay to camp for a week while he and his buddies fished over the Nehalem bar for salmon. We feasted nightly on salmon and freshly caught crab for the entire week, and if they caught more than their limit and we couldn’t eat it all, my father would take the surplus to the local cannery to be canned and eaten in the winter. My mom made salmon cakes, salmon loaf and giant nut-coated balls of salmon and cream cheese to spread on crackers. Not exactly haute cuisine, but great for kids. This recipe takes the combination of canned salmon and hazelnuts to a sublime level.

Ingredients: Fresh Raspberry Jam 3 ½ cups fresh raspberries 1 ½ tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice ¾ cups sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch ¼ teaspoon salt   Crust 1 cup hazelnuts ½ cup blanched almonds 11/3 cups all purpose flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 1½ sticks unsalted butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg yolk   Directions: In a medium saucepan stir two cups raspberries, lemon juice, sugar, corn starch and salt. Simmer on medium heat until berries have begun to break down and become juicy. About five minutes. Strain the hot mixture into a saucepan through a fine mesh strainer.  Discard solids.  Add remaining berries and return to heat cooking until mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon.  About ten minutes.  Cool jam in a shallow pan until ready to use. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spread hazelnuts on a…

This classic Oregon dessert is best enjoyed on the deck of the RimRock Inn, overlooking Joseph Canyon in Eastern Oregon. But the pie will taste just as good without the view, baked fresh in your kitchen.

Serves 12Makes one 9X13-inch cake From Latin America, this moist cake melts in your mouth because it is soaked in three kinds of milk—tres leches. Our version uses heavy cream, sour cream, and whole milk. We could have added rum, which is traditional, but instead use a healthy dose of local Clear Creek Kirschwasser (cherry brandy), because we like how it perfumes the milk. This cake keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days and only gets better with time. Chef’s Tip: Vitaly Paley I often use Clear Creak Distillery’s Kirschwasser and apple brandy for cooking. Their pear brandy is also superb. It feels fat in the mouth and is also rich with the essence of pear. I encourage you to check with your local liquor store as to the availability of these handcrafted brandies. Or contact Clear Creek to find out where it’s sold in your area….