Places to Buy Locally Made Smoked Salmon in Gaspésie
Savour delicious smoked salmon made by passionate artisans throughout the Gaspé Peninsula! Here are 3 places to find this local delicacy.
Hôtel Motel Belle Plage in Matane
A hotel and restaurant for several decades now, Hôtel Motel Belle Plage has also earned a reputation for its famous smokehouses, which produce smoked Atlantic salmon from carefully selected fish that is then sold on site or served in the restaurant.
Without revealing the secrets of its homemade brine, the establishment provides just enough information about its recipe and methods to make your mouth water: basted with oil after being soaked in a special brine for 18 hours, the salmon filets are then hung in a smokehouse, where they are left for 10 to 12 days to absorb the delicate flavour of maple smoke. They are then immersed in cognac before being ready to eat. In addition to smoked salmon fillets and slices, the Belle Plage smokehouses also produce smoked salmon mousse, smoked trout fillets and smoked shrimp and scallops.
Atkins et frères in Saint-Maxime-du-Mont-Louis
Winner of a Le Renaud-Cyr, in recognition for their remarkable contributions to Québec gastronomy, Atkins et frères set the benchmark in their field. Specializing in hot- and cold-smoked salmon and trout, they also make smoked mackerel, smoked seafood and smoked fish rillettes.
The secret of their success is undoubtedly the fact that they live up to their promise to “produce and sell smoked fish and seafood of the same exceptional quality as [they] would serve to [their] friends and family at home.” Atkins & Frères products are available in several points of sale in Gaspésie and elsewhere in Québec, but it is worth stopping at the main store in Mont-Louis, which overlooks a magnificent bay, to sample their delicious products…
Photo: Atkins et frères
Fumoir Le Paternel
Located on Route 132 in Percé, facing the sea, the Fumoir du Paternel welcomes you in a barn dating back to 1942. Alain Bujold continues the tradition passed down from his father Edgar, smoking fish using both hot and cold methods. For many years, he served his delicious creations at his restaurant at the Manoir de Percé. Treat yourself to his specialties: cold-smoked salmon, mackerel, cod, halibut, scallops, and trout — not to mention the maple and Pit Caribou beer smoked salmon candy and jerky.
Photo: Fumoir Le Paternel
Cascapédia Smokehouse in Cascapédia–Saint-Jules
Cold smoked over maple sawdust using traditional methods, the Cascapédia Smokehouse products are created using local ingredients, such as maple syrup, which gives them a distinct flavour. This smokehouse makes smoked salmon, trout, shrimp, mackerel and herring, all of which are seasoned in various ways. Don’t miss the smoked salmon flavoured with garlic pepper or lemon and dill. Their products are available in several supermarkets as well as directly from the smokehouse, where you can also find out more about their smoking methods and long history.
Fish markets throughout Gaspésie
To be spoilt for choice in terms of hot- or cold-smoked salmon, stop in the many fish markets throughout the region, where you will find delicious products from several smokehouses. Marinated using a unique recipe and then maple smoked, this high-quality product has a distinct taste and texture. In fact, Montréal chef Jérôme Ferrer proclaimed it the best smoked salmon in the world!
Photo: Geneviève O'Gleman
Discover delicious smoked salmon made by passionate artisan smokers throughout Gaspésie!
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