Q. Recently, at a grand weekend house party, a smoked
salmon that was undoubtedly of farmed origin was served at supper. I know exactly what goes into creating this product, and for ethical (not to mention health) reasons I won't touch the stuff. I wasn't among good friends, so I couldn't turn the plate away. but enough people present knew me to prevent the 'I have an allergy' excuse. Furthermore. as I was next to the formidable hostess, I could hardly have spilt something over it; anyway, another soggy pink heap would probably have been produced for me. How can I avoid eating this foul imitation of wild salmon in the future without offending the hosts (who really should know better)?
R.D., address withheld A. These days, experienced hosts do know better than to inquire of their guests why they have refused a certain dish. With so many food-phobics and self-dramatists around, they can predict the answer will be mind-numbingly boring. Equally, suave guests simply wave away what they don't want, simulate enthusiasm for the part of the dish they can eat, and quickly embark on some distracting line of conversation with their neighbour. Should a host make the mistake of pressing for an explanation, you can deflect him by saying, 'Oh, I don't want to bore everyone else with my run-in-with-canthaxanthine story. But I'll bore you about it after dinner, if you'd really
like me to!' You may wish to re-educate your host, but a table full of people loading into their mouths the toxins he has kindly served them with is not the place to do it. Readers interested in wild and organic salmon can have it delivered via www.freshfood.co.uk.
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