This is complicated. Maybe we should just discuss brownie recipes. In lieu of that, let's just for now try to focus on two aspects of the question, food quality and conservation. Wasn't there someone who, early in the discussion, cited a large study published in Science magazine? I can't find that post now but the study is the most important one I am aware of. The full text can't be accessed at the Science web site without subscribing. It is available elsewhere on the web. The study sampled and compared wild and farmed salmon from many regions around the world. The level of PCBs and other dangerous substances was found to be "significantly" higher in farmed salmon. The word "significant", when used in this sort of document is understood to mean statistically significant, which is not the same as the every day usage. Statistical significance means that a difference between two samples can be proven mathematically at a certain criterion. It does not mean the difference is important. If I sprinkle 2 grains of salt on my order of fries and you sprinkle 4, the difference obviously is statistically significant. But is it important? Neither one is enough salt to affect the taste at all. Significant but not important. The study found, at some locations, levels of certain toxins at 10 or so parts per billion. At those levels, differences of say, 4 parts per billion would be significant. But important? FDA standards allow hundreds of times that concentration. But that is not the end of the controversy. Some, including the authors of the study, prefer the standards of the EPA over those of the FDA. EPA standards are much stricter. This is where science and politics collide. One might think that the "Food" and Drug Administration would take precedence over the "Environmental" Protection Administration in the matter of food safety. But that would be too simple. I have to observe that, although the importance to science of a "not statistically significant" finding is equal to, often greater than, one of "statistically significant". The importance in press releases is not. Everyone wants the results of their work to be "significant". Well, that is the health issue in a nutshell, a very small nutshell. The conservation issue is more difficult. Jim Here is a link that might be useful: Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon

SEAFARER'S SALMON PIE IN PARMESAN CRUST 1 15.5-oz can salmon 1 lg. onion, diced 2 tbsp. butter 1 16-oz container sour cream or yogurt 4 eggs 1 1/2 c. shredded cheese 1 tsp. dill weed crumbled 1/4 tsp. salt Combine all above ingredients and pour into Parmesan crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Serves 6. PARMESAN CRUST 1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese 3/4 c. shortening 2 to 4 tbsp. water Combine flour and cheese, cut in shortening until mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. water, form into ball, add more water if needed. Press into bottom and up sides of pie pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Salmon in Cream Sauce over Pasta 12 ounces fresh linguini or other thin pasta 1/2 cup butter 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream 2 cups flaked cooked salmon 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste 1 dash nutmeg to taste 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley Cook the pasta in 4 quarts boiling water (about 12 minutes for dried and 2 minutes for fresh). Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the peas and saute (about 3 minutes for fresh peas and 1 minute for thawed). Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and cream, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes Add the salmon, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Simmer until the cheese melts and the salmon is heated through, about 2 minutes.The sauce should not boil. Drain the pasta and place it in a heated bowl. Pour the sauce over the pasta, add the parsley, and gently toss to mix. Serve immediately. (The rest of the cheese may be used as a topping at serving time). This recipe for serves/makes 4

OAH, looks like a lot of us have the same great memories. Your post really hit home when you said you finally figured out why your mother "preferred" the back and neck. Mine did the same thing. Mother could get 11 pieces of chicken out of one chicken. Harry cuts them up that way, too. Geez, I sure miss her chicken. We'd have salmon patties on Fridays, since we couldn't eat meat back then. We always had mashed potatoes and creamed peas with ours. She mashed up bones and all, too. I betcha' a lot of us are planning on salmon patties in the very near future! So thanks for the reminder. We ate bologna sandwiches, too, but we only had Miracle Whip at our house. It really was sinful--butter on one slice of bread and MW on the other. :-)

My mother used to make these when I was young. I honestly never cared for them. She also made Salmon Pie, similar to a French meat pie. Both used canned salmon. I remember her making them like a lot of people mentioned above egg, diced onion, flour and cooked in oil with a little butter. She used to make cornbread pancakes and potato pancakes with left over mashed potatoes. Now those I could get behind.