Seattle awaits Copper River run

It's available only a few weeks of the year, but oh, what weeks they are.

Every year, around mid-May, Copper River salmon unleashes a frenzy of salmon-hungry diners looking to get a piece of the first - and many say finest - wild catch of the season.

The fish, considered the most succulent and flavorful of all salmon, is expected to hit area restaurants and grocery stores tomorrow. But salmon lovers had better move fast. The best of the catch is only around for three to four weeks.

"It's got a cachet about it. It lives up to its own billing," said Tom Douglas, executive chef and owner of three Seattle restaurants - Palace Kitchen, Etta's Seafood and the Dahlia Lounge - which will serve an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 pounds this season.

"People know it's the best of the best. It's in such short supply that it creates its own frenzy," he said.

People might disagree on its appeal - whether it be its timing, its flavor or its limited run and numbers - but everyone agrees it is the most coveted salmon around.

"The flavor, the name, the story, a combination of things has made it a popular fish," said Bill Webber, who has been fishing the Copper River in Cordova, Alaska, for the past 31 years.

As juveniles, the salmon travel from their spawning areas roughly 300 miles down the Copper River to the Gulf of Alaska. When they start the return trip as mature fish at spawning time, they have an unusually high oil content to fuel them - and that boosts their flavor.

Catch might be down a little

The catch is closely monitored by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to ensure future runs are preserved.

Dan Sharp, a Fish and Game biologist, expects the catch to be down a little this year, due to natural variations in run size, but said it will still yield a healthy return.

"The quality of the salmon is extraordinary," said Chris McDowell of the Salmon Market Information Service, which tracks and reports on market conditions. "They have a very high oil content and real connoisseurs can tell the difference."

It's even healthful

The salmon also appeals to health-conscious consumers because of the high levels of Omega-3 fat, an unsaturated fat believed to help fend off heart disease, breast cancer and migraines.

The Copper River salmon also is noted for its persimmon-colored flesh, nutty flavor and velvety texture.

"Its flesh is firm. It's got a high fat content so it melts in your mouth when you're eating it," said chef Douglas. "It's caught in very cold waters, which gives it a very real fresh flavor, whereas warm-water fish tends to taste a little washed out."

The Copper River salmon frenzy is so high that Pacific Northwest restaurants are booked full weeks in advance.

"Every year, people come out specifically for the flavor of this salmon," said Patty Swaney, general manager of McCormick and Schmick's Harborside Restaurant.

"In the Seattle market, it's the finest salmon we come across on an annual basis," agreed McCormick and Schmick's district chef Chris Westcott, whose three restaurants will run through an estimated 500 pounds a week each. "As it compares to other salmon, it has a great, rich, buttery taste that has no match."

Some Seattle-area restaurants like Sazerac even plan special menus around it. Their Copper River salmon and wine dinner, a multicourse feast with complementary wines, is an annual sellout.

"Part of its appeal is that it's available for such a short time that everyone wants to come in and have some," said Sazerac assistant manager Karen McManus. "People just love it."