Here's a neat product: cedar wraps

[Jenise]

"These very simple to use gourmet cedar wraps will infuse your favorite foods with the subtle flavor of cedar. Arrange your food on the premoistened cedar wrap, roll it up, secure with a green onion, butcher's twine or a toothpick. Your foods will emerge (from the oven) moist and flavorful from the cedar wraps."

The picture shows a beautifully wrapped piece of salmon with mushrooms peaking out the end of it's little cedar blanket, looking rather like the open end of a tamale. Should be quite attractive on the plate, too.

Not cheap at $12.50 for ten wraps, but for the flavor and drama of the presentation, it's not bad. Available from the Great Lakes Grilling Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I bought these at Central Market in Seattle.

I find it is really easy to overdo wood in cooking (as in winemaking).

On the whole, I prefer my salmon to taste of fish, not dry wood, that is no more wood taste than planking imparts. Wrapping in shavings strikes me as over the top yuppie fancy.

Do they come with an "I've Got a Woodie" T shirt (presumably only to be worn by people named Arlo)?

Jenise, we tried these a few weeks ago and I've gotta be honest...they didn't work all that well for us. Now I should mention that we used them on a Foreman grill, and perhaps that mode of cooking just isn't conducive to their use. But what we found is that it took a whole lot longer to cook than usual, and as Bill mentioned...the wood flavor was a bit overwhelming. Personally, for the price they charge I didn't feel it was something I'd pursue again.

[Jenise]

Bill, maybe it's uniqutely American, but the flavor of wood-smoke is fairly popular, and cedar-plank cooking is popular with good reason. Personally, I love it on fish, as a child the only fish I liked was the smoked fish my father brought home from the docks at San Pedro.
But you know what the best thing I've ever had cedar-smoked? The green pears Neil cedar-planked at the Hamilton Street Grill one night--you were there. I thought those were brilliant with the blue cheese.

K--dunno about the Foreman grill thing, I've never even used one so can't predict the outcome. I've only used these once so far, for a large rib eye steak-for-two that we were going to grill-smoke outside but which had to come in when it started raining. I pan-seared the steak first for color, then baked it in the wrap. We thought the result was terrific.

K--dunno about the Foreman grill thing, I've never even used one so can't predict the outcome. I've only used these once so far, for a large rib eye steak-for-two that we were going to grill-smoke outside but which had to come in when it started raining. I pan-seared the steak first for color, then baked it in the wrap. We thought the result was terrific.

I could see the red meat working better. We did swordfish and tilapia and didn't pan sear first, which might explain it taking so long to cook. Also, I think the fish (the tilapia in particular) were just too delicate and absorbed too much of the flavor, making the flavor somewhat cloying. Glad you had a good experience with it - I'd like to try cedar plank salmon at some point if I ever live in a place where I can have a real grill!

[Jenise]

I think the fish (the tilapia in particular) were just too delicate and absorbed too much of the flavor

True--it would have absorbed less if it had been seared, and tilapia is a very delicate fish. Would be easy to overwelm it. I probably would have seared the fish out of concern for it steaming/exuding moisture and drying out.

If I want cedar with my salmon, I just eat it in the closet.

[Jenise]

LOL, John. That's cute. Heck, if I had a cedar-lined closet, I'd probably eat all kinds of things in there.

LOL, John. That's cute. Heck, if I had a cedar-lined closet, I'd probably eat all kinds of things in there.

I have a cedar lined closet - they were normal in older houses and were used to keep furs and clothing that you didn't want moths getting at.

Until you mentioned it, I didn't think that people with newer houses are cedar closet deprived!

Don't think there is room in there for eating anything though.

[Jenise]

It's done in modern homes too, but it's considered a luxury extra, not something you'd expect in a newly built home. I could be talked into doing it just for the aroma. When was your home built, anyway, 30's or 40's?

Late 30s

One of the builders I do business with gave me a laugh once. The yuppie clients wanted one of these cedar rooms - but as politically correct environmentally sensitive yuppies, they only had synthetic furs of course.

I told the guy he should have built them a synthetic cedar room....