An artisan

Today, after I left the library, I drove over to Central Market, not because I really needed to buy anything today but because I wanted a browse in the cool.  I never go there on Saturdays because of the crowds, but I found a parking space close to the door.  It turns out I hit just the right moment to go, as there were food samples all over the store.  It started outside, with samples of cedar-planked coho salmon. Inside there was a Cajun corn salad, pieces of a yeasted poppy seed cake, and Rainier cherries.  So that was my lunch!

There was also a salmon-cutting event going on.  Salmon were available on ice for customers to select from (Extra 1).  Then, with folks looking on (Extra 2), an expert went to work cutting the salmon down into steaks and fillets, above.  I'm sure it made for a good sale.

At the library, I worked with a new young man from Turkey, who is working here and has fairly good English skills, but wants to improve his speaking (he wants to speak like me, he said, without an accent) and his understanding of English spoken very quickly on the phone.  He has a demanding job in the maritime transportation industry, guaranteed for 18 months but possibly extended if he continues to do so well.  Between trying to understand his speech as well as the jargon of his business, it was a challenge, but a fun one.  I hope he will come back.