The first salmon of the season.

Imagine this my gastronomic friends. A quiet day at the restaurant, ticking over, making stocks and chocolate parfait, perfecting a new recipe for a buerre lanc sauce, cleaning and preparing.
Some weeks ago I was asked to cater for a wedding, the date was in July, so no worries. A wedding of all functions is one that just has to work, the timing the atmosphere, everything has to be just right.
Today we had delivered our first salmon of the season, a whopping 12kg moster. It was fished by Johan Blomqvist the owner of Elsa and our main supplier. He went out this morning specially to pull the nets. The fish was so fresh that it was difficult to pull the bones out. We were all looking forward to a quiet evening, it is after all the eve of midsummer. Then at 1800 a very smartly dressed laduy walked in and asked if this is where the reception was being held? Reception? But surely you are a month early? 'No no, it's here tonight' she replied, and her husband agreed. Alarm bells started ringing and at the same time keeping a straight face, I checked the diary. Someone had put a 7 instead of 6..ie it was June not July. So off we went. From 0-60 in three seconds. A wedding table was created, extra staff called in, flowers arranged, a sauce started, fish filleted, champagne in the freezer. All hand on deck.
We all had the most memorable evening ever, everything worked, no panic, everything fresh and buckets of fantasy. So what did we do?...
Started with valrhona chocolate dipped straberries and a glass of chapagne.
Then  toast skagen with freshly made mayonaise and sour cream sauce and bruschetta
 toasted with olive oil.
A lobster and fish soup served in antique coffee cups with a cucumber wedge
A side of newly made tapenade (i'd just made at 5).
Then the main course of pan fried salmon on spicy puy lentils (courtesy of John Cambell recipe), finished off steamed in the oven with fennel and white wine. Rosmary scented new potatoes and a salad of crisp salad and peppers. And that buere blanc sauce was heaven. The secret is in the creme fraicsh, it keeps it body and doesn't split.
 Then a dessert of valrohna parfait with rasberry culis and passion fruit coulis with fresh strawberries.
And the wine flowed and the laughter rang. It was a great no fantastic evening, thanks to my dedicated team, from Gurra the dshwasher to Pauline who was out walking her dog and got roped in for service.
I fact I think it was probably best not having a month to prepare. But don't try it at home.