Today I am compelled to do as requested even though my heart is elsewhere. So, the weekend is here  and we will be having supper with family, and because I am a gracious guest AND love to cook I asked “what can I bring”. As I awaited the answer I was secretly wishing to hear “dessert”, please, oh pretty please let me bring dessert. I am dying to make two summer desserts and I saw this as my opportunity to make one of them shine. My heart sank when I heard “you can bring a snack”. I paused, took a breath and politely asked “you don’t need a dessert”? Knowing of course that she didn’t, but a gals got to try, right?

With my marching orders given I cleared my head and thoughtfully thought about my options as any good guest would. I wanted something a little elevated but not fancy, fussy or messy. It had to be already prepared and assembled with no last minute cooking requirements. While the options are endless indeed, I just happened to have a package of smoked salmon kicking around, because who doesn’t?

So my snack request became a dreamy smoked salmon spread. Bright from the lemon and sour cream, tart and salty from the capers, a little bite from the red onion and fresh from the dill. A splendid combination that was mixed together in no time and met all the occasion requirements. Although I chopped the ingredients by hand, a few pulses in a mimi processor would certainly do the trick as well. I found the clean cuts of hand chopping gave the spread a little more texture and prevented it from becoming pasty. Excellent served with baguette or cucumber slices.