Salmon Cake with a Twist!

I talked last week with our 86 year old friend on the phone. Leamon, who is a widower, said he was fixing salmon cakes. He said that he just ate one and it was delicious, but he indicated that I probably would not eat it. Now I was curious.

He said that to make his cakes he mixed his canned salmon with onions, bread crumbs, and an egg. This did not sound too out of the ordinary. Then he said .........

"I dice some poison ivy and add it into the salmon mixture and fry the cakes until golden brown." I said "You have to be kidding!" Leamon said that he and his Dad had been eating poison ivy since they both were kids. Leamon emphasized that.. "Deed, you would be surprised how the poison ivy gives the salmon cake a great taste."

He said that he often walks in the woods and chews a few poison ivy leaves along the way. He has never had a reaction of any type to this plant.

All of the vets and books state clearly that no animal - other than humans - can get a rash from poison ivy. Clearly, goats and other grazers eat the greens, and birds eat the seeds.



I am one of those folks who get the wonderful rash when I even look at a poison ivy leaf.

Some people appear to be immune, others become immune. HOWEVER, I am certain that one can gain or lose immunity, so to assume you can't get it if you never have before is foolish. People change as they age. I would never assume that I was immune at any time no matter what my past experience was. (Leamon is a lucky guy!)

In an extreme case, eating poison ivy could make the throat swell shut. This could be life threatening.

Leamon makes a great potato salad. At our next meal, I will be asking many questions about his ingredients.