Meet Jamie Preuss, the talent behind So Happy You Liked It a blog dedicated to inspiring readers to live delicious, balanced lives. A Minnesota native, Jamie has the natural ability of finding joy in every moment, whether it’s crafting a new recipe, hosting an elegant gathering, or simply popping some bubbly to celebrate the everyday. The first thing I noticed about Jaime is that her passion for food and preparing new dishes lights up any room. Her thoughtful reflections reveal just how deeply she values her experiences, noting her recent time visiting us for a tour of our fishery.Late in the summer, I had a wonderful chat with Jamie via Zoom. Through her answers, it’s clear that Jamie’s connection with Copper River Salmon has transformed profoundly. What began as a beloved, reliable protein evolved into something far more meaningful after seeing firsthand the journey from ocean to table. During the call, Jamie’s insights into sustainability, her awe at the lifecycle of wild salmon, and her admiration for the people of Cordova were so evident. She tells me that the care, dedication, and rich history that define the Copper River community are things that stood out to her.

Jamie’s time in Cordova inspired her to reflect on the food she shares with her family and readers. From the vibrant flavors of Copper River Salmon to the innovative ways it’s prepared, Jamie returned home with a deeper appreciation for ingredients that are as sustainable as they are delicious. Her blog now carries that spirit forward, offering recipes, stories, and insights that celebrate the connection between what’s on our plates and where it comes from. She even wrote an eloquent blog post about her trip, where she discusses her Alaskan adventure and the lessons she brought back to Minnesota. Be sure to check out her array of magnificent recipes, and the variety of dishes she shares on her website using Prince William Sound + Copper River Salmon. 

JJ: What is your relationship with salmon?

Jamie: So my relationship with salmon has completely evolved since my time in Cordova. Salmon has always meant sustenance to me, and its one of my favorite go-to proteins to make at home. But after experiencing what you were able to provide me and being able to see from start to finish–ocean to table–what it takes to get Copper River to my table, I felt so much more deeply connected with it. I’ve really reflected on my time in Cordova and started to see that other people care just as much where their food comes from as I do. It’s impacted how I see all of the food I'm eating. Finding ingredients that are at their core pure, clean, rich in nutrients, and sustainable is what matters most. 

JJ: Something I’m starting to realize in this role I have of bringing talent to our fishery is that it really is eye opening for people on the outside to be able to experience these immersive tours. I love the exploration our guests have and seeing it all go down in real time is so inspiring. 

Jamie: It really is such an amazing experience! I know we talked about it a little on our trip, but do people there really know what they have? It's hard for people who live in a flat plain state like myself to come and see these huge mountains and rivers and the kinds of things they produce. Everyone understands how lucky they are in Cordova, I think, but if they don’t they should because to have that incredible resource available to you at its core is something that I am jealous of. It’s made me feel more connected to the more wild, sustainable things where I am in Minnesota. 

JJ: Yes. I love that the trip does that. It’s kind of a reset you know, to realize what you have, where you are, and how incredibly unique that can be. 

JJ: What was the most surprising thing you learned about Copper River salmon during your visit to Cordova?

Jamie: I was overall floored about the life cycle of wild salmon and the depth at which we were able to dig into with all the incredible people that we spoke with. When I came home, I was practically bursting trying to explain to my family and friends the sustainability efforts--not just in fishing, but in the life cycle of salmon and the journey that they have to go through to spawn. To go out to sea and come back--It really blew my mind. All the knowledge and expertise that is dedicated to the sustainability of this fish really surprised me. And I don't know why it did because of course when you think about it logically something like that–a naturally occurring resource--we wanna make sure is around for generations to come. I thought it was so incredible and reassuring to see the dedication from each of the individuals that we had a chance to meet with. This is validation that this is going to be a species, a fish, an incredible ingredient that is going to be around for a very long time. 

JJ: What inspired you most during the tour and how can you incorporate this inspiration into your content or recipes?

Jamie: I had to really think hard on this question because there was so much that really inspired me. If I had to distill it down, I think one of the first things is the rich history of Cordova and how fishing is truly at the core of it. I think that one could say that the economy in Cordova is surrounded by commercial fishing, but it goes so much deeper than that. I think about that last day when we went to the museum and were able to see how much fishing practices have evolved over time. The other thing I think about as I’m reflecting on the trip is all the amazing preparation and ways we enjoyed Copper River salmon. Nearly every meal was prepared in some way that I’ve never had; that really inspired me for some of the recipes I made when I returned home. It reframed my thinking on how this is an ingredient that can be prepared in a multitude of different ways and got me thinking, how can I replicate some of these recipes and how can I think out of the box even more after the trip. I was so inspired by the dedication and love that is so clearly poured into the recipes, and preparation that the citizens of Cordova use to showcase such a beautiful fish.

JJ: One thing that you said that really stuck with me was how there is so much variety in the way that you can prepare Copper River salmon. You can just put some salt, pepper and olive oil on it and bake it, or you can create this elaborate dish and they are going to be equally as delicious. 

Jamie: At the lodge there were so many fun, different, rich, indulgent ways to prepare it. There is so much of a blank canvas to it and that is something my time in Cordova taught me. 

JJ: Great analogy. It’s like, what are you going to create with your artistry? 

Jamie: Exactly! 

JJ:  How do you think your audience will benefit from the insights and experiences you gained from this trip?

Jamie: I think I touched on this a bit in your first question, but I think so many people really want to know where their food comes from, and it's about having that connection with your food and understanding the hands through which it has to pass in order to get to your table. Whether that means vegetables coming from a field, or again the incredible experience I had in Cordova seeing what it takes, and all the hands that are involved in getting that fish to my table. I had so many people comment on my article about the trip saying “Wow, I read your article and had no idea that’s what you were doing in Alaska. The amount of information we were able to learn and how you were able to distill that down for us was so great to read about.” I think people are really hungry for this type of information–obviously they’re hungry for recipes too [laughs]–but really in a way that allows them to be inspired and seek out more information.  

JJ: How would you describe the taste and texture of freshly caught Copper River salmon?

Jamie: Definitely rich, obviously fresh, and what you’d expect the color of the fish to taste like, you know what I mean? I hate to use the word salmon, but what you’d expect the color of salmon to taste like. A lot of times I’ll talk about a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and how it tastes like the color green. That’s what I equate the color salmon tasting like. It’s vibrant, fresh, rich, it's buttery. And like I said before, its a blank canvas to take on the flavors that you cook with. The beautiful thing about that is that the flavor of the fish still shines through. 

JJ: That’s so funny that you say that because I recently sent one of our sample partners in Washington some salmon and she posted an Instagram story asking her daughter--who is around 5 years old-- how the fish tastes, and the girl says, “pink!" [laughs]

JJ: Is there anything else you’d like to add before we finish up?

Jamie: Yes! Honestly JJ I hope you felt the gratitude we had for you for organizing the immersive tour into the Copper River fishery. You put together such an incredible, generous, amazing, educational trip. And everyone that was involved--It was just so amazing to have access to the experts that are involved, your care, and how you operated the schedule. I didn't really know what to expect going into the experience–I had some idea–but it surpassed any expectation that I could have ever had. I’m just so grateful that you invited me; I loved it! And I loved the time we got to spend together, the relationships we were able to form and everything we were able to learn. So once again, thank you so much!

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