Instructions: DAD IS THE KING of marinating. He bathes beef brisket in acid and spice for six hours before a long smoke. Its simple but incredible. Dad knows just the right seasoning to bring men, women and children to tears. In Mississippi we would all sit outside with a huge smoker filled to the brim with a turkey, a couple of briskets and a leg of lamb. The aroma would waft for miles.

So when spring rolls in and the sweat starts rolling down I think of Dad and marinating. That hits me as hard as cold weather and soups. In Mississippi, marinating meant meat, but here in California, it says cool and refreshing. It says fish.

I want to talk about marinating now, because its the starting point for so many cooking methods that were going to deal with later on.

Im writing this on the Friday before Easter, and Ive got houseguests arriving in about an hour. I need to throw something together quick. Ive got six people to feed and no time for Dads six-hour marinating.

Nor do I have time to get into all the science behind marinating. Luckily, all you really need to know is that marinating adds flavor, improves texture or does both. A marinade can be dry, with just salt and spices; it can be oil and herbs; it can be sugar and salt, which cures and preserves; or it can contain acid - such as citrus, vinegar or wine - and act as a tenderizer. Its best to follow a few recipes for all these kinds of marinades and, once you get the hang of it, start playing around on your own.

Ive got a big side of salmon here so Im going to do several methods.

Everybody likes salmon. You know how people talk about a guys guy. Well salmon is a fishs fish. Im going to make some gravlax for our Easter brunch. Ill cut salmon fillets for our dinner tonight and make two appetizers: salmon tartare and salmon ceviche. All these involve marinating the fish in different ways. You can buy a small amount of salmon for any of these methods but if you want to do them all, get a side of salmon and follow my instructions for cutting it up (see Cutting Up Salmon Four Ways).

o For my ceviche: I put 18 very thin slices of fresh salmon in a shallow plastic or ceramic pan, laying them in a single layer if possible. I dont like to marinate in metal. Acid tends to react with it and give food a metallic taste. I cover the fish with a mix of lemon and lime juice, a pinch of chile flakes, a little fresh tarragon, a twist of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. I put this back in the refrigerator for about an hour, turning the pieces over once. When its ready, it will look pale and break apart easily - as if its cooked. Cooking without cooking - what could be better in spring. When Im ready to serve, I toast or grill off some thick slices of baguette and top each one with three of my marinated salmon slices. For a little added color and texture, Ill top each one with a mix of fresh herbs or watercress that Ive tossed in a little olive oil and salt.

o For my tartare: I combine three parts minced fresh salmon with one part finely minced shallot and one part fresh minced dill. Then I add enough extra virgin olive oil to make it all shine and a big pinch of salt. Youve got to use a lot of salt. Sometimes I add a roasted, skinned, seeded and minced red pepper, but I havent got time for that today. This tartare takes about five minutes and is great on crisp potato pancakes, homemade potato chips (remember our frying lesson!) or on toast points.

o For my gravlax: I rub a boneless fillet of salmon with vodka. Then I bury it in 2 cups of salt and a cup of sugar (or enough to cover the fish well) that Ive mixed with fresh dill and orange zest. Then I cover the fish with plastic and put something heavy, like a half gallon of milk, over it. Now its just a waiting game - two or three days. I turn the salmon around every 12 hours or so; I can tell when its done because the flesh gets very firm. When its ready I cut it really thin and eat it as I would smoked salmon. Im going to serve it with bagels and cream cheese for my brunch.

o For my fillets: About an hour before Im ready to cook, I toss my salmon fillets with olive oil, minced fresh thyme, a pinch of finely minced garlic, kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. I could grill or saute this right away, but I like to let it sit for a while so that it develops a nice crust and flavor. Thats really all there is to marinating. Of course you can do whatever you want: ginger and soy; lemon zest and oregano; ground coriander seed and lemon grass. Its spring, after all. Youre supposed to frolic with your food.

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