An Accidental Apple

     It was a chance seedling that sprouted up in Wilfred Mennell's orchard in the Similkameen Valley of British Columbia back in the early 90's.  The family had recently planted saplings intending to grow Jonagold apples after removing the old Golden Delicious trees.  Somehow one young tree "volunteered" and was different from the others.  The apples were red with patches of yellow and were sweet, juicy and crunchy.  They were so good that the field hands kept them all to themselves.

 

     Realizing they had accidentally developed a new variety of apple, the Mennell family named it Ambrosia, from Greek mythology for "food of the gods."  It is a Canadian original having a butter yellow skin blushed with red and only 80 calories, loaded with lots of healthy fiber and Vitamins A & C.

     Today this Canadian apple is grown all over North America, Europe, Chile and New Zealand, but only in licensed orchards and is available world wide.  It can be enjoyed out of hand, fresh, especially in salads since when sliced it is slow to brown.  And in cooking it holds its shape well in pies and tarts.

     Next time you are perusing the produce aisle pick up some "accidental apples" from our

northern neighbors.

                                         



Not Just Another Cookbook

     

     I celebrated my 65th birthday in the 49th state this year.  It was decidedly different than all the other observances of my entrance into the world.  Traveling with my life long friend and fellow gourmand I paused to consider the days of my life already spent and to contemplate the days (and hopefully years) that are yet to be.

     So it was very appropriate that I should receive as a present that day a new cookbook, one different from all the others in my collection.  It wasn't written by some big name TV chef or self proclaimed nutritional authority.  The author was Debbie Walker, a wife and mother, who was simply trying to prepare healthy meals for her family.  She titled her tome "How to Have a Wonderful Life & Eat Good Too!"

     Here's the way she begins her cookbook:

The views stated in this book are the opinion of the writer and not necessarily the view of anybody official.  The cookbook is a collection of ideas I found in my quest for quick and healthy food...

Every time I'd see a "Low Fat" segment in a magazine or on television, the main ingredients were red, green, and yellow peppers.  I got tired of the three-pepper cuisine.  Is there anything else on this planet that is low fat besides chicken breasts and peppers?

So, I decided to put together a collection of simple, basic, and healthy meal ideas with food that can be found in an average grocery store--I mean a below-average grocery store...If you are already eating low fat, this cookbook can be a handbook to remind you of all the basic options available.  When you're busy or tired, you can flip through this book to get quick ideas.  Everything is the shortcut version...

Gee, that's my kind of author, writing my kind of cookbook!  Can't wait to try some of her recipes.

A Fine Cup of Tea

     One of the stops on the Public Market tour was to the Granville Island Tea Company.  There was a small sales counter dwarfed by a wall of teas neatly cubicled and available for sale.  But what really caught my attention was the tea sample we were offered.  I had never tried Chai Latte before and was immediately attracted to the intriguing blend of sweet, spicy and creamy flavors that danced across my palate and eased down my throat.

 

     Unbeknownst to me, this blend of tea has become quite popular in North America.  Many consider it a healthy alternative to cappuccino.  It has been consumed across Asia for centuries, more as a herbal medicine than a recreational beverage.  There is no fixed recipe to concoct the brew and, like our take on potato salad, every family has their own style and blend of ingredients that go into its formulation.

     Chai latte begins with black tea brewed long enough to release the strong flavor but not the harsh tannins.  Then the mystery begins with the addition of certain herbs and spices.  The karha can include: ground ginger, green cardamom pods, cinnamon, star anise, fennel, peppercorns, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.  To that is added a heated frothy milk.  And if you're in India it is most likely from a buffalo.  And finally a sweetener is introduced to the steaming brew.  That could be cane sugar, Demerara, brown, palm or coconut, syrup on honey.

     As our group was enjoying our tea we also learned of another ingredient that was added by the spice company as they prepared their own recipe.  A pat of butter!



A Jewel in the Crown

     

     It has been said that if Granville Island is the king of Vancouver's destinations, then the Public Market is a jewel in the island's crown.  And with 50 permanent retailers and over 100 day vendors offering unique homemade products, cottage industry foods, hand made crafts, fresh produce, baked goods, seafood, meats and cheeses, and the finest in gastronomic delights it is a cornucopia of sight, taste, and aroma.  It is indeed a foodie's paradise.



     We began to make our way around, in and through the Public Market with a stop at JJ Coffee Roasters, a 4th generation family owned business.  They have an outdoor window selling a select variety of freshly roasted brews, Vancouver's answer to Starbuck's.



     We then moved on to sample some artisnal sourdough bread and an old fashioned glazed donut at Terra Breads and Lee's Donuts.  Next it was a stop at #1 Orchards to admire their freshly picked fruits.  The Ambrosia Apples were amazingly good!



     Other taste stops included Oyama Sausage to learn about their charcuterie and Benton Brothers Fine Cheese who specialize in small production artisan cheese created by what they term "farmhouse engineers."



     The market was crowded with shoppers on a Sunday morning, everyone eagerly seeking to restock their larder for the coming week with fresh, local items sold by experts in their craft who were also people they knew.  And if time permitted, to also sit and enjoy a quick meal at one of any number of eateries located both inside and outside the market.



A Tasteful Layover

     What does one do when at the end of a cruise disembarkation is in a foreign country at 7am and the flight back home isn't until 10:30 that evening?  If you're a inquisitive foodie like myself, of course you head out on a tasting tour of the town!  And that's exactly what I did in Vancouver, BC.



     I had only a vague knowledge of this modern city in western Canada and knew nothing about our neighbor to the north's second most visited attraction, Granville Island.  Once called Industrial Island, it claims 10 million visitors a year, second only in popularity to Niagara Falls.  Originally inhabited by corrugated tin factories under the Granville Street Bridge on 35 acres of land, today it is home to a wide variety of shops and businesses.  Along the streets there you can find woodworkers, boat builders, glassblowers, fine arts galleries, a marina, a hotel, restaurants, a university of art & design, a luthier, fishmongers, the Granville Brewing Company, a community center, and a wonderful public market.



     I was fortunate to find a space on "a food tasting and educational walking excursion" sponsored by Vancouver Foodie Tours and spent an enjoyable 3 hours discovering the sights and flavors of the market and its environs.  We met just across the street from the market in a specialty restaurant called appropriately enough, Edible Canada.  They are all about promoting local food and on their menu highlight Canadian cuisine, with items like duck confit poutine and something called eggs benny on a biscuit.  As we learned about the island's history we enjoyed an appetizer sized crab and salmon cake with salad greens.  It was delicious!



     And then we were off to explore the market.  More on that tomorrow!

Doing it all wrong

     

     Apparently the way you and I have been cutting slices of cake all these years is terribly wrong.  That is according to a recent Fox News feature.  Watch the following video to discover the "scientific" way a cake should be sliced:

I'm not so sure about the rubber band part, though.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/06/20/science-says-weve-been-cutting-cakes-all-wrong/?intcmp=features

My thanks to Mz. Griz for passing the article along!

Transformed

     Yesterday I mentioned the myriad of dining options aboard the ship during my cruise down Alaska's inland passage.  The Pinnacle Grill is the most upscale of all the venues and charges a modest supplement for the privilege of dining in the restaurant.  But for one night, May 22, it was transformed to an even higher level of culinary excellence, a sort of Denali of dining, if you will.

     Modeling their menu and atmosphere the space becomes that of "Le Cirque" on East 58th Street in New York City.  Created in 1974 by Tuscan born Sirio Maccioni, Le Cirque is an established landmark in the Big Apple and offers an unparalleled dining experience.  The name is French for "circus" and that is precisely the theme of the main dining room.  At the New York restaurant a 4 course tasting menu is priced at $135, and that is if you can get a reservation.



     The shipboard Le Cirque is not nearly as expensive nor quite as elegant either for that matter. But there was a serious attempt to create an impressive menu and an atmosphere of elegance.  We were even treated to an amuse bouche prior to our Lobster salad. It was a delightful dollop of pate nestled on gooseberry preserves.



     Keeping with the theme the butternut squash soup was garnished with huckleberries and poured from steaming pots into the bowl at the table.  Then at table side my entree of Chateaubriand was hand carved by the madame d'maison and plated with horseradish flan and sweet and sour beets.

     

     The dessert souffle was absolutely decadent, redolent with deep, dark, warm chocolate and caressed with vanilla bean ice cream.

     

     And just when I thought the meal had reached it's conclusion I was surprised by the delivery to the table of a birthday cake to commemorate the day of my birth, so many years ago!



Food Afloat

     

     A portion of my awesome Alaska adventure was on a cruise ship.  It stretches the imagination to consider the vast amounts of food prepared and served to the 1848 passengers and 812 crew.  The ship is a floating restaurant.  Or rather I should say, a series of restaurants and eating venues.  The options are almost endless.



     To begin with, there is the 2 level main dining room, Vista.  There you can either make a standard reservation for a meal on the upper level or stop by as your schedule permits and dine "freestyle" at a table on the lower level.  A more casual meal is available 3 times a day at the Lido, a cafeteria style buffet.  There is also a coffee shop, The Explorations Cafe, located by the Internet desks and the library. Off to one side carved out of a corner of the Lido is the Canaletto, an Italian bistro.  For a more upscale lunch or dinner the Pinnacle Grill seats 144 diners reservation only.



     And if none of that suits your fancy there are 2 private lounges, an outdoor grill serving burgers, fries, and do-it-yourself tacos, as well as gratis 24 hour room service.



     It's no wonder I came home with more than I left with!  And by that I'm not referring to souvenirs!

Shoot and Eat

     

     Out on the open range there is certainly no shortage of game to provide a substantial meal.  Here is a recipe that Thelma Bagoy included in her Pioneers of Alaska Cook Book.  

Spaghetti and Rump Roast

2 Tbsp goose grease, bear or bacon fat    1 cup tomato sauce

3 cloves garlic                                            1 cup tomato paste or 1 can mushroom soup
4 pounds caribou, venison,                       1/2 cup dried soup vegetables
          or moose rump roast                       1/2 cup dried mushrooms
6 whole cloves                                            1 tsp cinnamon
12 boiling onions                                        Salt & pepper to taste
                                      Spaghetti for 6 to 8 servings

     Heat fat in a heavy soup kettle or Dutch oven.  Saute garlic.  Remove garlic, and brown roast well on all sides.

     Return garlic to pot.  Add tomato sauce and paste.  Insert cloves into 6 onions.  Add onions and simmer,covered, until the meat is nearly tender, about 2 hours.  The roast may also be braised in the oven at 325F.

     Add dried soup vegetables, mushrooms, and cinnamon, and continue to cook another 30 minutes or until meat is fork tender.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Keep meat and sauce warm while cooking spaghetti according to package directions.  Slice roast.  Serve meat slices and sauce over hot, drained spaghetti.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Moose Ragout

     Moose meat contains about 8% of the fat and 1/3 the calories of beef, yet provides about 33% more protein per pound than a similar cut of beef.  A moose carcass will yield between 250 and 600 pounds of meat, depending on the animal's age, after the head, hide, vicera, bones and lower legs are subtracted.

     

      Just in case you come across one in your back yard, or are hunting in Alaska, here is a tasty recipe for you to consider:

Moose Ragout

2 pounds bottom round of moose                        14 oz can tomato sauce

2 Tbsp flour                                                             2 stalks celery, diced

1 tsp paprika                                                           1 can (2 oz) mushroom pieces

2 medium onions, chopped                                   2 Tbsp flour

1 garlic clove                                                           2 Tbsp butter or bacon grease

1 1/2 Tbsp butter                                                   salt & pepper to taste

     Cut the moose into 1" cubes.  Mix the flour and paprika in a pie plate.  Dredge moose cubes in this mixture.

     In a Dutch oven or other stew pot, saute onion and garlic in butter until onions are soft and transparent, about 5 minutes.  Remove garlic clove at this point if you wish.  Add meat.  Brown meat well on all sides.

     Add tomato sauce, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour.

     Add celery and mushrooms.  Cover and continue to simmer until all ingredients are fork-tender.

     Mix together flour and butter, and use this mixture to thicken sauce.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Serve ragout over mashed potatoes, steamed rice, buttered noodles, or polenta.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe courtesy of Ann Chandonnet from her book, Gold Rush Grub.

Where Salmon is King

     The late spring spawning season of salmon in Alaska is the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Carnival and Christmas all wrapped up into one.  It is anticipated with eager joy and enthusiasm.  There are actually 5 species of salmon that inhabit the waters of the 49th State but none is more prized than the King Salmon, the most desired, largest and scarcest of them all.  It has the highest amount of healthy Omega-3 fatty oils and is sought after by gourmands and sporting types alike.  Without a doubt it is the most important sport and commercial fish in North America.

     The King Salmon is known by a variety of names.  Called the Chinook by the tribal clans that once inhabited the area around the Columbia River in Washington State, it is also called Quinnat, Tyee, Black and Chubb.  But make no doubt about it, they are the largest and most prized, known for their power and endurance.  Usually weighing between 25-30 pounds and 2-4 feet in length, it's not uncommon to reel in a King that is 60-80 pounds.  The largest King Salmon ever caught weighed a whopping 126 pounds back in 1949.

     King Salmon, like the other 4 species, are anadromous, meaning that they hatch their eggs in fresh water then migrate to the ocean to mature for a few years before returning to the fresh water of their birth to spawn only once, then die.  And unique to the King, when they spawn their teeth enlarge and their snout develops a characteristic hook and the males develop a hump in their back.



     We arrived just at the beginning of the season when King Salmon were returning to fresh water.  It was a celebratory time and the restaurant where we dined one evening even had a King on display in the lobby.  And of course, King Salmon was the featured entree on the menu that night.  But at $48 I decided not to pay a king's ransom to dine on one.

Going Crabbing

     

     One of the highlights of my culinary tour of Alaska was the opportunity to jump aboard a crabbing boat and head out from Ketchikan to learn about (and taste) the King of the Pacific Coast crabs, the Dungeness.   Named after the town of Dungeness, Washington they are found in eel-grass beds and muddy to sandy bottoms from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to San Francisco and have been commercially harvested since the 1880's.



     Dungeness crabs have a characteristically wide, hard shell that is purplish-brown that turns orange after being boiled.  The typical shell width is 7-8" and cannot be taken from the waters if the carapace is less than 6" in most states.  The season for harvesting Dungeness crabs usually runs from early December to late spring.  A good crabbing season can yield as much as 55 million pounds of crabs harvested along the Pacific coast.  Not surprisingly, only one quarter of their total weight is actual meat.  But that meat is prized for its delicate and sweet flavor.  They are loaded with high quality protein and are low in calories, providing healthy amounts of zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium and iron.



     I was privileged to sample some of that sweetness at the end of our tour.  Several boatloads of "land lubbers" were escorted into a large dining room and served an all you can eat meal.  And the hard work was already done!  The crabs were already shelled.  All we had to do was pick apart the legs and the halved bodies.  The discarded shells made an attractive centerpiece.

Size Matters

     Alaska's agricultural industry ranks 50th in the United States, dead last.  At last calculation it was valued at only $50 million annually.  Compare that with the $27.8 billion in revenue that California receives.  But what Alaska lacks in volume they make up in size.  The 49th State can claim record breaking produce.  Even though the growing season is stunted, the vegetables are not.  With rich glacier ground volcanic soil and long summer days providing up to 20 hours of sunshine the Matanuska Valley is home to gardens of the giants.

     Consider some of these record breakers:

64 pound cantaloupe

18 pound carrot

63 pound celery stalk

39 pound turnip

75 pound rutabaga

105 pound cabbage (6 feet across and 4 feet high)

23 foot high cornstalk

1,019 pound pumpkin

67 inch long gourd

And each year gardeners haul their produce off to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer where they are weighed and judged around Labor Day as they attempt to set a new world record.

     A potato plant in the "lower 48" normally produces around 8 spuds.  But in Alaska it is not uncommon for that same plant to provide 40 potatoes at harvest time.  

     It wasn't until I was walking down the street in Skagway that all this came to my attention.  As I turned the corner I was confronted by  some rhubarb that was eye-level.

 



Rudolph on a Bun

     My brief stay in Anchorage permitted me to get aboard one of those tourist trolleys around town.  I learned quite a bit on that hour long ride.  Fifty years later residents are still recalling the day the earth shook for over four and a half minutes during the second worst earthquake in recorded history.  And I also learned something about a unique part of their cuisine.

     While on the tour the guide asked those of us in the trolley if we knew the difference between a caribou and a reindeer.  One young boy sitting with his parents near the front shouted out, "Reindeer know how to fly!"  Well actually, other than that, there is no difference.  They are of the same species, Rangifer tarandus, and are related to moose, wapiti and deer.  The guide explained that reindeer are just domesticated caribou.  Both live in the cooler northern climate that includes Alaska, the Yukon and the Canadian Rockies.  And one thing more, the reindeer are considered a viable commercial food source.

     No place is that more evident than on the streets of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city.  Along West 4th Avenue there are numerous street vendors selling reindeer hot dogs.  The popular street food is sold from carts that pay a licensing fee for the privilege of providing breakfast, lunch and dinner to residents and tourists alike.  I purchased mine around 11am right in front of the steps leading up to the old Federal Building at 4th and F Street.

     It seems that each vendor has a particular culinary slant on the iconic meal.  Some smoke the meat, others season it with coriander, and others provide intriguing condiments like onions sauteed in coca-cola.  And many, too many, over spice their hot dog meat with pepper.  Mine was spicy alright.  And my lips tingled for about a half hour after I was finished.  It was about then that I wished I had brought some Tums along for the trip.

     The Northern Light, the weekly campus newspaper published by the University of Alaska: Anchorage has even gone so far as to rate 5 of the reindeer hot dogs from the most popular vendors.  Click on their name to read the results.

     Given the opportunity would I have another reindeer hot dog?  Probably not.  It's one of those things that you can say you did and don't need to repeat.  Although that late morning meal did just that to me.

Spatula Salute!

     I have been to cooking demonstrations on cruise ships before.  But on this most recent cruise it was just a little different from previous classes.  This time the leader wasn't a part of the galley crew.  Our group had the honor of being guided by a guest chef, "Grill" Sergeant Brad Turner, (ret.) of the U. S. Army.  Sgt. Turner enlisted in the Army while still in his teens and learned how to cook on the job.  Stationed in places like Korea, Southwest Asia and Iraq he worked his way up through the ranks, going from the one being taught to the one who was teaching others.  In Ft. Bliss, Texas he established the culinary program there and eventually became an instructor at the Army Center of Excellence.  Prior to his retirement he was serving executive meals to the top brass at the Pentagon and was featured with other military chefs on the Pentagon Channel's program "Grill Sergeants."  That's going quite a way up from his humble roots in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward.

     But he hasn't forgotten his past and still loves to serve the food that he remembers from "The Big Easy."  Here is one of his favorites:

Jambalaya Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided                                         1 bay leaf

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast                      1 Tbsp tomato paste

         cut into 1" cubes                                              1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper                   1/2 lb Andouille sausage, diced

1 small onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)              3 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 ribs of celery, chopped fine                                 1 1/2 cup long grain rice (parboiled)

1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine                                1/2 lb large, raw shrimp

1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped                    shelled, deveined & roughly chopped

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (2 Tbsp)           1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 tsp Cajun Seasoning                                             1 Tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp Italian seasoning                                            1 lemon cut into wedges

1 spring fresh thyme                                                2 lbs jalapeno peppers, fresh

                                                                                         cut in half and seeded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  
 

Cut all the meat as prescribed and set aside.  Dice all vegetables and set aside.  Heat oil in a pan and brown chicken.  Add sausage and continue to cook.  Add vegetables and continue to cook.  Add seasonings and continue to cook.  Add rice and allow ti to heat up and absorb all of the other flavors in the pot.  Add the tomatoes and stock.  Adjust flavor as needed now.  Bring to a strong, covered simmer.  Leaving the pot covered, turn the heat off and allow the dish to come together.  Cut jalapenos in half and clean.  Heat the jalapenos in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  After jambalaya is done, stuff inside baked jalapenos and place in oven for final warming (approx. 10 minutes.)
 

Eat, and try not to be overcome with joy!
 

Cooked to Order

     

     Preparing meals on a cruise ship is no small task.  The Galley served up food for 1950 guests and 800 crew members three times a day.  Under the supervision of an Executive Chef there were 134 people that saw to it that everyone was fed.  To give you a perspective as to the scale of the operation there are 4 soup kettles that each have a capacity of 48 gallons and the bakery staff each day prepares 20 different kinds of breads: 120 loaves of bread, 4000 dinner rolls, 800 croissants and 800 sweet rolls.  The fish chef uses over 400 pounds of fish for one dinner serving.

     The grocery list for our ship was impressive:

                      Meat and meat products:                            11,830 lbs
                      Poultry                                                             3,814 lbs
                      Fish                                                                   3,000 lbs
                      Seafood                                                             2,575 lbs
                      Butter & Margarine                                        1,675 lbs
                      Fresh Vegetables                                           13,750 lbs
                      Potatoes                                                            7,750 lbs
                      Watermelon                                                     4,000 lbs
                 Eggs                                                                 23,040
                      Sugar                                                                 2,500 lbs
                  Individual sugar packages                           24,000
                       Rice for crew                                                     6,000 lbs
                     Flour                                                                  7,500 lbs
                    Ice cream                                                          1,150 gal

     And don't forget the 11 crew members who are assigned to wash the dishes!  After each meal they are responsible to clean 3,000 dinner plates, 2,000 side plates, 7,000 dessert plates, and 5,000 glasses.

 



Ma Pullen

     Knowing your way around the kitchen has its advantages.  Harriet Pullen was living in Seattle with 3 sons and a daughter to support and a ne'er do well bankrupt husband when the Klondike Gold Rush made the front page news.  She put her children in the care of friends and headed north to try her luck in Alaska, not as a prospector but as an entrepreneur in the culinary arts and hospitality industry.  As author Ann Chandonnet put it, "defying convention, she set off alone for a land where respectable woman were rare."

     Passing herself off as a widow for maximum respectability, her first employment was in Skagway as a cook for Captain William Moore, the town's founder.  With only $7 to her name she began work, preparing meals for builders in town and prospectors passing through, earning $3 a day.  A large tent served as both her work station and her dwelling.  In her spare time she baked dried apple pies in pie pans snipped and bent from recycled tin cans and sold them to hungry miners with a sweet tooth.  She did so well that she was soon able to purchase a team of horses and with her equine experience, went into the freight hauling business.  It turned out to be quite profitable.  With the profits she eventually purchased Moore's former mansion and converted it into the Pullen House in 1900.

     Known around town affectionately as "Ma" Pullen, Harriet created a luxury hotel of the place, importing fine china and silverware, soft beds and an even greater luxury, bathtubs.  With the help of her sons she provided top quality accommodations and high class meals for nearly half a century.  The Pullen House thrived under her watchful eye until her death in 1947.



     Here is one of her favorite recipes:

Ma Pullen's Raspberry Batter Pudding

1 1/2 cups flour                                                      1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup milk                                                           1 Tbsp sugar

1 egg                                                                        1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt                                                            1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Mix a batter of all the ingredients, adding the raspberries last.  Mix them in well.  Place in a buttered pudding mold and steam 30 minutes.  

Serve warm with hard sauce.

Makes 4 servings

Garden City

     Skagway has been termed the Garden City of Alaska.  It is located at the northern tip of the inside passage, 90 miles north east of Juneau.  The name of the town is derived from the native Tlingit dialect. Skagua means "place where the north wind blows."  Once a thriving gold rush boom town of 10,000, today Skagway is home to less than a thousand year round residents on 455 square miles of land.

     Skagway has recreated itself to look like it did at the turn of the Twentieth Century when stampeders congregated there to seek their fame and fortune heading up the Chilkoot Trail to the Dawson Gold Fields in the Yukon.  Down the street from the cruise ship docks is the Skagway Inn.  Built in 1897 it was first a brothel on Paradise Alley in the red light district and later became a boarding house.  

 

     Olivia's Restaurant located at the Inn provides meals for overnight guests and the public from a menu of locally sourced crab, salmon, halibut and game meats.  It was there one afternoon that I enjoyed a hearty bowl of halibut chowder before returning to the ferry that transported me back to the ship.



Just for the Halibut

     When I arrived in Alaska I learned that the salmon run season had not yet begun.  The most prolific of all Alaskan fish species do not begin their migration upstream until sometime in June when the stately King Salmon swim back to the pools and estuaries where they were born.  But I was in search of a good meal with some authentic local seafood. I quickly learned that another popular and plentiful fish up in The Last Frontier was the halibut.

     And I learned not only about it's year round availability but also it's identity.  Halibut are the largest of all the flatfish, a relative of the flounder but much, much larger.  It is not uncommon for a fisherman to haul in one that weighs nearly a hundred pounds.  The largest recorded catch was just last year off the coast of Norway, a 9 foot long fish weighing a purported 515 pounds.  Halibut are found in northern waters in both the Pacific and the Atlantic, although there is concern that the Atlantic species is being over fished and is thus considered endangered.  They have a dark brown upper side and are white underneath, a productive coloration known as countershading.  And as bottom feeders they will eat almost anything: octopus, crab, salmon, sculpin (a so-called "trash fish"), cod, and each other.  They are considered near the top of the marine food chain.

     When cooked halibut have a clean taste and a dense firm texture.  They can be boiled, deep fried, or grilled when fresh and smoked to preserve them for future meals.  So how did I enjoy my first taste of Alaskan halibut?  Actually I had it two times.  First in the small town of Denali I dined on a blackened halibut pizza.  Then later in the trip I had a delicious halibut chowder in Skagway at Olivia's Garden Restaurant.  But more about Skagway tomorrow.

 

 



 

 

Making Do

     During the Alaskan gold rush life wasn't exactly a bowl of cherries.  Stampeders learned to be resourceful with their limited supplies and scarce natural resources.  One of the most popular winter pies in Fairbanks was mock cherry, made by combining imported raisins from the larder with locally picked lowbush cranberries stored in barrels.

     Cranberries' natural waxy coating helped them keep well.  They became the prime ingredient in Sadie Bodwell's recipe that she penned in the back of her Mrs. Lincoln's Boston Cookbook (1891).  If you'd like to attempt it, here it is:

Sadie's Mock Cherry Pie

1 cup cranberries cut with scissors

1 cup seeded raisins

1 cup sugar

1 cup hot water

     Cook until the fruit is soft.  Add a pinch of salt.  Use a rolled cracker instead of flour (to thicken), if preferred.  Add a teaspoonful of vanilla before putting into the pie crust.  Bake just long enough to bake the crust.