It's no secret that our family likes to plan trips around local foods and restaurants. What I really love about planning this way, aside from tasting, is getting to meet the crafters of these culinary delights. They're the people who pour their hearts into the cultivation of vegetables and fruit so they can harvest them at peak ripeness. They're the people who experiment with lesser known ingredients to create entirely new taste experiences. They're the people who use generations-old family recipes and share them with strangers. They're foragers, animal experts, and promotors of health and sustainability. In short, they're artists with a passion to educate and innovate, and they connect us to our food in a personal way that the supermarket never could.
So far we've visited the Wasilla, Willow, Palmer, and Kenai farmers markets and have met some of these amazing people. Did you know that 98% of Alaska's food is imported? That is a scary number and one that Alaskans are trying to change. So, as a temporary citizen, I plan to do my part to support the local market where I can. Fortunately we happen to be here during the prime growing season, which makes it easy. Here is a sampling of some of the local gems we've discovered so far.
Once we entered Alaska and began our tour of the northern part of the state, we started noticing signs for "Sourdough" this, and "Sourdough" that. I know what sourdough is, and happen to be a big fan, but this was a little over the top. When I asked a local what it was all about, she told me that prospectors during the gold rush became known as "Sourdoughs" because they would carry sourdough starter with them for bread making. It became so steeped in the culture that people started naming businesses after it and now it's everywhere. Of course, I had to try some now that I knew the significance, so I ordered sourdough hotcakes at a restaurant in Kenai. They were flatter than the buttermilk pancakes I'm used to, and crisp on the edges, but still very tender. The pancakes had a tart flavor that played nicely with the butter and sweet syrup. Now that I have a temporary library card, you can bet I'll be trying my hand at making these little beauties from scratch with the kids! If you want to learn more, you can visit:
Sourdough History
Another item we noticed at tourist hot spots was birch syrup. I've had maple syrup (the REAL stuff) plenty of times, but this was new. Unfortunately, none of the places selling it had samples. You had to buy the whole bottle if you wanted to try it. Birch syrup is a bit spendy, so we put it off. That is, we put it off until we ran across the place where it's made in Talkeetna! At their main location, which is a small store on the side of the road, we were treated to a video that showed us the process of harvesting and making the syrup. Then we were brought to a counter where a whole spectrum of vials were displayed. In each vial was a sample of syrup that began with the syrup made at the beginning of the harvest to the end of it. They also had a few different years to choose from, like a wine maker might. The syrup from the beginning of the harvest was sweet and light, whereas the syrup from the end of the harvest was more on the sour end of the scale. We were told that the syrup from the end of the harvest was best for things like barbeque sauces and marinades.
The reason for the variations in taste and color is because of the variations in the levels of fructose, which are higher at the beginning of the run. You can learn all about birch syrup here:
Kahiltna Gold Birch Syrup We bought a bottle of the syrup from the 2015 first run. It's the consistency of maple syrup (the real stuff) and resembles it in flavor, but has bitter notes and an earthiness you don't get in maple syrup. It makes a delicious ice cream and caramel. I highly recommend checking it out! Apparently it's also easier for diabetics to process.
These are birch collection buckets. You'll have to visit their site to see how it's done.
This is the equipment the syrup is processed in.
The tour guide put the syrup from the first run and the syrup from the last run next to each other so we could see the difference in color. These are all from the same year. The lighter syrup is the first run.
Last week I told you about the fireweed jelly from Jingle Jellies at the farmers market (she sells in both Wasilla and Willow). So far we've tried the fireweed, fir tip (which tastes like lemonade), and nasturtium (It's fruity and mild. Almost peach-like). I'm looking forward to trying all her out-of-the-ordinary flavors while we're here.
We've also been checking out local small businesses, like Monica's Confection Connection in Wasilla. This store only opened a month ago. In it, you'll find delicious homemade fudges, marshmallows, brittles, lollipops, and gummy candies. My favorite was the Chocolate Caramel Nut fudge, which was like a Snickers Bar.
I know. I have a terrible sweet tooth....don't judge.
At stores across Alaska, I've been seeing navy blue boxes with a white sailor on them called "Sailor Boy Pilot Bread Crackers". This isn't a brand I've seen in the "Lower 48", so I asked a local about them. I was surprised to learn that it's hardtack. You know, like the stuff pioneers used back during the wagon train days! Of course, I HAD to try it. So, I bought a box. They're about the size of a cookie and look like a Ritz Cracker without the salt. In my mind I had built up the idea that hardtack would be break-your-teeth hard, like in the descriptions from books. Not so! It's more like a dense, crisp cracker. Almost like a saltine without the salt, and lends itself to being topped with cheese or any other spread. The local I spoke to told me about Pilot Bread being a staple of her childhood, in a family with little means. "It's basically a filler." she told me. I'm glad I decided to try it. The kids also liked it, which means it will be easy to bring with us as we explore.
In Fairbanks we visited the Tanana Valley Farmers Market, which was pretty big compared to the markets around here in the Matanuska Valley (we have yet to visit the one in south Anchorage). We loved the art but a few things really caught our eye. One being teeny-tiny wild strawberries. They were fragrant and sweet. Apparently, people go out to forage and sell their findings at the market. I love this! Mostly because as a visitor, I don't have the knowledge, resources, or time the locals have to go out to find them myself. We also saw a booth for a mushroom forager. Chaga seems to be huge at the markets here in Alaska.
When we saw honeyberries (which we'd never seen before) being sold at a booth, we made sure to try them. They're like long, tart blueberries and have a sweet finish to them. Our daughter especially liked them. The vendor who sold them to us told us they make a wonderful sauce for meats when cooked down. You can learn more here:
Honeyberries in Fairbanks
When I get a chance, I'll post a picture of one of the ice cream shacks we pass every day. In Washington, we have sheds that have been converted into drive-thru coffee shops everywhere (along with all the varieties of indie coffee shops and chains. What can I say? We love our coffee!). They have them up here also, but many of them are dedicated to ice cream instead. I've been told that Alaskans eat more ice cream, per capita, than anywhere else in the United States. I can neither confirm nor deny that claim, but it seems to be true from the amount of ice cream shops we've seen up here.
I know I've left a conspicuous hole where the Alaskan fishing industry is concerned. My husband and I are big fans of all seafood, to be sure. Where we are, though, we actually come across more advertisements for game meats than seafood, so that's where our focus has been. We'll leave that part of the Alaskan diet for another post when we visit a town where fish plays the starring role. Until then, I'll tell you that we've tried reindeer and buffalo sausages and hot dogs.
No, we haven't eaten seal oil, moose, or bear. Mostly because we're not natives and those items haven't been offered to us. It's only legal to sell meats and products from animals that have been farm raised. This is a way of protecting the wildlife from poachers and overharvesting. Even though we are adventurous eaters, we fully support this law. Sustainability is the only responsible way to go.
One thing I will tell you about fishing in Alaska is that we drove down the peninsula to Soldotna and Kenai last weekend, where fishing season is in full swing. There were swarms of people lined up and down the rivers using large nets to catch fish (look up dipnetting). I'm sure plenty were tourists, but there were also a fair few locals trying to catch fish for their winter freezers. Life up here is pretty cold once those months arrive, so people try to stock their freezers as best as they can to prepare.
The views everywhere are gorgeous and people are so hospitable and creative. We're really enjoying our time here! Have a great week!
- Jen
