Hawaiian and other Polynesian cultures have an ancient relationship with Alaska, and today Pacific Islanders comprise the largest growing ethnic community in Alaska. Anchorage alone has a Polynesian florist, various Hawaiian restaurants, and a handful of Samoan churches. If you look a little harder in some convenience stores, you’ll find the piece of culinary heaven brought to us from the south Pacific, the Hawaiian delicacy known simply as “musubi.”
Farming in Alaska is growing, and from Interior to Southeast, farm owners are offering tours of their land and operation.
Mo’s Deli in Anchorage is a New York style deli that combines a traditional deli and Alaskan flare with dishes like sockeye lox.
Chef Andrew Maxwell shares a recipe for cider-braised caribou alongside buttermilk polenta and pickled onions.
The sweetness of Alaska grown carrots gives the ideal balance to this Roasted Alaskan Carrot Soup recipe from Chef Andrew Maxwell.
Voices of Alaska with Mandy Dixon, 36, the executive chef at Within the Wild adventure lodges.
Each fall around Alaska, friends and family gather buckets and bags and head to their favorite blueberry spots. These, of course, are kept somewhat secret from the masses, but in general, anywhere there is tundra, you should look for blueberries. While high on a hillside or low beside a lake, berry picking lets your mind wander while your hands stay busy. Solve problems large and small, or just decide how you’ll use your berries throughout the winter—freeze them for pies, muffins, pancakes, and smoothies; dry them to toss on cereal; or make jam to enjoy all winter. For details on nutrition, storage, and recipes for blueberries and other Alaskan foods, visit cespubs.uaf.edu/publications.
