What exactly do you need on a dull day, when you have zero desire to cook yourself a meal. Add to it the craving for food, which are only available miles and miles away. What exactly do you do when your taste buds crave for a taste that is distinctly Alaskan. I am still looking for the answer, as I lust on and on.
Alaska is not only about oysters and king crabs. Its about a whole lot of oysters and king crabs and not to forget all the deer meat. I know, I know, it should be mentioned as venison, rather than the crass deer meat, but the fact, I really do not know the exact terms for reindeer meat and caribou meat, hence the broad outline. Alaska has a distinct quality, it makes you feel hungry a little more often. No wonder I piled on all the extra calories around my tummy. Having four big meals in one day, not to mention the numerous snacks, that is stretching the limit a bit to far, for a size zero person like me. But I ain't complaining! In fact I am looking forward to anyone willing to volunteer to cook up an Alaskan feast for me and my hungry tummy and lusty soul. I guess I just have to take a trip down memory lane.
BRUNCH :
One thing was for sure. Me and hubby had decided that out first major meal in Alaska would have to be reindeer, after all the research work we had done. No offence meant to Rudolph and his friends. But alas, the first night our flight was so late, that we had to make do with our medium rare sirloin steaks. Not to mention, that they were too good. So the next morning, what we thought to be as breakfast, ultimately became brunch, only in the bid to devour only reindeer meat. The restaurant, quaint and tiny, though renowned, had a line almost stretching to the next block. In spite of our hunger, we weren't complaining. After all this hype, and after all this wait, when the reindeer sausage rolls actually did arrive, it was worth every bit of effort we had put in. The meat was softer than I had imagined, not quite similar to normal venison. And the crunch of the grilled sausage on the rolls, with the generous helping of mustard and fried onions, sealed the deal. The icing on the cake, the french fries, which had been fried in reindeer. The fries were so rich, that I even had an extra order of the fries to munch on during the day. And even after a few hours in the car, the fries did not lose their crunch.
EVENING SNACK:
Well, it is difficult to find Mc D's and Subways, in the interiors of Alaska. So what become the definite choice, were quaint diners tucked away at the foothills, or near a creek flowing by. The menu and the cooking was totally rustic. But I guess, that was the best deal about taking a road trip from need of the last frontier to the other. We got to savour the traditional culinary favorites(which one will totally miss if one is taking a luxurious cruise). So for an evening snack, on a tiring day, I settled in for some steamer clams, in a garlic and butter and wine broth. The plate in which I was served was not something great, but the food which was served, was beyond doubt one the best steamer clams I have ever had. The simplicity of the recipe brought out the sweetness of the clams, and it had that touch to it, which you have, when mom prepares a dish. Food for the soul in the truest sense.
LUNCH/DINNER:
The super juicy caribou patties deserve at least a mention. Breakfast gets a different meaning when you bite into caribou meat, and hash browns.In a bid to hog the food,we forgot to take any pictures. At least my taste buds still remember the tasty deal. Following all the hype about Alaskan sea food, we usually ordered the same thing over and over again, for quite a few meals. The much spoken about FISHERMAN'S PLATTER. Talking of king crabs and oysters, it had all of that.Along with halibut fillets, clams, scallops, calamari, prawns, all fried in a light tempura batter. The sea food was fresh, the batter was crisp, and lightly spicy. Served along with a generous helping of the local shrimp cocktail, it was any seafood lover's paradise on a plate. The buttery corn and the mashed potatoes got a miss, as the sea food kept all of us hands on. Bon appetit !
Alaska is not only about oysters and king crabs. Its about a whole lot of oysters and king crabs and not to forget all the deer meat. I know, I know, it should be mentioned as venison, rather than the crass deer meat, but the fact, I really do not know the exact terms for reindeer meat and caribou meat, hence the broad outline. Alaska has a distinct quality, it makes you feel hungry a little more often. No wonder I piled on all the extra calories around my tummy. Having four big meals in one day, not to mention the numerous snacks, that is stretching the limit a bit to far, for a size zero person like me. But I ain't complaining! In fact I am looking forward to anyone willing to volunteer to cook up an Alaskan feast for me and my hungry tummy and lusty soul. I guess I just have to take a trip down memory lane.
BRUNCH :
One thing was for sure. Me and hubby had decided that out first major meal in Alaska would have to be reindeer, after all the research work we had done. No offence meant to Rudolph and his friends. But alas, the first night our flight was so late, that we had to make do with our medium rare sirloin steaks. Not to mention, that they were too good. So the next morning, what we thought to be as breakfast, ultimately became brunch, only in the bid to devour only reindeer meat. The restaurant, quaint and tiny, though renowned, had a line almost stretching to the next block. In spite of our hunger, we weren't complaining. After all this hype, and after all this wait, when the reindeer sausage rolls actually did arrive, it was worth every bit of effort we had put in. The meat was softer than I had imagined, not quite similar to normal venison. And the crunch of the grilled sausage on the rolls, with the generous helping of mustard and fried onions, sealed the deal. The icing on the cake, the french fries, which had been fried in reindeer. The fries were so rich, that I even had an extra order of the fries to munch on during the day. And even after a few hours in the car, the fries did not lose their crunch.
EVENING SNACK:
Well, it is difficult to find Mc D's and Subways, in the interiors of Alaska. So what become the definite choice, were quaint diners tucked away at the foothills, or near a creek flowing by. The menu and the cooking was totally rustic. But I guess, that was the best deal about taking a road trip from need of the last frontier to the other. We got to savour the traditional culinary favorites(which one will totally miss if one is taking a luxurious cruise). So for an evening snack, on a tiring day, I settled in for some steamer clams, in a garlic and butter and wine broth. The plate in which I was served was not something great, but the food which was served, was beyond doubt one the best steamer clams I have ever had. The simplicity of the recipe brought out the sweetness of the clams, and it had that touch to it, which you have, when mom prepares a dish. Food for the soul in the truest sense.
LUNCH/DINNER:
The super juicy caribou patties deserve at least a mention. Breakfast gets a different meaning when you bite into caribou meat, and hash browns.In a bid to hog the food,we forgot to take any pictures. At least my taste buds still remember the tasty deal. Following all the hype about Alaskan sea food, we usually ordered the same thing over and over again, for quite a few meals. The much spoken about FISHERMAN'S PLATTER. Talking of king crabs and oysters, it had all of that.Along with halibut fillets, clams, scallops, calamari, prawns, all fried in a light tempura batter. The sea food was fresh, the batter was crisp, and lightly spicy. Served along with a generous helping of the local shrimp cocktail, it was any seafood lover's paradise on a plate. The buttery corn and the mashed potatoes got a miss, as the sea food kept all of us hands on. Bon appetit !
