Alaska's Food Lessons by Ruth Paget

Alaska’s Food Lessons by Ruth Paget 

I have not visited Alaska, but enjoy the seafood from its frigid waters that run in Alaska Current off Monterey Bay (California) where I live. 

Some of the delicious seafood from Alaska that my family has enjoyed over the years include: 

-Sweet Alaskan King Crab legs, which I steam in a little water with white wine 

 -briny shrimp, which I turn into garlic shrimp with a sprinkling of hot red pepper flakes 

-Large, chunky Pacific cod, which Californians eat deep-fried in IPA beer batter with thick curly fries 

-Salmon, which I bake with green beans and seasoned butter 

My family and I have very good impressions of Alaskan food based on those dishes alone. To complete my knowledge of Alaskan food, I turned to the Best of the Best from Alaska Cookbook edited by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley. 

There are recipes for walrus meat in the cookbook, but I chose 5 dishes to represent what Alaska cooks that the continental US can also try:

-raspberry liqueur made with mashed raspberries, lemon peel, vodka, and sugar syrup

-salmon spread made with gelatin, white wine, sour cream, chili sauce, and canned salmon 

-cranberry apple nut bread 

-Swiss scalloped potatoes made with Swiss cheese, green onions, butter, flour, salt, pepper, milk, cream, and thinly sliced potatoes

-Celery custard made with diced celery, onions, milk, salt, pepper, and eggs. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. (Celery is a major crop in Monterey County California) 

For cooks interested in dishes for cold weather climates Best of the Best from Alaska edited by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley has great pantry recipes. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Wyoming's High-Altitude Food by Ruth Paget

Wyoming’s High-Altitude Food by Ruth Paget 

On the way to and from Wisconsin, my Californian family drove over the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming to go to a family reunion. The top of the Rockies around Laramie, their highest point, have rounded, black peaks devoid of snow and antelope grazing way up high in the 2020s. 

On visits to Yellowstone National Park, my family has also discovered that the high altitude whets the appetite, especially after hiking and alters baking times. 

I found several dishes that all go well with coffee, the always acceptable drink in Wyoming, in my souvenir cookbook entitled A Taste of Wyoming: Favorite Recipes from the Cowboy State by Pamela Sinclair that might interest other cooks: 

-blueberry kuchen or coffee cake brought by German immigrants to Wyoming, who make up the largest immigrant group in the state 

-ten-grain pecan pancakes with sautéed apples 

-mushroom risotto to go with the states beloved meat dishes 

-roasted garlic mashed potatoes to go with meat dishes -wild rice salad 

–a Native American dish made with chicken, celery, apple, cranberries, and walnuts 

-Basque lamb stew made by descendants of immigrants from the Basque country in Spain and France 

-Yellowstone drug store vanilla shake – a great way to end a day of hiking 

Cooks interested in expanding their repertoire might enjoy A Taste of Wyoming by Pamela Sinclair to relive grand moments in Wyoming and eat well, too. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Idaho's Potato Classics by Ruth Paget

Idaho’s Potato Classics by Ruth Paget 

I learned to love Idaho as a young woman when I ate baked potatoes with melted butter and sour cream topped off with chives at Carl’s Chop House in Detroit, Michigan. This delectable potato came with a medium rare T-bone steak and a side salad with ranch dressing and freshly cracked pepper on top. Detroit being Texan was perfectly acceptable in the 1980s. 

I finally was able to see Idaho up close and personal when my husband Laurent and I drove through it on a vacation to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in the 2010s. Idaho is flat with lumpy soil full of delicious potatoes. 

I purchased the Idaho Cookbook by Laura Sommers to learn more about this state we drove through on the way to see Old Faithful. There are many potato recipes as you would expect as well as dessert ideas for huckleberries, which also grow abundantly in Idaho. 

Some of the recipes that I thought looked especially good in Sommers’ cookbook include:

-Idaho bean soup made with potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, vegetable stock, ham, and white beans  

-Waldorf potato salad made with russet potatoes, cider vinegar, mayonnaise, scallions, celery stalks, apples, and chopped walnuts 

-Idaho curry potato salad made with russet potatoes, golden raisins, olive oil, curry powder, yogurt, and green beans 

-Idaho garden potato salad made with red potatoes, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, scallions, parsley, chives, and mayonnaise 

-Duck fat steak fries that are baked after being tossed with thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and melted duck fat 

Cooks interested in delicious new ways to prepare potatoes can find an excellent collection in The Idaho Cookbook by Laura Sommers. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Tuna-Black Bean Salad Recipe by Ruth Paget

Tuna-Black Bean Salad Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

-1 (5-ounce) can tuna fish 

-1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 

-1 green pepper, seeded and minced 

-1/2 red onion, minced 

-3 tablespoons olive oil 

-1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 

-2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered 

Steps: 

1-Place tuna, black beans, green pepper and red onion in a large salad bowl. 

2-Mix olive oil and vinegar together. Season according to your liking. Pour dressing over salad and toss. 

3-Place egg quarters around the salad on the edges of the bowl and serve. 

Source: Ruth Paget – California 2023 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Black Bean Salad Recipe by Ruth Paget

Black Bean Salad Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

-4 tablespoons olive oil 

-juice of 1 lemon or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 

-1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 

-1/2 red onion, minced 

-1 green pepper, minced 

-2 hard-boiled eggs quartered 

Steps: 

1-Mix olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar together. Season according to your liking. 

2-Place beans, onion, and green pepper in a large salad bowl. 

3-Pour dressing over the beans and toss. 

4-Place egg quarters around the edges of the salad and serve. 

Source: Ruth Paget – California 2023 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Lentil Soup Recipe by Ruth Paget

Lentil Soup Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

-3 tablespoons olive oil 

-1 onion, chopped 

-1 tomato, chopped and seeded 

-2 carrots, chopped 

-1 (15-ounce) can lentils, rinsed and drained 

-1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth 

-8 cups water 

Steps: 

1-Sauté onion, tomatoes, and carrots in olive oil for 10 minutes in a pot. 

2-Add lentils, chicken broth, and water to the pot. 

3-Bring soup to a boil and let boil for ½ hour or until carrots are soft. 

4-Remove soup fro heat. Insert an immersion blender and purée the soup. 

Source: Ruth Paget – California 2023 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Navy Bean Soup Recipe by Ruth Paget

Navy Bean Soup Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 4 

Ingredients:  

-3 tablespoons olive oil 

-1 onion, chopped 

-5 carrots, chopped 

-3 celery stalks, chopped 

-1 (15-ounce) can Navy or Great Northern White Beans 

-1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth 

-8 cups water 

Steps: 

1-Sauté onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil for 10 minutes. 

2-Add Navy beans, chicken broth, and water. 

3-Bring soup to a boil and let boil for ½ hour. 

4-Remove soup from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup. 

Source: Ruth Paget – California 2023 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books