"Cooking in Alaska" by Pat Babcock

My rating: 4 of 5 spoons
gggg

I lived in Alaska for a total of 10 years scattered from when I was 13 to age 26, so I was excited to get a copy of this book to review. If you're a stickler for photos of finished dishes, this is not the book for you. Sketches and photos (all black and white) are scattered throughout the book, but focus on Alaska and its cultures--not the food. There are bits and pieces of the history of Alaska as well as the Alaskan people from the pioneers to the different Native groups scattered throughout the book as well.

As far as the food goes, there's everything from Crab Dip to Moose Pot Roast to Eskimo Ice Cream (trust me, don't ask!). Some are definitely from the native culture (Jellied Moose Nose, for instance), but many are just good, basic dishes using local produce and meats. One of my favorite dishes when I was young was Deep Fried Halibut. They have a version with sweet and sour sauce, but I recommend you try it with Malibu Sauce (not in the cookbook. Just mix mustard and mayonnaise together. I know that may not sound appetizing, but it's really good!) as well.

Alaska is a melting pot of people from all over the world, and that is well reflected in this book. Everything from Italian Pot Roast to Norwegian Fiske Pudding and Russian Moose-Cabbage Soup is included. If you want a nice reflection of the diversity of Alaska, this would be a good cookbook for you.

I received a copy of this book from Schiffer Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.