Alaskans call themselves “sourdoughs” in tribute to the prospectors who settled much of America’s last frontier in the late 19th century.

Among the miners’ most treasured staples in those days before powdered yeast became commonplace was a crock of sourdough starter to leaven their bread, biscuits and pancakes. The starter – a mixture of flour and water allowed to ferment with wild yeast in the air – was so central to their diets that they called anyone who survived a hard winter in the gold fields a “sourdough.”

So it seemed only fitting that I should bring a jar of starter with me on my camping tour of Alaska. What better way to start the day in the shadow of the rugged Alaskan Range than with a stack of sourdough pancakes swimming in maple syrup?

Continue reading Carrying sourdough to Alaska →

The sapphire waters of the Inland Passage are the lifeblood of Southeast Alaska.  Winding through a magnificent landscape of dense forests, deep fjords and glacier-carved peaks mantled in snow, the icy seas teem with marine life that has sustained the native Tlingit people and fed the bears, bald eagles and migrating whales for millennia.

Today, the maze of inlets, channels and sounds serves as a watery highway to the outside world for fishing camps and towns hugging its shores for the more than 200 miles from Ketchikan to Juneau. The waters support a vast commercial fishing industry.  They’re a primary draw, too, for throngs of tourists, who sail in aboard cruise ships and ferries throughout the summer, hoping for a glimpse of wild life that lives off the ocean’s bounty.

Lucky me, I’ve arrived during the King salmon season, when it seems every fishing crew is racing to get its share of the lucrative catch. Fishermen sell whole fish off boats in the harbors and local papers publish notices of salmon fishing derbies.

Continue reading Salmon in Alaska →

Before I left for Alaska two weeks ago, I wrapped up a piece on glorious spring rhubarb that was published today in the San Jose Mercury News.

The dish that pleased me most was this homey rhubarb clafoutis. A riff on the simple French cake frequently made with cherries, it’s at once tart, sweet and creamy.  The bright, tangy flavor of rhubarb plays deliciously against the custard-like cake.  The secret to its luscious texture is to not bake it too long.  The finished cake should still be a little soft in the center when you take it out of the oven.

Continue reading Glorious rhubarb →

I’m heading north – to Alaska, no less. It’s the ultimate road trip, more than 3,000 miles of asphalt one-way through some of the most gorgeous scenery in the world. We’ve been fantasizing about it for years and making preparations since January.

Before we left,  I baked a batch of these extra nutty peanut butter cookies for the drive.  You never know when you’re going to find yourself starving, miles from the nearest grocery store or restaurant. And I like to rationalize that there’s at least some protein in these big, crunchy cookies to tide us through a long day on the road. Continue reading Peanut butter cookies for the road →

At last, fava beans are flooding the farmers markets again. These plump, shiny legumes are among my favorite vegetables. When they’re fresh off the bush, they deliver the bright, green taste of spring.

Last weekend, piles of gleaming pods graced several stands at my local farmers market and I couldn’t resist. Part of the charm of favas is their season is short. You eat them when you can get them and they’re best young and tender.

Afficionados eat them raw, unzipping the leathery pods and plucking the beans out of their cottony beds. The tiniest beans, no bigger than a thumbnail, need no further preparation to enjoy their sweet young flavor. But the larger beans hide within a slightly bitter, pale green jacket and really should be peeled before eating.

Continue reading Fava beans are back →

Whatever happened to spring? The season seems to have leapfrogged from winter to summer when I wasn’t looking. One night I was snuggling under a down comforter and the next I was wondering why I still had flannel sheets on the bed. The thermometer shot to over 90 when I was out hiking yesterday and, around here, that’s pretty hot even for summer.

No matter, the comforts of spring remain in the market. I’m grateful that I can still savor the bright, grassy flavor and crisp texture of fresh, locally-grown asparagus. Even better, the prices are coming down.

When asparagus first arrives at the farmers market, I’m happy just to eat it as plain as possible. It’s the first fresh taste of wonderful produce to come as the days get longer and the weather gets warmer. Nothing more than a little sweet butter is required. Continue reading Asparagus pasta evokes spring →

Now that the first spring veggies are arriving in the market, I can’t keep my mind from leaping ahead to August, when the heirloom tomatoes will be at their peak. I can’t wait for those vine-ripened beauties to reach my plate. Of all the summer produce, they’re my favorite.

It’s been too long since I’ve tasted a great tomato, fresh off the vine and still warm from the sun. But I’ve come up with a substitute to keep my cravings in check until the real thing arrives in the markets – roasted canned tomatoes.

Before you scoff, consider this: The best canned tomatoes have a depth of flavor you never find in the hot house tomatoes or those that were picked green in Mexico and trucked north. They’re picked ripe and rushed to the cannery. The texture suffers in the canning but that doesn’t matter so much if you roast them, which eliminates much of the excess moisture and concentrates the flavor. Continue reading Tomatoes on my mind →

Time is getting short. Passover begins at sunset Wednesday night. If you still don’t have any idea what to take to the seder, do I have a treat for you.

I’m no expert in matters of Jewish cuisine, it’s true. I’m not even Jewish. But many of my friends are and somehow I was always the one tapped to write a Passover story in recent years at the Mercury News. I also was lucky enough to be invited to participate in a Passover seder, the ceremonial feast celebrating the delivery of the Israelites from Egypt.

This much I do know: For most families, the seder menu is a cherished tradition. Whether it’s brisket or lamb stew, the heart of the menu changes little from year to year. The one place where there’s really any room for innovation is dessert. Still, the strictures against flour or leavening make it a challenge.

Amaretti con pignoli, the Italian classic cookies, are the perfect answer for a dessert that will delight diners and satisfy Passover restrictions at the same time. They’re easy but elegant, with a chewy texture and the buttery richness of pine nuts. Essentially, they’re macaroons made with almond paste, sugar and egg whites, a staple on Passover dessert tables. What sets them apart, though, is the luxurious coat of pine nuts that brings new layers of flavor to the simple cookie. Continue reading Pignoli for Passover – or anytime →

Artichokes were the first new spring veggies to show up at the market this year. Now, they’re everywhere you turn and prices finally have fallen to reasonable levels.

As much as I love these edible thistles, I blanch at the thought of paying $3 per globe, no matter how large and picture perfect. Besides, I really do prefer them smaller, when the stems are more tender and each one is the right size for an individual serving.

At the very beginning of the season, it’s enough to simply steam artichokes with a little garlic and lemon until the base of each leaf is soft enough to scrape the flesh off with your front teeth. The bottom and stem become nutty and sweet.

In the last few weeks, though, I’ve found so-called baby artichokes at the market for as little as 3 for $1. This is the perfect time to cook them in a special dish to celebrate the return of sunny skies and warmer weather. Continue reading Artichoke risotto for Spring →

Almost anything goes with chocolate, it seems.

Last weekend at the San Francisco Chocolate Salon, I tasted delightful chocolates combined with Guinness, jackfruit, bacon and genmai tea – in separate confections, thank goodness. Even the Van Gogh vodka infused with dusky Dutch chocolate, which I sampled with some trepidation, was lovely.

It shouldn’t be surprising then that dark chocolate and peppery extra virgin olive oil make such a stunning marriage in the almost flourless cake from Fran Gage‘s just-released book, “The New American Olive Oil” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2009). The single-layer cake is at once dense, moist and amazingly light, with the silky smooth texture of velvet. Just enough of the oil’s pungent bite hovers in the background to highlight the chocolate’s subtly fruity character. I may never go back to butter. Continue reading Chocolate and olive oil, oh my →