Alaska's WILD State Fair Food!!

Key Concepts

• Alaska State Fair Food: Focus on unique, locally sourced, and often fried seafood and other regional specialties.
• Seafood Sourcing: Emphasis on fresh, local catches from Alaskan waters (crab, scallops, oysters, salmon, halibut, king crab).
• Preparation Methods: Deep frying, grilling, and raw consumption of seafood.
• Regional Ingredients: Use of Alaskan crab blends, Prince William Sound scallops, Japanese oysters grown in Alaska, Kenai salmon, Bristol Bay red salmon, reindeer sausage, and Washington peaches.
• Cultural Significance: Discussion of indigenous recipes like fry bread and the term "Eskimo."
• Price Points: Range from $17 for bacon-wrapped scallops to $75 for a king crab cluster.
• Flavor Profiles: Emphasis on fresh, sweet, briny, umami, smoky, buttery, and tangy tastes.
• Unique Combinations: Salmon and reindeer quesadillas, microwaved oysters with Serrano sour cream.

Alaska State Fair: A Culinary Expedition

This video chronicles an exploration of extreme and unique fair foods at the Alaska State Fair, contrasting with previous experiences with southern comfort foods. The primary focus is on discovering local Alaskan delicacies, particularly seafood.

Alaska Crab Shack: A Bucket of Crab Cakes

The first stop is the Alaska Crab Shack, specializing in locally sourced seafood.

• Crab Cakes:
  • Ingredients: A blend of Alaskan waters crab, including snow crab, beardy crab, and Alaska brown crab. King crab is noted as difficult to obtain currently. The cakes also contain panko breading and various seasonings, with pimento described as a "secret sauce."
  • Preparation: Made in-house with a proprietary recipe. The cakes are deep-fried until crisp and golden brown, then rested to drain excess oil.
  • Presentation: Served in a bucket of 15 crab cakes.
  • Cost: $25 for a bucket of 15.
  • Taste Profile: Described as having a thick, crunchy crust with a soft, "gloopy" interior full of crab meat.
  • Accompaniment: Homemade dill tartar sauce, characterized as slightly mayonnaisey with a sharp taste and prominent dill flavor.
• Bacon-Wrapped Scallops:
  • Sourcing: Scallops are from Alaska's Prince William Sound, known for their clean and sweet taste due to cold waters. The bacon, however, is purchased from Costco, not locally sourced.
  • Preparation: Scallops are pre-wrapped in bacon and cured, then deep-fried. The frying process causes the bacon to constrict and wrap tighter around the scallop.
  • Presentation: Five scallops wrapped in bacon, fried.
  • Cost: $17.
  • Taste Profile: Perfectly crunchy bacon complements the naturally sweet and fresh scallops. The saltiness of the bacon enhances the scallop's flavor.

Oyster Hut: A Taste of the Ocean

The next location is an oyster hut, a rare sight at a state fair.

• Oyster Sourcing: The oysters are from a farm located about 30 miles out in the ocean from Wiggier.
• Scale of Operation: The vendor sells 40,000 oysters at the fair, shucked by hand with the aid of shucking machines that resemble drills.
• Oyster Species: The oysters are Japanese oysters, the only brand permitted for import into Alaska and found along the West Coast.
• Flavor Profile: Described as slightly briny with a deep umami flavor.
• Condiments: A wide selection is offered, including lemon juice, red wine vinegar, mignonette, cocktail sauce, hot sauces (Frank's Red Hot, Tabasco, Tapatio), pepper, and salt. Red wine vinegar is highlighted as a favorite for its layered flavors.
• Microwaved Oysters:
  • Preparation: Oysters are microwaved for 45 seconds, then topped with a Serrano sour cream sauce and a slice of Serrano pepper. They are then broiled for about a minute. This method is used for speed.
  • Taste Profile: Creamy with a kick, the oyster remains firm, and the texture is more solid than raw. Rated as a "10 out of 10."
• Oyster Fossil: A humorous anecdote involves a fossil from Oklahoma being presented as an alternative if one doesn't like oysters.

Fish on Camp Grill: Salmon and Halibut Delicacies

This vendor offers fresh seafood, including some of the most expensive fair food items.

• Salmon Fillet Preparation:
  • Sourcing: Salmon caught the previous day from the Kenai area of Alaska.
  • Filleting: Performed using a traditional Alaskan "ulu" knife. The process involves removing the head (saved for soup) and internal organs, then expertly filleting along the spine.
  • Pin Boning: Each fillet is meticulously de-boned by hand.
  • Grilling: Fillets are grilled on a blazing charcoal grill (estimated 850°F). They are seasoned with an in-house blend called "It's On" and olive oil. The skin is removed, and excess fat is scraped off to prevent a "fishy" taste. A pizza paddle is used to handle the fish on the grill.
  • Serving: Served over rice with a blend of oil and more "It's On" seasoning. Whole fillets can also be purchased for families.
• Fried Halibut:
  • Sourcing: Local fish.
  • Preparation: Breaded and deep-fried.
  • Taste Profile: Excellent seasoning in the breading, with succulent, soft fish inside. Described as smoky.
• Fried Salmon:
  • Preparation: Salmon is deep-fried with a tangy, seasoned breading.
  • Taste Profile: Crunchy breading with fatty salmon inside.
• Alaskan Grilled King Crab:
  • Sourcing: Red king crab, considered the best in the world for its sweetness and meat content.
  • Price: $75 per pound, with a cluster costing $75. The price has increased from $20 per pound 10 years prior. In restaurants, it can cost $200 per pound.
  • Preparation: Clusters are split to allow butter and flavoring to penetrate. The crab is grilled (not boiled or steamed) with butter, lemon juice, and the "It's On" spice blend.
  • Presentation: Served with butter, lemon, and seasoning. The cluster has three to four legs.
  • Taste Profile: Grilling imparts a unique flavor and texture. The combination of butter, lemon, and seasoning is described as incredible. The "hip meat" is particularly noted for its robust, chewy, fatty, and sweet flavor. The experience is described as unique and worth the price.

Fry Bread: An Indigenous Recipe

This section explores a sweet treat with indigenous roots.

• Fry Bread:
  • Origin: Traditionally, Alaska lacked flour, wheat, or corn in villages. The concept of fry bread was introduced by other Native peoples in the lower 48 states, and the recipe has been continued and adapted.
  • Preparation: Freshly risen dough is pinched off, pulled out to retain air, and then deep-fried until golden brown. Oil is applied to gloves to prevent sticking.
  • "Eskimo Pie" Terminology: A discussion arises about the term "Eskimo." Buffy, who identifies as a "Nupyak Eskimo," states that for her, the term is acceptable as it relates to her culture and identity. She feels it is not offensive and grants the speaker an "Eskimo pass."
  • Toppings: Sweet blueberry syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.
  • Taste Profile: Described as donuty, pancakey, toasty on the outside, light, fluffy, and super satisfying. The blueberry syrup and powdered sugar add sweetness. The texture is airy.

Salmon Express: Alaskan Quesadillas

A vendor offering an unexpected fair food: quesadillas with Alaskan proteins.

• History: The concept has been around since 1996, foundational to Anchorage.
• Proteins: Salmon and reindeer (technically caribou) sausage.
• Salmon Sourcing: Red salmon from Bristol Bay, noted for its high flavor content.
• Reindeer Sourcing: Sourced direct from Indian Valley, a mix of reindeer and pork sausage.
• Tortillas: "Taco Loco" brand, made in Anchorage.
• Salmon Preparation: Grilled in olive oil with a special spice mix (2 parts lemon pepper, 1.5 parts dill, 1 part pepper).
• Reindeer Preparation: Flash-seared.
• Quesadilla Assembly: Starts with a preset quesadilla containing mozzarella cheese and mild salsa. Salmon and reindeer sausage are added, then folded and pressed in a panini grill for about 30 seconds.
• Taste Profile: The salmon is described as ground down into small pieces, like a salmon burger, mixed with juicy chunks of reindeer sausage. The flour tortilla is soft and gooey. The salmon is rich, and the reindeer sausage is "snappy." The combination is highly praised, with the recipe having had three decades to be perfected.

Your Favorite Peach Food: Fried Peaches

A vendor specializing in peaches, sourced from Washington State.

• Peach Sourcing: Peaches are flown to Washington State and then driven two and a half hours down the Columbia River. Washington peaches are described as "honey" and "monster" in size.
• Preparation: Fresh peach slices are dipped in a waffle batter and deep-fried until golden brown.
• Toppings: Dusted with cinnamon and sugar, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, and topped with more cinnamon and sugar and a mint leaf.
• Vendor Background: The vendor, Milan, is from Serbia and embodies an "American dream" narrative by sourcing ingredients and creating unique dishes.
• Taste Profile: The fried peach becomes soft and steamy inside. The cinnamon and sugar add flavor. The batter is a light, pancakey batter. The ice cream and whipped cream serve as a palate cleanser.

Conclusion and Takeaways

The Alaska State Fair proved to be a surprising culinary destination, offering unique local delicacies beyond typical fair food. The emphasis on fresh, locally sourced seafood, prepared in diverse ways (fried, grilled, raw), was a recurring theme. The fair also showcased indigenous recipes like fry bread and innovative combinations such as salmon and reindeer quesadillas. While some items were expensive, the quality and uniqueness justified the cost for many attendees. The experience was described as more of a food festival than a traditional fair. The narrator plans to continue their cross-country state fair food tour, heading to the largest state fair in the USA for their next adventure.