Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

After a walking lunch a sit-down dinner seemed to be a nice change. Ginger is classified on the Web as a Thai restaurant but their menu is broad enough (cheeseburgers, anyone?) for me to consider it a general-purpose establishment. I ordered the fish special, which as I recall was grouper. The fish was perfect, as is true so much of the time in Alaska.

I enjoyed another excellent outdoor lunch at the Red Umbrella Reindeer hand cart. My camera didn't grab the photo but trust me---a great reindeer sausage with excellent toppings.

I enjoyed an excellent, satisfying breakfast at Biscuit Betties. Betty is located in one of the older malls in downtown Anchorage; she is in the lower level so keep looking for the staircase. Once you find her, you can watch the view of the Anchorage freight district working as you wait. This breakfast is for people who work. Betty told me that this dish is her most popular, a biscuit version of eggs benedict known as the Biscuit Benny. The gravy was silky smooth, the biscuits flaky and flavorful, the egg soft and inviting. Breakfast went down very easily and kept me going all morning.

Orso is a highly-regarded restaurant in Anchorage so I was happy to hear that our committee decided to gather there over dinner for discussion. This chowder combines corn and fish. The cream enriched the dish without hiding the delicate fish flavor. The fish was superb as one would hope in Alaska. The sweetness of the corn provided a nice contrast. My sockeye salmon was flavorful and with a meaty texture---delicious from every angle.

Deep and I needed a quick lunch during our conference. We tried two different brew houses but both were jam-packed. Luckily, Anchorage has a full complement of street carts and Anchor Town Dogs came to our rescue. This is my reindeer sausage, an excellent specimen of one of the great treats of the Great White North. These dogs are flavorful and rich without being overpowering. The grilled vegetables added some snap and zest. A very satisfying---and very fast---meal.

I needed an extra hit of caffeine during my conference. Luckily, I found Kobuk Coffee Company across the street. Their products were so good that I returned several times during the week. Hmmm, donuts... My coffee hit the spot. My birch-glazed donut was superb, close to maple in flavor but a little different. I also enjoyed the samovar tea on several other visits.

My trip back to Anchorage required a full day in a van. By the time I arrived, I was ready for a good piece of salmon. Gwennie's is an old-fashioned, somewhat touristy restaurant that provided me with a very satisfying meal and friendly service. The exterior looked to me as if it had formerly been a Chinese restaurant but I have been assured that it has always been Gwennie's. The wall is adorned with some very interesting old photographs. I started with a big iceberg salad. This is my smoked salmon, something that you almost never see as a main course in the lower 48. The salmon was rich. The smoking intensified the flavors and firmed up the texture. I really enjoyed my meal and went back to my hotel satisfied.

I stopped by Himalayas in old Chamblee just after 5 PM. The door was locked and no one seemed to be in the building. I hope that the restaurant remains healthy...

Everyone told me that the sable fish at the Bistro was outstanding and they were right. Tender, flaky, delicately flavored. My ice cream sandwich disassembled itself during delivery. It was fun but I do wish that the flavors had been a bit more pronounced.

I was awestruck by the views on my hike over Root Glacier. Walking on ice with crampons builds up an appetite. My lunch, brought from the Bistro in McCarthy, gave me a hearty meat sandwich and several treats. And luckily no bears tried to take it from me.

The Kennecott Glacier Lodge is the only lodging at Kennecott and also the upscale dining location. I enjoyed this beautiful view on the porch along with my lunch after a morning hike. I started with a meaty soup with lots of vegetables. The light broth was welcome after my hike. My burger was satisfyingly burgery and piled high. Overall, a satisfying meal.

This dinner was the first of several I enjoyed at the Bistro in McCarthy. The meal started with flavorful, tender bread with a great crust. This amuse bouche took advantage of the berries that characterize the Northwest. This fish stew was superb and a highlight of my entire trip: salmon belly, rock fish, crab, dover sole. This dish helped to remind me that Alaska has a wide range of wonderful fish, well beyond salmon. This elk chop is something that you don't see every day in the lower 48. It was rich without being gamey and perfectly cooked. The tomahawk look was a nice touch, too.

Kennecott was once the world's largest copper mine, now a historical site in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. It isn't really a town. Visitors have two choices for eating, the casual option being the Meatza Wagon, which has graced this spot for the past half-dozen years. (Actually, visitors have a third choice: pack your own food and attract bears.) My meatball sub was hearty and tasty. The sauce was right on the mark with both sweetness and tang. The cheese on top was nicely melted. The meatballs were tender and meaty. This sandwich is a good way to top off a day of walking around.

McCarthy has two restaurants. The Potato is casual, fun, and open all day long. In a town this small, it also serves as a meeting place to see folks you know or just met. It opens early for breakfast and is open well into the night. And the food is great. My burrito was very enjoyable and hearty. The star of the show, however, was the garlic and rosemary fries. The combination of floral and garlic on top of the hearty potatoes is just killer. I didn't get a chance to eat them for breakfast along with a plate of eggs. At another meal, I enjoyed this cheeseburger. And how did those garlic rosemary fries get on my plate?

The Atlanta etc. YouTube channel presents a new video here on my breakfast in McCarthy, Alaska, located in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

After arriving at Anchorage, I spent the night near the airport before heading out to the wilderness. I was interested in a tasty, easy sit-down meal and The Granite Lounge gave me what I needed. The service was very friendly and easy-going. Two bears greeted the entrance. Of course I wanted salmon. The fish was fresh and tasty. The sweet potatoes were a big hit. The vegetables were soft and flavorful.

I wish it weren't true but it is. NJ.com reports here on the Oscar Meyer Hot Dog ice cream sandwich.

The moment I stepped off the plane in Anchorage I spotted the red sign of Alaska Doghaus. I knew that my hunger pangs had been answered. This is my reindeer sausage with sauerkraut. Reindeer sausage is widely available in Alaska but relatively unknown in the Lower 48. I really enjoy it---rich but not gamey, tasty but not overwhelming. My sausage really hit the spot and kept me going for another few hours.

My favorite peach orchard has completed their beautiful new building. Fitzgerald Farms is located in Woodbury a little over an hour southwest of Atlanta. Two years ago their shed blew down. Last year they had built a much larger shed that was still open. A few weeks ago they opened the final version: a huge enclosed shop and wonderful outdoor porches for sitting. They stock peaches, of course, along with other fresh fruits and vegetables, plus a range of canned goods. I walked away with a box of peaches and some fascinating lima-like beans. Oh yes, and some peach ice cream in my belly.

I was in the mood for a fancy cake and decided on the Brooklyn blackout cake. This recipe from King Arthur Flour gives you the basic idea as well as the history. The cake combines a chocolate cake, chocolate pudding in between the layers, chocolate icing, and cake crumbs embedded in the icing around the sides. I decided to put together the cake based on recipes from several sources. The cake is Rose Levy Berenbaum's devil's food cake. I chose this not only because it tastes great but also because the recipe gave me three layers, giving room for more pudding. I made the pudding based on the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, including a healthy dose of cream along with the milk. The icing came from Rose Levy Berenbaum's chocolate buttercream recipe. I hadn't made this before and it is surprisingly simple: milk chocolate, a little dark chocolate, and butter. No eggs, no corn syrup. The crumbs come from the cake domes---they turned out t...

Debbie and I paid a visit to Sprayberry's in Newnam for an excellent lunch. Debbie ordered turkey that she said was moist and tender;it certainly looked delicious. I ordered these baby back ribs that gave just the right amount of tug when I pulled off the meat. We decided to sample their pies. The fried peach pie was outstanding, with rich peaches (very appropriate for south Georgia), nice spices, and a flaky crust. The lemon icebox pie was, however, the star of the show. Rich lemon taste balanced with creaminess topped with a feather-light meringue.