Semiserious Chefs

Over the last couple of years I have really expanded the line of products I purchase from The New Central Market here in Anchorage. Given, they have expanded, too. The one thing I don’t usually go for, and probably because I simply like to cook myself, are their pre-made dishes. The owner, Somya, is always […]

This rice cake recipe was inspired by Chef Kirsten Dixon of Tutka Bay Lodge near Homer. She created a recipe that used kippered salmon and a spicy mayo. I decided to adapt it using my mom’s personally smoked salmon, and a recent addition to my cooking repertoire, garlic sesame soy dressing. I was a little […]

I originally created this sauce for a green papaya salad, but soon discovered that it was great for a variety of uses. It’s particularly easy to toss on rice noodles, and it’s perfect to serve with mixed berries, but you can also use it to dress a cabbage slaw, or simply use it as a […]

Calamari is the most ‘exotic’ food that your average person has tried. Squid. Exotic, right? Well is certainly isn’t escargo! (Which, to be totally honest, even I haven’t had the opportunity to try yet.) In the scope of our entire world there are a TON of unusual ‘delicacies’ that rate way higher on the exotic […]

It’s been boggling my mind. I’ve spent more than a week wracking my brain. Finally I decided to ask someone else. I didn’t even have the question out of my mouth before I was laughing at myself for even having asked, knowing FULL-WELL the answer, “Andrew, what is it about cranberry sauce that no one […]

Who doesn’t love the classic ‘pigs-in-a-blanket?’ There are two renditions that I am aware of. One being breakfast sausage links wrapped in actual pancakes, and the other, seemingly more common option, little smokies rolled inside crescents. I can, in fact, remember what is probably the first time I ever had the pancake type of ‘Pigs-in-a-blanket.’ […]

Hearts of palm: a wonderful soft bite of brine-y goodness! (No wonder they sell for nearly $6 a can here in AK) Seriously though, some things are worth it! (Be sure to check out the video about their growth and production at the end) Paired with sweet and salty, gingery pork, these egg-less rolls have […]

A little while ago… ok, it was quite a while ago, like nine months or something, I wrote down the idea ‘buffalo’d tomatoes and/with _______.’ It’s very sad that that note is still up on our board. Our enormous white board. If you ever have the misfortune of visiting our humble daycare/tornado of a home, […]

I’ve seen and tasted some twice baked potatoes that were at best, uninspired. They might as well have just had mashed potatoes plopped into the potato skins before being briefly reheated in the oven. I don’t quite know why anyone or any company would put the mark so low, but what do I know. The […]