Potluck in Alaska – a friend killed what you eat High Latitude Style

mature woman wearing color blocked office outfit — Chartreuse cashmere crew-neck sweater with G-III red suede skirt, GNW tights and Gloria Vanderbilt pumps (all own) for an office appropriate color block look

What’s on the table at an Alaska potluck

The smell of moose, caribou, halibut and salmon is in the air at every potluck in Alaska. It mixes with the great smell of raspberry, cranberry and/or blueberry pie of self collected berries or rhubarb pie. Add Alaska grown cabbage, carrots, young spruce tips, turnips, and potatoes and you have the full collection of Alaska food on the table.

Game meat is not for sale

You can’t buy moose, or caribou. It is forbidden to sell it. Thus, when you want to eat it you have to host a potluck. One of your friends for sure will bring a dish of moose or caribou stew. Alternatively, you may trade your garden’s or fishing bounty with that of your hunting friends.

Actually, I never ate caribou, or moose despite I was at many potlucks with huge dishes of these treats. My husband tells me, they taste great. I just don’t like the idea of eating something that was killed by a friend. At potlucks, I stick to the collectibles, dishes with berries and rhubarb or the spruce dip salsa. I love berries, but I am too afraid to collect them myself because of the competitors – bears.

Yes, I admit it is ridiculous. One needs a lot of luck to see a bear, and being mauled by a bear is even less likely. However, I know a person who had that fate and was lucky to survive, which is even less likely.

Alaska grown fruits and vegetables

Rhubarb, cabbage, potatoes, turnips, and carrots grown well under the midnight sun. Everything else is a matter of luck. Either it is too dry and hot for lettuce or too wet and cold. Since getting fresh vegetables in Alaska is difficult, Alaska (self) grown vegetables are a must at every potluck.

Who to recognize a new Alaskan

Everybody knows that a guest is new to Alaska, when the guest brings a tray of shrimps, or a noodle salad, i.e. something that they did not grow or kill. Alaska, it’s a whole different world. 😉

Fruit and vegetable inspired OOTD

I am color blocking my chartreuse cashmere sweater with my red suede skirt. While a twenty something could add another color, I decided to stay with just two colors, and added red tights and pumps and accessorized with a red bracelet as well. For the commute to work I put my red Gloria Vanderbilt pumps into my bag and switched into brown booties. The booties provide good insulation on the feet and pick up the brown in the red floral print scarf. The floral print also has shades of the Burberry motorcycle coat that I found on eBay. The YSL bag is also an eBay find that my husband bought as a gift for me. <3

midlife woman in posh chic styled winter outerwear — Burberry motorcycle wool coat with wool lined floral print silk scarf, red cashmere lined gloves, red GNW tights, Clarks booties, and YSL bag (all own)

What do you bring to a potluck? What is the food you would never eat at a potluck? Let me know, I am curious.

Focus Alaska is a weekly series here on High Latitude Style featuring Alaska curiosa, lifestyle, wildlife, street style, weather, and insider travel tips.

You may find these posts on Alaska transfer stations, and the origin of new Alaskans interesting as well.

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Photos: G. Kramm