scenes from spring and campfires

cooking + driving on the denali highway, among other things

Hey everybody. Gosh, I had originally started this with more of an exclamation, but the heartache of humanity took hold. The agony.

Greetings from sorta-spring, sorta-snow, and practically to totally, the start of summer. All in one.

Since I last checked in, I then-gleefully spotted my first funghi of the season, which already feels like a lifetime ago.

It was an endearing black cup mushroom – emerging amongst the renewed moss, sporadic over-wintered lowbush cranberries and ever-melting snow – just a few minutes after an inaugural mosquito bite. “Bird food!” my neighbor fondly remarked, as the quote unquote “state bird” did its little vampiric thing on my actual neck. 

Day by sunnier day, I can now examine our almost-snow-free garden again to contemplate summer plans. Alaskans are a-buzz (literally) anticipating the intensified fast & furious summer ahead….and I’m not even getting into the oft cringe + horror + inanity of so much of this state’s politics, ALONE, at the moment.

Consider this your insider info that I just graciously deleted a paragraph on Alaska’s special election primary, which in case you didn’t know, is unfolding right now for the state’s sole congressional seat, previously held for just short of half a wild CENTURY by the same person. As for who’s gonna win, we’re not quite there yet, but it looks likely that North Pole’s Santa Claus and an infamous Alaskan woman with the initials “SP” will likely be amongst the final four in the consequential ranked choice race. On the optimistic and/or outrageous plus side, the first one of those is an openly self-described progressive and democratic socialist. TBD on the (surreal) reality on all this.

Ah, look, that was another paragraph. I could go on, but, let’s get closer to cast irons over calming open flames in the middle of nowhere.

may 18th: kick-off campfire

I haven’t seen my old friend the aurora since we returned in late April. It’s just not possible with 19 hours of daylight and counting (sorry to the far too hopeful tourists!)

Any moment now, the spruce tips are going to emerge – it’s in the air – again, somewhat literally, ‘cause the fuzzy willow buds are already poppin’. 

Naturally, that means immediately getting into gear to carefully harvest spruce tips for ice cream, cookies and scones to come. How can I resist?! Ice box spruce tip shortbread is a must.

Following that inaugural mosquito bite, wee mushroom, and the appearance of northern anemones (windflowers!) across the tundra (aka one of the very first wildflowers of late May), we’ve already hit the road twice down to the “old” Denali Highway.  What a week! Or weekend! The long days blur together already.

northern anemones by the Nenana river

Our first road trip was essentially for a scenic dinnertime view.

The second was a truly epic overnight with wildlife sightings, GALORE.

Within three days, three separate drives, and one long, mostly gravel and typically desolate road into the interior, we came across caribou (which are actual reindeer), magnificent trumpeter swans, common mergansers, a bald eagle, more than one spruce grouse, a big ‘ol porcupine climbing an ice wall and then a small spruce tree, so many other ducks & small birds I just don’t know names for, likely bear and lynx tracks on snowy mountainsides and still-frozen rivers, a snowshoe hare, and oodles of moose and ptarmigans (let’s go with that plural, I like it).

Jules drove so far across the tundra & taiga & northern boreal forests that we rose into the foothills of the Alaska Range and the elevation of 4,086 feet at the Maclaren Summit, where it was sheer winter white with feet of snow everywhere but the contrast of the plowed gravel highway.

it’s hard to showcase the sheer scope here

did not expect to come across another swan this far in the snowy east

Another world in comparison to two mere weeks from now this time last June, when we spent a few nights at the Maclaren River Lodge with my sister when it looked like this:

Jen likely spotting another moose / June 13, 2021

As we made it towards the end of the highway through the snowed-over Tangle Lakes Archaeological District, we non-surprisingly discovered our intended BLM campground were very much out of the question because it was clearly ! still ! snowed ! in !

So, Jules amazingly drove back east, where the temperatures rose back up another 20 degrees and we camped (for free) in a pull-out with another breathtaking view.

the blurry branch on the right includes a porcupine

Medium story short, we ultimately enjoyed a late yet stellar campfire dinner, those final hours of fading sunlight, and woke up to a bit of birdsong, just as intended.

The meal was a combination of the faux-seasonal, with charred purple sprouting broccolini up from Oregon (not me, thanks to the Fairbanks co-op), paired with a flashback to 2008 with Vegan Dad’s bratwurst (if you know, you know).

For anyone curious about this vital wheat gluten situation, I steamed them in the instantpot wrapped in parchment paper for a change of pace vs. foil. I added the requisite caraway, some mustard seeds, and a bit more vwg to the original recipe.

I do prefer how these came out as opposed to the typical foil wrapping, but will note that they dry out faster, so if you ever opt for parchment steaming, be sure to them store within a sealed bag or container.

a hot pan of broccolini, bearss lime, seared bratwurst, and a good dose of beer

Needless to say, this late night cooking hit quite the spot, and as Jules merrily proclaimed over a homemade (duh) pretzel bun impressively stuffed with bratwurst, charred broc, jalapeño, rosé mustard, potato chips and sweet pickled cucumber, “it has all five flavors!”

btw, FULL DISCLOSURE, this campfire take 2 was even better because 1) we were seriously hungry and 2) we’d forgotten a par-cooked asparagus-olive-pasta affair the prior evening!

Okay, I did. I did! What an instant memory! : )

The prior night (what is time?), we had driven south, then west, picked out a gorgeous spot, made a fire, and realized that we had a hot cast iron, a bunch of minced garlic in olive oil, uh, some sliced green olives, a bit of extra tempeh I was planning to throw into the missing pasta (!?!) and potato chips. Oops.

Ya live, ya learn, you try again the next night, and then only forget the coffee pot !

dinner is served, take 2

I will totally add that the prior campfire’s toasted garlic was FABULOUS on the eventual pasta-for-dinner after we’d returned a second time. Check freaking mark.

And in my not-so-humble opinion and my spouses’ even-less-so, this was “our” best jar of homemade mustard yet.

I’ve done two prior batches with beer, but wine takes the cake (speaking of, I made a lovely mango coffeecake earlier this week, before the country went to dismaying hell again).

Re: mustard - I adapted the recipe from Miyoko’s Homemade Vegan Pantry, which reminds me to make the excellent unribs from that same book again one of these days for another campfire. Mustardy notes at the bottom.

rosé mustard, my new everything

Jules starts a fire at 9:32pm

Onward to rainfall & mushrooms & berries & s'mores & campfire stir-fries to come.

Why did the moose cross the road? Whyever not.

Do you have any fond memories of cooking in nature? Any campfire cuisine mishaps…or wins?

References + Relevant Links:

• About the Denali Highway, from Denali Highway Cabins & Paxson Alpine Tours (not one I personally have experience with, I would recommend going via your own car or bicycle and/or friends, but good information!)

• Denali Highway, The Milepost

• Homemade Soft Pretzels (turned buns!), Sally’s Baking Addiction

• Maclaren River Lodge on Tripadvisor

• Vegan Bratwurst, Vegan Dad

• Wildflowers of Denali National Park by Verna E. Pratt (fully readable on archive.org)

One more thing.

Quick notes on making your own wine mustard =

1. Combine in a jar 1/4 c mustard seeds + 1/4 c white or rosé wine + 1/4 c water + 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar + 1 Tbsp sugar + 1/2 tsp sea salt and shake well. Add a smidge more sweetener if desired.

2. Let sit in a spot out of the sun for 24 hours - 36 hours.

3. Move the mixture to a high speed blender and puree until at least fairly smooth.

4. Label + refrigerate + enjoy. Put pretzels on your to-do/to-snack list.

Keep caring.