Page 176 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

“Today’s village bakers are finding Glenn Van Dyck grew up with the smell of his mom’s fresh baked bread. Feeling the pull of Alaska, he left California
an important new role - linking and headed straight for Cordova, where he carries on the baking tradition. After fishing commercially for salmon
throughout the state, Glenn began pursuing his true passion, a “calling” to liberate delicious loaves from inert raw
tradition with a sophisticated ingredients. He taught himself to bake from books and purchased an inn in 1999 with space for a brick oven where he
constructed the precursor to the larger one he uses today.
new understanding of natural Bouncing back from the loss of his family and business to divorce, Glenn scouted out a small space at Nichol’s Front
leavens, baking science and oven Door Store in downtown Cordova where he was able to build a new oven. With bricks delivered from Anchorage, he
labored with the construction over a 4-month period, using The Bread Builders: Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens by
construction.” Alan Scott and Daniel Wing and oven blueprint plans he researched on the internet.
Glenn builds his fire within the oven’s depths in the morning on the day before he bakes, using 4-foot lengths of hot-
See Video burning alder wood that burn down about 10 hours later. As the masonry sucks heat deep into its mass, temperatures
rise to almost 1000 degrees, slowly falling to baking temperatures retained for up to 36 hours. While tending the fire,
Glenn prepares his loaves and retards them in the cooler for baking early the next day.
For the past few years, the Front Door Store has been his primary outlet, although Glenn also sells to local bistros.
Once commercial fishing fleets get busy in May, the crews make sure to snatch up most of his goods: mouthwatering
sourdough loaves, aromatic French bread, fresh ground whole grain flour breads and amazing sticky buns. With no
other real bakery in town, most bread is channeled up frozen from Seattle and California.
Glenn also defines himself as a gardener, creatively accommodating the short growing season and muskeg-based
topsoil, while inspiring local school kids to try their hand at growing Brussels sprouts, turnips, beets, cabbage and
Yukon Gold potatoes. For the past several years, he has lived off the grid in a 12’ by 16’ cabin located 6 miles west of
Cordova, biking 45 minutes into town even in the dead of winter!
So if you’re craving fresh Alaskan sourdough bread or a delicious sticky bun be sure to check out Glenn’s unbeatable
selection at the Front Door Store in Cordova.

is common to see fishermen on the docks mending
their nets or tenders tied alongside one of the many
processing plants adjacent to Cordova’s harbor where
they offload fishermen’s catches.
Locally owned and operated flight charter
companies can take you soaring above the delta
in charter planes and helicopters. Hunting, fishing
and outdoor adventure charters can guide you to the
Cordova area’s secret places. Combination jet boat/
ATV operators can escort you to the Million Dollar
Bridge and Childs Glacier.
Although erosion has at least temporarily limited
road access for the last quarter of the trip, the drive
along the Copper River Highway heading east
from downtown Cordova through the river delta is
considered one of Alaska’s most scenic. The highway
passes through a spectacular landscape of rugged
mountains and glaciers, icy blue ponds and fishing
streams, where the short side road to Sheridan Glacier

Cordova Modern-day Cordova owes its origin to Michael J.
Location: Situated on the southeast shore of Heney, builder of the Copper River and Northwestern
Prince William Sound in southcentral Alaska. Railway. The town was chosen as the railroad terminus
and ocean-shipping port for copper ore transported
There is Alaska Marine Highway service
between Valdez, Cordova and Whittier, and by rail from the Kennecott mines near Kennecott and
48-minute daily jet service from Anchorage. McCarthy. The railroad and town prospered until 1938
Population: 2585. Visitor Information: Cordova when the mine closed. Following the end of copper
Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 404 mining activity, seafood became the area’s major
economic base. Cordova was considered the “Razor
First Street; Phone: (907) 424-7260; Website:
www.cordovachamber.com. Clam Capitol of the World” until the legendary 1964
Earthquake, which exposed their beds. But resilient
If you are looking for an authentic Alaskan Cordova switched gears and focused on herring. That
experience, Cordova is a community immersed in the fishery flourished until the infamous Exxon Valdez
oil spill in 1989 decimated the region. But Cordova
culture of the outdoors and known for its breathtaking
scenery and friendly, colorful residents. Commercial survived and today their fishery is more successful
fishing is the lifeblood of Cordova with nearly every than ever. Its world-renowned Copper River salmon
family benefiting from the world-famous Copper River is prized for its richness and flavor with a high
Salmon fishery. Hike some of the best maintained concentration of heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids,
and celebrated for the well-managed and sustainable
USFS trails in the state or experience one of Cordova’s
many homegrown festivals. Glacier, rain forest, oversight that keeps the population healthy.
wetland and ocean adventures await you in this quaint The scenic harbor is full of fishing boats, such as
fishing village situated at the base of the Chugach the small flat-bottomed gillnet boats, well suited for the
Mountains, along the eastern shores of Prince William silt laden shallow waters at the mouth of the Copper
River. The larger seine boats are set up for plying the
Sound and the Copper River Delta. Cordova’s rustic
charm can transport visitors back in time to the rural waters of Prince William Sound for salmon. Even
America of the mid-twentieth century and is a must-see larger, the tenders proudly display the banners of the
destination on any Alaska vacation. fish processing plants for which they are buying. It

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