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Waterfront Dining and A Fishy Tale-Bear Fest
Accommodations at the Interview with Jake Harris, General Manager
Stikine Inn and Executive Chef at the Stikine Inn, Wrangell,
Alaska.
Located along the beautiful water front
in downtown Wrangell, the Stikine Inn has Favorite food to cook?
everything you need for a truly memorable
hotel stay. They have a range of rooms, Salmon of course! Salmon is king in
from single to full suites. The mountainside southeast Alaska.
rooms have gorgeous views of Mt. Dewey,
and with the oceanside rooms you can sip Is there a type of salmon that you prefer?
your morning coffee while watching the
bustling harbor. There are several options for Kings are the granddaddy of salmon and
food, including an espresso bar and the Stik can weigh in excess of 30 pounds. Most
Cafe, which serves grab-n-go-breakfast and people don’t know that there are actually two
lunch. The Stikine Restaurant, a full service
dining facility, serves both lunch and dinner. different types of kings: white or ivory kings
They meticulously craft each meal to delight and pink kings. Only 25% of kings are white
even the most seasoned traveler’s palate. so it’s a fish that isn’t commonly served in
From hand battered fish and chips to cut per restaurants. The whites seem to have a higher
order steaks, locals view the Stikine as the oil content from their steady diet of herring.
best restaurant in town. The restaurant looks Whites also lack the ability to metabolize
out over the harbor and you and your dining naturally occurring pigments from their food,
companion can watch the sun set over the which is why the flesh is white instead of
water while enjoying your freshly prepared bright pink or red. However, one of my favorite
meal. The Waterfront Patio serves cocktails salmon is the sockeye. They range between
and drinks made by their resident mixologist, 5-12 pounds, are affordable and hold up well
and is the perfect place to wind down the to all types of cooking.
day with friends. The Stikine Inn creates a
sanctuary for their guests from the rooms How do the locals of Alaska cook their
to the food, where they think of every need salmon?
and create an unforgettable stay filled with
convenience, comfort and exquisite views, in Even in Alaska most locals smoke or can
Wrangell, Alaska. and I’m always trying to educate people that
there are more ways to cook salmon besides
just canning.
Do you think people are intimidated about
cooking fish? I once read that most people
cook fish until its done and then cook it some
more.
Lots of people overcook their fish. I tell
them to test the thickest part of the salmon.
The consistency should be not like rubber and
not like a sponge. One of the most important
things you can do is let the salmon rest after
cooking. Put it in a warming oven or cover it
with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This
will give time for the flavors to be dispersed
throughout the fish. Also never put salmon
flesh side down in the pan. It should always be
cooked skin side down.
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