All posts filed under: Food

‘Umiak,’ ‘quesa-deer-a’ and fresh oysters: How Alaskans put their own spin on state fair food

August 31, 2019
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This article was originally written for the Anchorage Daily News.   State fairs are typically known for the powder-sugared, fried classics like elephant ears, corn dogs and cheese curds. The Alaska State Fair has all those too, but there are also more than a handful of vendors selling items with an Alaska twist. Here’s what a few of them had to say during the first weekend of the fair in Palmer. Fish On! Camp Grill […]

From homebrew to storefront: Zip Kombucha is first of its kind

November 9, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This article was originally written for The Spenardian.   You may have sipped on Ginger Rogers at Double Shovel Cider Co., or bought a growler of your favorite Blueberry Mary kombucha from La Bodega, but Zip Kombucha now has its own brick and mortar in Anchorage’s Spenard neighborhood. Zip Kombucha’s storefront officially opened Sept. 23. “Our grand opening went really well. It was so amazing to see many of our original fans come in and be […]

Sipping with Jipping: Anchorage welcomes new soda maker

August 15, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This story was originally written for the Anchorage Press.   Mike Jipping has been home-brewing for a decade. He began experimenting with brewing sodas in his home, and around four years ago, the idea came for starting his own local soda company. Beach Tribe Sodaworks was born. Jipping is a brewer’s apprentice at Broken Tooth Brewing Co. and brews his Jipping Ginger Beer out of the facility. Jipping Ginger Beer is only one flavor, but […]

Fossil Fuel, a local doughnut business, hopes to go nationwide

July 26, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This story was originally written for the Anchorage Press.   Several years ago, Alexa Daniels was managing a coffee shop in Anchorage. She decided to start selling paleo doughnuts as a way of boosting revenue. Now, she just finished managing a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to launch national production of Fossil Fuel, a local doughnut business in Anchorage that’s keto, paleo, vegan and gluten-free. There are currently five co-owners of Fossil Fuel and one […]

‘Starting small and thinking big’ at Mo’s Deli

July 20, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This story was originally written for the Anchorage Press.   A Jewish deli has opened in Anchorage, stocked full of matzah ball soup, potato latkes and pickled tongue. Husband and wife duo Jason Ellis and Betty Sheldon, sole owners of Mo’s Deli, opened the doors on June 11, 2018. Since the grand opening, people have been “coming out of the woodwork,” Ellis said, from old high school friends to members of the Jewish community. One […]

Honey Pot Coffeehouse is all the buzz

June 29, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This story was originally written for the Anchorage Press.   Sisters Alyssa Culver and Andrea Bernard have thought about opening a business together their whole lives. At one point, Culver says they were going to open a cupcake shop and even a puppy boutique. “We work really well together,” Culver said. “We’re like the Property Brothers.” Now, the two have opened Honey Pot Coffeehouse, a coffee shop in downtown Anchorage that donates 15 percent of […]

Akutaq on the go: New food truck offers Alaska focused foods

June 8, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This story was originally written for the Anchorage Press.   Leila Smith has always enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen. She was raised in Emmonak and Kotzebue and grew up making creative dishes with her dad, like mongolian moose and smoked caribou brisket. “I love to cook… I’ve always had a knack for it,” Smith said. Smith moved to Anchorage after graduating high school; she has a background in rural and economic development. She worked in […]

Chicken Shack channels southern cooking with chic style

May 31, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This article was originally written for the Anchorage Press.   Chicken Shack, a new eatery on the west side, opened its doors on May 2. It’s modern and chic. The design is similar to restaurants in Seattle and Portland, and that isn’t a bad thing. A Facebook review says that Chicken Shack is “New. Different. Needed in Anchorage.” Opening day went better than initially expected. “We had blown through almost 500 pieces of chicken breast, […]

Peggy’s: A slice of Mountain View history

January 20, 2018
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This story was originally written for Mountain View Post.   Lying on the western edge of Mountain View, Peggy’s Restaurant might just be the oldest restaurant in Anchorage. Established in 1944 and formerly known as Peggy’s Airport Cafe, the original one-story building was a common stop for bush pilots flying into Anchorage’s Merrill Field, conveniently located just across the street. Nancy Burley has owned Peggy’s Restaurant since 1988. Her daughter, Crystal, helps run day-to-day business […]

Woohoo for ice cream

December 14, 2017
by Samantha Davenport
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Food

This story was originally written for the Anchorage Press. Newlyweds Peter and Taian Trujillo-Woo have opened their own ice cream shop off of Arctic Boulevard, WooHoo Ice Cream. The husband and wife duo have been married for four months and are diving headfirst into their first entrepreneurial endeavor. “I think everybody has always wanted to run an ice cream shop at some point and time in their life,” Peter said. There was a period of […]