Food contests: Black seaweed & soapberries
Long before there were grocery stores in Southeast Alaska, the Tlingit people knew how to live off the land. They dined on wild salmon, seal, deer, seaweed and wild edibles - including soapberries and black seaweed.
Celebration 2008, in keeping with its tradition of promoting Native culture, will feature two food contests that will challenge members of the community to concoct their own recipes for two food contests, one for black seaweed and one for soapberries. If the dishes please the judges' palette, they could win cash prizes.
First prize is $500, second prize is $250 and third prize is $100 for each contest. The soapberry contest is new this year.
Black seaweed
Mariam Adams, of Kake, won the black seaweed contest during Celebration 2004. Her recipe was simple and the only ingredients were black seaweed and clam juice.
"Black seaweed is one of our traditional foods. We use it for everything," she said.
Adams, now in her early 60s, has been gathering black seaweed all her life.
Black seaweed is only found in certain coastal areas during very low tides or with a boat during May and June.
"All my children dry their own seaweed," Adams said. "In order to get seaweed in Kake, you have to go by boat."
Black seaweed has to be dried after it is harvested. Some people use a pillowcase to harvest it, which allows the seawater to drain. The seaweed can then be dried in the sun on a sheet and the nonedible parts removed.
Another fan of black seaweed is Gina Gamble Evans, who used to live in Angoon. She has enjoyed gathering black seaweed over the years.
"I learned how to do it from my grandmother and mother," Adams said. "It is so much fun. It takes your mind off all the ugly things going on in this world. It's almost like beading or weaving. It makes you feel good because it not only tastes good, but we can give it to our families."
Soapberries
One of the lesser-known Tlingit foods, the soapberry, will be a new addition to the recipe contests.
Soapberries are not common around Juneau but they grow in sediment-laden soil near the Chilkat River Valley around Klukwan.
Lani Hotch grew up in Klukwan and learned to harvest and prepare soapberries at a young age.
"When we were little, my grandmother used to fix it for us as a treat," she said. "It looks like whip cream. Some people like it right away, but I think it's more of an acquired taste for most people."
The taste of soapberries is unique but can best be described as bitter. Hotch said that most people prefer to add sugar. Soapberries get their name because of the foam they create when whipped.
Soapberries turn red when ripe and come into season in July, but people also harvest them when they are green (which doesn't affect the taste).
Soapberries are mashed in a bowl and then whipped just like whip cream or egg whites. The result is a cream that is similar to whip cream in consistency and is usually sweetened by adding sugar or fruit. The cream is white or pink depending on when the berries were harvested. Ripe, red soapberries yield pink cream, while green unripe berries produce a white cream.
NOTE: Entrance deadline for the contest is at 5 p.m. June 5. To learn more about entering your favorite black seaweed or soapberry recipe at Celebration 2008, view contest entry forms and rules on the Sealaska Web site at www.sealaskaheritage.org/celebration/celebration_2008.htm.