An Ode to Crabs

Crabs are one of the most delicious critters on earth.  Their sweet and delicate meat is often imitated, but that stuff is for the birds.  I'll take my crab meat in lump form or boiled freshly for me in the shell.  I have fond memories of crabs including catching them at the beach and winning an eating competition in Alaska.  You really just can't go wrong with crabs!

Blue Crabs Ready to be Boiled

Of course, every region has their own way of preparing crabs.  In Louisiana the preferred method for cooking them whole is to boil them in a spicy bath much like we do with our crawfish.  In places like Maryland and Delaware, crabs are steamed then doused on the outside with seasoning like Old Bay.  What's your favorite cooking method?

Steamed Crabs is Delaware

Alaskan King Crab Legs in the Kodiak Arrest Challenge

The Louisiana blue crab is one of the staples of our seafood industry.  I always enjoy crab cooked into many Cajun and Creole dishes.  Some noteworthy Baton Rouge crab dishes are the Crab and Brie Soup at Mansur's, the superb Crab Cake at Le Creole, and of course Juban's Hallelujah Crab.  What are your favorite crab dishes?  If I haven't had it then I'll make sure to add it to my list.  Just leave a comment on the post and let me know where to go crabbing!

Here I am showing a northerner how to eat a Louisiana Blue Crab at Susie's Seafood in Morgan City.

Just for the Hell-Of-It: A Halibut Dinner in Homer Alaska

If your group of buddies does not take an annual guys or girls trip, you’re really missing out on life.  Sure, it is nice to take family vacations, travel with loved ones and significant others, and see the amazement in kids’ eyes when they first see some of the wonders of the world.  But, it is also nice to just get away with your best friends, leave all your worries behind you, and enjoy other cultures for a little while.  For me, enjoying other cultures means experiencing traditional food and drinks as well as customs, music, and general attitudes about life. 

On a recent guy’s trip, seven of us from Louisiana ascended to Homer, Alaska for a week where we were blessed with gorgeous weather and even lovelier people.  We had no ideas about the ties between Alaska and Louisiana.  Apparently everyone in Alaska is somehow from Louisiana, knows someone from Louisiana, does business in Louisiana, or at least appreciates Louisiana like few other people do.  Maybe it has something to do with the uniqueness of our cultures that few people in the rest of the United States understand.  It possibly has something do with the economy since two of the major sources of wealth for both states are energy (oil) and seafood.  Whatever it is, I found it to be really interesting, and when I saw a museum exhibit about the Exxon Valdez oil spill from 1989 it really hit home.  In many ways, Louisiana is just a warmer, flatter, humid-er version of Alaska… complete with delicious seafood, friendly people, a rich, unique culture, and an oil disaster of its own! 

Scenic Homer, Alaska from East End Road Looking Out Over Kachemak Bay

Homer, Alaska is a rustic yet hip fishing village and tourist destination on the south end of the Kenai Peninsula, resting on the west side of Kachemak Bay.  They boast themselves as the Halibut Capital of the World, and guided fishing trips bring in the majority of the tourists to the otherwise quaint town.  Knowing that their busy season stretches from Memorial Day to Labor Day, our group decided we would plan our trip for the week before Memorial Day, thereby missing the heavy crowds and tourist-induced price inflation.   

On our first full day in Homer we booked a charter halibut fishing trip.  I’ve been on charter fishing trips in the Gulf of Mexico before, but I had never before reeled up anything like a halibut.  The largest fish we caught weighed about 65 pounds, but they can grow over 300 pounds!  Our captain took us way out so that we could have a chance to catch a big one, and then brought us back into the bay so we could be assured a good catch.  All in all we had a great trip and left the docks with over 100 pounds of fresh halibut filets!

 

Jay, Brent, Matt, Eusebio, Gary, and Eric Returned from a Successful Halibut Fishing Trip!

The following day we invited some Homer locals over for dinner and drinks with a little Louisiana flair.  Among our guests were Karen and Steve, owners of the Homer Brewing Company, a small and passionate microbrewery that produces fantastic local beers that you can’t find anywhere else save the rare keg that makes it up to Anchorage.  The Homer Brewing Company treated us well all week long, and I am very thankful to Karen and Steve for sharing their beers and hospitality with us!  Their favorite brew seemed to be the Red Knot Scottish.  This ale uses Scottish yeast and cask conditioning to create an amber ale that is mild yet extremely flavorful. 

Growlers from the Homer Brewing Company Were Empty by the End of the Night

After sharing a few brews, the time had come to turn our attention to the food for the evening.  Chef Eusebio Gongora, who happened to be a member of our traveling party, prepared a beautiful halibut-four-ways meal for us that began with a fresh Alaskan halibut ceviche.  The ceviche included morsels of halibut filets, roasted bell pepper, orange, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper.  The dish had a tropical taste that I don’t think they get very often in Homer.  The halibut easily highlighted the ceviche with its fresh and tender marinated flesh filling up the bowl of sweet, sour, and spicy deliciousness.

Fresh Halibut Ceviche Whet Everyone’s Appetite

Not to let the ceviche highlight the night by itself, Eusebio also served up a batch of crispy halibut fritters.  They shared similarities with Southern hushpuppies, though I’ve never had a hushpuppy with seafood stuffed inside before!  The fritter had a cornmeal base that was cut by a little bit of flour.  Chef Gongora then added onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, butter, smoked cheddar, salt, and pepper to go along with the fresh and beautiful diced halibut.  After mixing all the ingredients together they were formed into balls and deep fried in vegetable oil until they turned crispy and light brown on the outside.  The contrasting textures between the crunch on the crust and the warm, moist core made the fritters a pure delight to bite into. 

Halibut Fritters

Finally we readied ourselves for the main course.  Eusebio prepared some mashed potatoes and asparagus for side items, but what really got us all excited were the two additional variations of Halibut. 

Alaskan Halibut Filets Await Our Stomachs

The first method of cooking took the smaller pieces of halibut, dipped them in egg and milk, rolled them in Cajun fish fry, and then dropped them in a pot of hot vegetable oil.  Much like fried catfish in the South, this variation of halibut left the fish tender, moist, and flaky while providing a nice crisp on the outside. 

Cajun Fried Halibut… In Alaska!

The final round of halibut for our dinner was prepared a little more traditionally but still contained every bit as much taste and flavor.  Chef Gongora used the larger halibut filets, seasoned them up real nice, and then pan seared them before finishing them off in the oven.  Before serving, he topped each filet with a homemade lemon butter that offered a tangy taste to complement the fish.  The pieces of halibut ate like ridiculously tender steaks.  Each bite offered tremendous, fresh flavor that you could cut with a fork and would melt in your mouth. 

Alaskan Halibut for a Bunch of Louisiana Cajuns

The Alaskan halibut dinner satisfied everyone from first bite to last.  The growlers of beer from the Homer Brewing Company went extremely well with dinner, and nobody left hungry.  After eating halibut the way we did I can understand why it can cost as much as $20 per pound to get it fresh in Louisiana.  Good thing we brought about 70 pounds home with us!            

Cafe Cups: Artistic Dining in Homer, AK

After asking around through websites, social media, and amongst the locals, the most common answer to where I should make sure to dine in Homer, Alaska resoundingly and emphatically had to be Cafe Cups.  This hip dinner-only restaurant is run in the front by Jen and in the kitchen by her husband Dave.  The cafe is as artistic as it is local.  Meanwhile, the environment produces an ideal small setting with personal service and very original, unique, and custom decor.

Cafe Cups in Homer, AK

Eusebio, Matt, Eric, and I went out for dinner one evening to see just what Cups had to offer.  The restaurant certainly had a very unique quality to it and a terrific ambiance.  We arrived at about 8:30 pm and the place didn't have an empty table anywhere.  Jen greeted us and told us it would be just a few minutes so we patiently waited for a table.

The Inside of Cafe Cups and a Cup of Coffee

While Cafe Cups is certainly more of a casual fine dining restaurant, I still could not resist starting my evening meal with a cup of coffee.  The java came in a regular old mug like you'd find in people's kitchens, and after looking around I realized that all the coffee mugs were a little different.  I though that was a pretty cool touch. While it may not have been Community Coffee, the brewed beans in Alaska were pretty darn good.

Kachemak Bay Oysters, Chargrilled and Raw

Since Eusebio and I are such lovers of good old Gulf of Mexico oysters that we get in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, we thought we ought to try the Alaskan variety.  Cups delivered some fantastic oysters, though they were far different than those from the warm, muddy waters in Louisiana.  The Kachemak Bay (where we were, right around Homer, AK) oysters tasted just like the sea.  They were clean, salty, and noticeably pure compared to our beloved mollusks.  In this case, however, pure does not mean better.  There is something to say about the flavor of oysters from the Louisiana coast.  The river-silt laden waters give the oysters a totally different taste that I've become so accustomed to that it is weird to taste an oyster from other waters.  I'm sure that some of the taste difference also comes from the cold waters of Alaska vs the warm waters of Louisiana.  Still, I enjoyed both oyster varieties and was glad I got to experience the difference.   

Pulled Pork Empanadas and B.R. Cohn Cabernet

The special appetizer of the day happened to be pulled pork empanadas.  Down here in Cajun Country we would just call it a pie, just like a crawfish pie or a meat pie.  In Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, empanada is just a term that means stuffed bread or pasty.  These pulled pork empanadas tasted absolutely delightful.  They were my favorite dish of the evening despite only getting to eat one of them.  They were served with a deliciously spicy lime-chili sauce that complemented the seasoned pork very nicely.  The B.R. Cohn wine also went great with the cuisine of the evening.  The fruity red came from Sonoma Valley.  Cabernet is one of my favorite grapes for its full bodied and fruity tendencies while typically remaining dry and never overly sweet.  This 2007 California wine hit the spot!

Barbecued Ribs and Mashed Potatoes

The ribs at Cups disappointed me.  They were alright at best.  The main problem is that they were dried out and chewy.  I like a rib that is still moist and tender.  They are best when the meat pulls off the bone with a gentle tug of the teeth and then practically melts in our mouth.  These ribs did not succeed in doing that.  The mashed potatoes were also nothing special.  They were rather bland and did not have enough seasoning for my tastes.  

Tiger Prawns

Eric had a ribeye that looked pretty good, but nothing incredible.  Eusebio had an order of Tiger Prawns which were served with their signature honey habanero sauce.  They might have been decent sized shrimp for Alaska, but compared to Louisiana shrimp they also didn't blow me away (though they were by no means bad either).  The best meal of the night was the lamb shank special that Matt ordered.  The lamb had a succulent flavor with superbly cooked, moist meat and excellent seasoning.  

Creme Brulee, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

For dessert I gave the strawberry cheesecake a try.  This homemade sweet had a great cookie crust and creamy, lush cheesecake filling.  The strawberries did not seem fresh, but I guess you can't get everything straight off the vine when you're in Alaska in May!  Eusebio's creme brulee also passed the test, as did the homemade mint chocolate ice cream!  Other than the empanadas, the dessert was probably my favorite part of the meal.  In the end, I left Cafe Cups satisfied but not in awe.  Still, for a town with a population of 5,000 people year round the restaurant was impressive.  I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the cozy cafe, and while the food has room for improvement, it still was worth a visit!

Things To Do
Homer

Beer and Pizza at the St. Elias Brewing Company in Soldotna, AK

Our second day in Alaska brought a road trip from Anchorage, down the Kenai Peninsula, to the town of Homer where we had a house rented for the week.  Along the way we passed through a town called Soldotna which is home to two craft breweries.  Ready for lunch and brews for the non-drivers, our caravan stopped in to see what the St. Elias Brewing Company had to offer.

While St. Elias only opened its doors and tapped its first kegs in 2007, the brewery and pizza joint is already well known for producing high quality bites and boozes.  They claim that their beer matches the personality of their business: fun and lively yet historic and eclectic.  In addition, the brewery also serves brick-oven baked, rustic, traditional Neapolitan style pizzas.  I was ready to get started and see what I thought about these proclamations.

Our party of seven arrived at St. Elias and were promptly greeted by the aromas of baking pies and boiling mash.  Within minutes we had a table and began ordering brews.  My first choice was a pint of Marathon Mild.  The Marathon Mild is a seasonal that is brewed in the style of a  English working class ale.  Though the beer is very dark in color, it actually tastes a fair amount lighter than it appears.  I enjoyed the brew and prepared myself for more.

The St. Elias Brewing Company, Soldotna, Alaska

Brew Tanks and Brick Oven at the St. Elias Brewing Company

Since there were seven of us there, we decided to order seven different pizzas and share the variety amongst ourselves.  Boo tried to mess this process up, but in the end we got it taken care of.  All of the pizzas were pretty good, though I think my favorites were these two:

Brewhouse and Chicken on the Ranch Pizzas

The Brewhouse pizza is loaded with garlic oil, mozzarella, provolone, bacon, Italian sausage, pepperoni, marinated mushrooms, and caramelized onions.  The salty pie tasted fresh and delicious with the meats, mushrooms, and onions all melting together with the cheese blend.  The Chicken on the Ranch pizza had garlic oil, ranch, mozzarella, provolone, garlic chicken, marinated mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and fresh basil.  Although the pizza seems very similar to the Brewhouse pie, the flavors were actually a good bit different.  The real killer ingredient in all the pizzas was the dough.  The fire-baked crust had a crisp and flavorful outside with a remarkably chewy inside for a small thin crust pizza.

Hawaiian, Chicken Pesto, and Lonestar Pizzas

Running in the close second tier were the Hawaiian, Chicken Pesto, and Lonestar pizzas.  The Hawaiian was an average version of the classic pineapple and ham combination.  St. Elias's Chicken Pesto was a like a the second cousin to the superior Chicken on the Ranch.  Finally, the Lonestar showed a little originality by putting red peppers, chicken, onions, and pineapples on a homemade barbeque sauce base.  It proved to be an interesting combination that succeeded in offering something other than the typical pies.

Sampler Platter of Brews

To get off the subject of pizza for a bit, let's switch gears back to beers!  Not knowing what to order and wanting to try them all, the logical choice involved something that brewpubs like to call "samplers."  I got eight 3-ounce pours of brews to indulge on.  Starting on the left and going clockwise: Even Keel Kolsch, The Farmer's Friend, Puddle Jumper Pale Ale, Mother's Milk Irish Stout, Williwaw IPA, Vanilla Bean Porter, Brass Monkey ESB, and Marathon Mild.  I'd tell you what my favorites were, but after a week of drinking I really don't recall.  I'm pretty sure that the darker the beer, the more I liked it.  The light beers were just average, but some of the others like the Vanilla Bean Porter and the Brass Monkey ESB were fantastic!

Peter Rabbit and Smokestack Pizzas

My bottom rung of pizzas were still tasty, but they would be the least likely for me to order again.  The Peter Rabbit filled the role of St. Elias's vegetarian pie.  Broccoli on pizza just doesn't fit with me despite it being quite edible.  For a veggie pizza it did the trick, but not being a vegetarian myself, I'd shy away from it next time.  Finally, the Smokestack had bacon, olives, and rosemary.  Again, the pizza was fine, just not up to par with some of the other ones.  I would have appreciated a little pizazz.  Still, simple is okay when you have bacon, so it's not all bad!

Yukon Gold Tater

Eusebio took the adventure of ordering a dessert.  The Yukon Gold Tater is not actually a baked potato at all!  The artistic creation is actually a larger portion of cookies 'n' cream ice cream rolled in powdered cocoa, then topped with whipped cream, pistachios, and a little custard that looked like butter.  The dessert could maybe earn credit for creativity, but I'd have a hard time saying that it earns much merit otherwise.  The ice cream is Dreyer's and isn't anything special or homemade.  The cocoa powder that is used to give the potato skin appearance is so fine that both Eusebio and I both accidentally inhaled it to the point that we choked.  After coughing a bit and drinking some beer to clear my throat, it became obvious that the dessert did not quite tickle my fancy.  Oh well, I still enjoyed the pizza and beer, and I had plenty more of Alaska to eat and drink!  

Things To Do
Soldotna

Jay Tackles the Kodiak Arrest Challenge at Humpy's in Anchorage, AK

Day number one in Alaska.  We arrived at the Anchorage airport at 7 pm Alaska time.  I had woken up at 4 am Eastern time, so in all reality my sense of time seemed a little messed up.  At 4:30 am I caught a cab from the conference center north of DC to the Reagan airport.  From there my flight was delayed to Charlotte, but we made it eventually and I then stayed on the plane into Houston. At IAH I met Matt and Gary for our flight to Anchorage.  Matt barely made it in time, but we all made it on the plane and seven hours later (and quite a few Jack Daniels beverages) we found ourselves in Alaska.

Our flight made it in about ten minutes before Brent, Eusebio, and Eric.  Jason wouldn't meet us until later.  Anders and Kristen came and picked us up from the airport. Life in Alaska was great already.

After settling in at Anders and Kristen's place, the time quickly came to leave the house and head downtown.  We descended on Humpy's with a lot to prove.  Most of all, we had beer to drink.  Humpy's calls themselves the Great Alaskan Alehouse, and I'm not one to argue.  The place rang with excitement on this Saturday evening.  Before us stood the most beers on tap in one location in all of Alaska.  They had a great selection of Alaskan craft beers as well as some good brew from the Pacific Northwest of the lower 48 and some awesome international stuff as well.  I began my night with a Moose Tooth Polar Pale while we chatted with some locals and waited on a table.  The beer had a light feeling and a nice balance of malt and hops.  It was a fine beer to start the day with.  Soon we had a table and began looking over the menu.  Three of us previously agreed to attempt the Kodiak Arrest Challenge that we watched Adam Richman complete on Man vs. Food.  We thought we had a chance and wanted to give it a try, even if it would nearly ruin our night.  However, sitting there and seeing the $124.99 price tag, we had second thoughts due to the cost.  For a brief moment, all three of us backed out and decided to just order something off the menu.  Our rational thinking led us to conclude that we probably couldn't finish, it costs too much money, and we'd be miserable for the rest of the night.  Then emotion took over.  I looked over the menu and there was nothing that I wanted to try more than the challenge.  Gary restated his decision to not attempt the challenge, but Eusebio and I tacked our sails.  We had come to attempt this gastronomic feat, and we'd be damned if we let ourselves back out at the moment of truth.  I loosened my belt, got my mind focused, and told the waiter that Eusebio and I each wanted to tackle the Kodiak Arrest Challenge!  For an introduction, watch the video below:



The Kodiak Arrest Challenge is a feasting competition of Alaskan proportions.  It starts with 3 lbs of Alaskan King Crab legs.  Listed on the menu at $34.99 per pound, the Challenge is almost worth its price right there.  After the crab, the platter is loaded with a foot-and-a-half-long link of reindeer sausage, seven salmon or crab cakes, mashed potatoes or fried rice, and mixed vegetables.  At the end there is also a berry crisp dessert served with ice cream.  All together, the food weighs six pounds and must be consumed in 90 minutes or less.  We had our work cut out for us!  Now for a pictorial journey:

Jay and Eusebio were in a good mood before the Kodiak Arrest Challenge arrived at their table.

Upon seeing their meal, they got even more excited.  At this point everything seemed fun.

The Kodiak Arrest Challenge awaited my first taste and the start of the 90 minute timer.

These fresh Alaskan King Crabs were rich with flavor and absolutely delicious!

Early on I was in plenty good enough spirits to play with my food!  Reindeer Sausage vs Crab Claw!

Time had come to get down to business.  I started fast and furious with my eating.

Eusebio felt the pain of the enormous challenge.  He gave it a strong effort but in the end couldn't stomach it.

Meanwhile, I struggled over the last 45 minutes of the challenge, having to use water to help me swallow.

However, at the 90 minute mark, I completed the challenge!  A happy plate did not equal a happy Jay.  Still, this challenge provides absolutely amazing food.  The Alaskan King Crab is worth every penny.  The rich and flavorful crab is bright red and loaded with excellence.  The reindeer sausage also tasted fantastic before I let it sit on my plate too long and get cold.  I absolutely feel like I got my money's worth out of the challenge, but at the same time I wouldn't call the end of it a pleasureful culinary experience.  Even still, the taste of the food and satisfaction of the victory were much greater than the pain in my stomach!

After a bit of recovery time, Shawn (the manager) bought me a beer and gave me a t-shirt to celebrate the victory.  The crew at Humpy's let me know that I was only the fifth person ever to complete the challenge, and that I'd be going up on their soon to be erected "Wall of Fame!"  I'll be proud to wear my "I got Crabs at Humpy's" shirt all over Louisiana.  

Word spread around the alehouse and before long I was a temporary celebrity.  Ladies stopped to take pictures with me.  I had become a legend in 90 minutes, and now I will live forever in the history books as a winner of the Humpy's Kodiak Arrest Challenge in Anchorage, Alaska!

Thanks to Eric of the Baton Rouge Beer Scene for taking all the pictures!

Things To Do
Anchorage