Tag: Seldovia
Salmonberry Contest 2022 Saturday evening and a Special Cooking Class with Kirsten Dixon Sunday morning! A 2-Day Event!
by Jenny Chissus
So exciting to be welcoming Kirsten and Mandy Dixon and Valerie Granath as our judges for the competition this year! Seldovia is known for great salmonberries, and many folks have never tried anything but jams or cakes – and our competition has brought amazing talent out of the woodwork! From Sunni’s salmonberry cake and Peggy & Jen’s ice cream, Marcia’s wine to Liane’s chipotle, we have had some incredibly inventive and delicious entries!
The berries are here – so you have a week to pick, plan, prepare and get ready to present your entry by 6pm at the Boardwalk Hotel Saturday night! Besides being a lot of fun, there are prizes for each category as well as a People’s Choice award!
The basic rules:
* Bring your entry to The Boardwalk Hotel restaurant between 6:00pm and 6:30pm
* Recipe MUST include salmonberries
* Please present your entry with a NAME
* You may enter more than one item
* Each entry must have enough to share with 3 judges. It is nice to have extra as we will open a table for public sampling after the judges have tasted each entry. Folks in the audience get to taste these treats and we will have a People’s Choice award!
* You must pick either SWEET or SAVORY category for each entry
* The judges will be rating the entries on appearance/presentation, texture & taste (scale of 1-10)
Check-in your entries and grab a seat and enjoy dinner at the Boardwalk! This is a fun evening, and we thank the Boardwalk Hotel and their entire staff for helping to make the event a success! A lot is going on and it is a great time!
Foraged and Gathered Course Sunday Morning
Sunday morning August 14, 2022, from 9:00am to 10:30am
This is a very special event added this year! A COOKING COURSE with Kirsten Dixon!
If you have ever had the pleasure of taking a cooking class at Tutka Bay Lodge with Kirsten or Mandy and their staff – you know what a treat this is, that they are offering this intimate class right here in Seldovia!
Featured Dish: Seafood tagine prepared with wild edibles from Alaska and spices from Morocco!
You’ll have the opportunity to meet Hicham Hnini, chef at Tutka Bay Lodge, and Timothy Crockett, Executive Chef, and forager for Within the Wild Adventure Company. They will share with you, along with Kirsten Dixon, secrets of their rustic and refined regional cuisine.
Learn how to cook with tagine over a live fire or portable stove and hear the story of how Hicham and Kirsten met on a desert camel farm in Morocco and how he came to live in Alaska.
Kirsten will prepare her version of salmorejo – a cold Spanish tomato soup that is a lodge summer favorite. Tomatoes, cider vinegar, croutons, and smoked salmon make a simple and delicious soup.
The team will also have their cookbooks available for sale.
The cost for this course will be $25.00 per person – all fees are being generously donated to the Seldovia Fire and EMS Department! Thank you Kirsten, Hicham and Timothy! Space is limited and so please contact/text Jenny Chissus at 907-406-0044 to reserve your seat! The class will begin promptly at 9:00am, so please honor this very special event by showing up a few minutes early to settle in and be ready to begin! So thrilled that Kirsten and her team are willing to share their time and expertise with us!
Look! The Salmonberries are back!
UPDATE: August 3, 2021.
Unfortunately, we have decided to postpone this great event! Due to the increased concerns around protocols protecting the health of locals and visitors alike, we have determined that an event focused on food, created in multiple locations and by many individuals, does not have the control necessary for all to feel safe. Our two guest judges have promised that they will do all they can to return next year. So please, save your recipes, and enthusiasm, and pick all these gorgeous berries as they truly are here this year in great abundance! The prizes are bought, all the plans are in place, we will have a wonderful celebration in 2022! So very sorry to disappoint those who are planning their winning entries – but we’ll be back next year!
A crazy thing, but even the salmonberries were no where to be found last year! No buds, no pink flowers (and you know how much I love pink flowers!) and therefore, no berries! So, 2020 didn’t see a Sweet and Savory Salmonberry competition! But the berries are back and so is our fantastic Salmonberry competition! We will continue with the two inspiring categories, Sweet and Savory and we are so looking forward to your incredible, creative and tasty entries! The event and judging will happen outdoors, on the deck (pray for sunshine!) usually under the Boardwalk Hotel’s tented area! One of the highlights of the night is being able to sample these amazing treats, so, when the judging is completed of each entry, we will be passing out samples on individual plates to interested guests who are dining! We will not be having a buffet line as we’ve had in the past.
There are really no specific rules, other than the item has to have salmonberries in it! Obviously, there are judging categories that each entry will be graded on, and we wanted to share them with you this year!
1) Texture (from un-appealing to sublime)
2) Taste (from gag-worthy to mouth-watering)
3) Salmonberry theme (from “where are the berries?” to “I didn’t know salmonberries tasted this good!”)
4) Presentation (from un-appealing to restaurant worthy)
Speaking of judges! We are thrilled to have Kirsten and Mandy Dixon back again this year as our Celebrity judges! Kirsten and her husband Carl own and operate two very beautiful resorts in Alaska – Within the Wild Adventure Lodges! One of their properties is right in our neighborhood on the south side of Kachemak Bay- Tutka Bay Lodge which enjoys beach activities and the beauty of the ocean and the other resort, Winterlake Lodge is at the entrance of the Alaska range along the Iditarod trail. In addition to working in the lodges, Mandy has her own restaurant right on the Homer Spit, La Baleine where she serves the freshest and most organic Alaskan food possible! We are thrilled that they are here again to share in this great event! Kirsten and Mandy also just came out with a brand new cookbook, Living Within The Wild, which is literally a piece of art and storybook all in one! And the beauty of this book? Following Mandy and Kirsten’s recipes, you too, can create incredible dishes designed by two master chefs, internationally known for their Alaskan flare! I’m hopeful they will be bringing a few cookbooks with them to sell and I’m sure they would love to sign them for you as well!
We are that Suzie Stranik, our local chef and gourmet food magician has honored us as our third judge this year! Besides loving to cook and having the ability to make delicious food, (even in large group quantities as a caterer) Suzie makes everything beautiful! From her gardens, to her salads to her artful hats – Suzie breathes beauty! We are excited to have her sitting at our judges table this year – though we’re sad that she won’t have an entry this year, as we look always enjoy her culinary creations!
Here’s all the info you need to know about our competition Summer 2021!
1) Please bring your entry to the Boardwalk Hotel between 5:30pm and 6:30pm on Saturday, AUGUST 7, 2021
2) There must be enough for three judges to sample
3) There must be salmonberry ingredients! Obviously!
4) Please have a NAME for your entry – and a DESCRIPTION (some ingredients, but don’t give it all away!)
5) You may enter multiple times in each category!
6) There are two categories, SWEET & SAVORY. You must choose ONE category per entry.
7) Please label your dishes/serving utensils so that we’re sure to get them back to you
8) We cut up the remaining items and share with the spectators, which has been a really fun part of the event, so please feel free to bring enough of your entry to share with some of the crowd – as we do have a People’s Choice award!
9) There are prizes, and local fame! 🙂
This event is sponsored and hosted by The Boardwalk Hotel and Seldovia Property. We are so looking forward to seeing all the delicious entries this year! Come dine at the Boardwalk and taste some treats and get a few autographs and purchase a new cookbook! 🙂
Jacqueline Dickinson – January 26, 1929 – January 14, 2019
Jacqueline Marie (Flachbarth) Dickinson passed away peacefully at the Horizon House in Anchorage, Alaska January 14th, 2019 at the age of 89. Her daughter Jenny, Pastor Emily from St. John United Methodist Church and long-time family friend Marion Bowles were by her side.
Jackie was born in Parma, Ohio on January 26, 1929 to Frank and Marie Flachbarth. She graduated from West Technical High School in Cleveland, Ohio, then received an undergraduate degree from Ohio State University followed by receiving a master’s degree in psychology from Kent State University. She worked in Bedford, Ohio as a School Psychologist and traveled to Alaska in 1955 for a medical conference where she met Lewis Dickinson. They fell in love and were married on February 24, 1956 and honeymooned in Fairbanks. Jackie worked for 17 years as a Clinical Psychologist with the Alaska Treatment Center (ACCA) in Anchorage. While there, Jackie was part of a comprehensive team of professionals that worked together to recommend care for children with disabilities. Jackie later dedicated herself to her and Lew’s two children, Luke and Jenny. She was an accomplished homemaker and relentless driver to hockey, figure skating lessons, tennis, piano, cello, dance, and ski racing events.
Jackie had a love for fashion, traveling, continuing her education, reading books on all topics and had an interest in the fine arts, especially music. She was well known for her 30 years of service as a Sunday School Teacher at St. John United Methodist Church. Jackie was a loving wife, mother, friend, but one of her favorite activities was being a cherished grandmother who tirelessly entertained and educated her two grandchildren. Jackie and Lew were married for nearly 63 years and spent recent years enjoying their winter home in Hawaii and summer get-away in Seldovia, Alaska.
The real Jackie was taken away from us too soon, as she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s the last 10 years of her life. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Jana Ripley, the staff at the Providence Horizon House and Hospice of Alaska for the expert care and comfort they provided her in her final years.
Survivors include her husband, Lewis Dickinson, son Luke, Seattle, Washington, daughter Jenny Hand (Keith), and grandchildren Hailey and Carson Hand, brother Gene Flachbarth (Ellen) Atlanta, Georgia, and 6 nephews and nieces in the Lower 48.
A memorial service will be held at St. John United Methodist Church on Tuesday, February 5th at 5pm followed by a celebration of life at the home of her daughter, Jenny. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her name to the Sunday School Program at St. John United Methodist Church and to the Alzheimer’s Association of choice.
Roger William Bolton
Submitted by Legacy Funeral Homes
Roger William Bolton, 82, passed away peacefully at the home of his daughter, surrounded by three generations of his family and his faithful companion, Cindy Dog, on December 15th, 2018. Formal services will not be held. Family and close friends will gather on the beach near “his little piece of heaven” and spread his ashes next summer.
Roger was born to Willie O Bolton and Electa O Sparks, on June 1, 1936 in Weed, California. He married Marcia D Powers on May 25, 1957 and together they raised four children. Although later they divorced, they remained very close friends. On February 14th, 1993 He married Betty Lichtner and had twenty-two happy years together until her passing in 2015.
Roger proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1956 to 1960, he retired from the Federal Government as a Computer Programmer in 1994. Since retirement he enjoyed life to his fullest with all generations of his family and friends at his home in Homer, and his cabin at MacDonald Spit. He was a self-taught hard worker and was willing to work beside you as he taught you how to get the job done.
Roger was a strong, yet humble man, who had great pride in his family. He passed on in the same way he lived his life, surrounded by the deep love of his family members. He is survived by his four children and their spouses; Willie K Bolton (Sarah) of Lexington Park, Maryland, Thomas E Bolton (Lorrie) of Coolidge, Georgia, M Louise Franklin (Biff) of Palmer, Alaska, Valeta D Bolton (Blake) of Riverton, Utah and his 1st wife, Marcia D Bolton of Palmer, Alaska. He had twelve grandchildren; Daniel, Nancy, Kristy, Janell, Stephanie, Jennifer, Julianne, Miranda, Samantha, Michael, Jessica and Aaron, and 14 great grandchildren, and his dog Cindy Girl. He is also survived by his sister Eunice, and first cousin Velva. Roger was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and his wife, Betty. His family requests that in Lieu of flowers donations be made to Ancora Home Health and Hospice whom he was very graciously cared for in his last months. Final arrangements are being made by Wasilla Heritage Chapel.
Sweet & Savory Contest was a Delight!
by Jenny Chissus
Event Flier
In spite of the blustery and rainy weather, the evening was a huge success! Thanks to Jeremiah and Angela at the Boardwalk Hotel who in addition to hosting this fun event, entertained us with great music from Keeley, Nelson and Kelsey all evening!
We had delicious entries in the competition, this year in both Sweet and Savory categories as well as a People’s Choice category!
Savory …
First, let’s talk about the SAVORY entries! It was so interesting as this category truly opened the door to some exciting and unexpected entries! We love to challenge our Seldovia chefs!
In the Savory category, we had fried chicken wings in a crystalized ginger salmonberry sauce, steak and sausage bites with BBQ salmonberry dipping sauces, caramelized onion and salmonberry cream cheese spread, salmonberry wine and even a salmonberry relish!
Thanks to Marcia, Liane, Ginny, Chris, Karen and MaryJo, we had some amazing entries in the new category this year!
Sweet…
In the SWEET category, we had a wide variety of treats as well! From fresh salmonberry pie, salmonberry cream cheesecake, salmonberry zinger cake, salmonberry jello cheesecake, salmonberry glazed cheesecake, salmonberry kookaberry cake, salmonberry mascarpone shortcake, salmonberry cupcake bites to another salmonberry ice cream!
People’s Choice…
We had another fun category this year, based on last year’s success of sharing the remaining entries with the crowd! So after each sampling was taken by the judges, then the remainder went to our tasting table – where the spectators at the event could sample the treats! Everyone at the event had a ticket and were given the opportunity to pick ONE favorite! It was interesting as 71% of the votes were cast for entries in the SWEET category! And, in the end all three PEOPLES CHOICE winners were in the Sweet category!
And our 3 Judges…
We want to acknowledge and thank our three judges this year! All three were winners in last year’s competition! Angela Campbell who owns, operates and cooks at the Boardwalk Hotel Pub and Grill, Melissa Pederson who owns, operates and cooks at the Harbor Inn Coffee & Gifts and Peggy Cloninger who has retired from almost 30 years running a successful fishing charter and B&B here in Seldovia!
All three of these ladies are amazing cooks who have owned and cooked in restaurants and B&Bs, so they understand the importance of tasty dishes and presentation!
Peggy actually wasn’t able to participate last year as she was headed out of town, so she gave her recipe to Jen Swick, who brought home 1st place last year making & submitting Peggy’s delicious Salmonberry Ice Cream! Crazy – that this year’s winner was also an ice cream!
Thank You … Thank You … Thank You
Awesome Glass Etching by Ecola Collier
Thank you to all the participants who submitted their delicious treats! Obviously, there would be no competition without you!
In addition to thanking again the Boardwalk Hotel Pub and Grill and the entire staff who ran and ran all night to keep food and drinks coming, during the music and the competition, I also want to thank Bovey Trophies for a fantastic job on the ribbon awards! They always do a great job, quickly and at a great price!
Thank you to Alaska Air Taxi who made sure that the awards made it down to Seldovia, and Jeremiah Campbell who packed them in his suitcase!
I also want to acknowledge Ecola Collier who did a fantastic job with the etching on the award jars, creating the artwork and etching the glass so beautifully!
Thanks to Seldovia Property, who sponsored awards, commissioned artwork and planned and organized the event.
Savory Winners!
Liane – Savory 1st Place Steak & Sausage Bites with Salmonberry BBQ Dipping Sauces
Marcia – Savory 2nd Place Marcia’s Salmonberry Juice (wine)
MaryJo – Savory 3rd Place Salmonberry Relish
Sweet Winners!
Jinnifer – Sweet 1st Place Salmonberry Lemon curd Ice cream
Liane – Sweet 2nd Place Salmonberry Mascarpone Shortcake
Rebecca – Sweet 3rd Place Salmonberry flavored Cupcake Bites
People’s Choice Winners!
Elaine – 1st Place – People’s Choice Salmonberry Kookaberry Cake
Erin – 2nd Place – People’s Choice Fresh Salmonberry Pie
Jinnifer – 3rd Place – People’s Choice Salmonberry Lemon curd Ice cream
2018 Salmonberry Contest, Recap of 2017 event & Interview with our 2017 Guest Celebrity Judge Kirsten Dixon!
by Jenny Chissus
There are quite a few things that come to mind when you think of summer in Seldovia, and one of the very special ones, is the fact that we are a haven for Salmonberries! We’re in our 2nd year of hosting the Salmonberry Dessert Contest, and we agreed that we needed to divide up the categories a bit as we had such a variety of treats last year! We will have two categories in our renamed “Salmonberry Delights Contest”! Sweet OR Savory – thanks to Kirsten Dixon for that description of last year’s event! This allows folks to submit both the “Sweet” Salmonberry Desserts as well as “Savory” Salmonberry Dressings, sauces & other. We’re excited to see what this year will bring!
The audience loved when the judges began sharing of all the treats once they had judged their portion. This year we will have a People’s Choice winner as the crowd truly enjoyed getting in on the tasty fare! So, to all entrants, please have enough for the 3 judges as well as some to share tastes with the diners at the Boardwalk as they will each have one vote! This worked out beautifully last year, as the three judges just take a taste of a pie or cake so there is plenty to share… but when it is just a candy, scoop of ice cream or a muffin, there is not much to go around! So keep that in mind!
Bring your entry before 6pm and sit down for dinner and a front row seat to the contest judging that begins at 7:30pm!
I know many folks who don’t live in Seldovia can’t wait for the season and make trips to our side of the bay for these elusive fruits! Last year, as we looked back at our photos from 2016, we figured we would be safe to have our contest in late July! Not so! Our lack of sun and warmth last summer led to a mediocre and VERY late summer crop of salmonberries, so we moved the event to the end of August! Thankfully, it all worked out to the good, as Kirsten and Mandy Dixon were able to make the event in August, and never would have been able to swing it in July! This year, the berries are ripening and plentiful, if you can beat the crows!
Last year, I wasn’t sure how it was going to go – if folks would find any berries – if anyone had great dessert recipes to create something for a contest… but when 7:30pm drew near, we had 25 entries! We had to bring out two more tables to manage the dessert feast!
We had salmonberry coffee cake, salmonberry swirl cake, lemon salmonberry marscarpone cake, salmonberry cheesecake, brie cheese with salmonberry chutney, salmonberry cake with fireweed honey sauce, chocolate covered rice crispy salmonberry truffles, salmonberry shortcake, salmonberry crumble bars, salmonberry rhubarb pudding cake, salmonberry smoothie, salmonberry cheesecake bites, salmonberry sweet buns, salmonberry custard pie with shortbread crust, brie with salmonberry lemon cream cheese and salmonberry jelly sauce, angel food cake with orange butter salmonberry sauce, love of salmonberry pastry with cream rose salmonberry essence, etc! It was incredible!
Thanks so much to Jeremiah and Angela and the Boardwalk Hotel staff who worked hard to accommodate all the entrants, people and fun! They did a phenomenal job! We look forward to having the contest there again this year! Thank you for hosting!
Enjoy the Slide show from last year’s event below – where you can see the winning entries and amazing chefs and bakers of Seldovia! Get inspired!
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Interview with Celebrity Chef Kirsten –
It was such a privilege to meet and host Kirsten and her daughter Mandy in Seldovia. Thanks so much to Valerie Granath from the Bridgekeeper’s Inn who offered her B&B for the two of them to enjoy a night in Seldovia after the contest!
I had a chance to visit with Kirsten and wanted to share some of her thoughts after the event was through!
Jenny – When you were invited to be a judge, what made you say “Yes”?
Kirsten – I enjoy any opportunity to visit Seldovia. We’re such close neighbors! At Tutka Bay Lodge we just feel that we are part of the Seldovia community and of course, I’m a huge fan of salmonberries and I’m a huge fan of our wild edibles bringing people closer together.
Jenny – You’ve been to Seldovia before, how was this visit?
Kirsten – Every time we visit Seldovia, it’s always a little bit more vibrant and active than the time we were there before. People are super kind and friendly and very warm and inviting to us.
Jenny – What was the highlight of your stay?
Kirsten – No, it certainly wasn’t what we expected. The talent and variety of the entries along with so many people entries, over 25! It was pretty amazing! The food at the restaurant was incredible, the company was wonderful, the music was really beautiful, and overall the evening with such great fun. The bed and breakfast was sweet with such a lovely morning breakfast.
Join us for the 2018 event, Saturday, August 11, 2018 at the Boardwalk Hotel!
All entries need to be registered at the hotel between 5:00 and 6:00pm.
Judging will begin at 7:30pm!
Seldovia Time
