During the summer of 2016, I was lucky enough to visit Nome, Alaska for one of the Alaska Art Education Consortium’s summer institutes. A “teacher travel” opportunity, I was super excited to explore a new place while also getting to make some art and bring home new ideas for my classroom. Something I wasn’t expecting to bring home? Blueberries!
Growing up on the east coast, we had blueberry bushes in our backyard garden and also occasionally went blueberry picking at “You Pick” farms throughout Pennsylvania and upstate New York. My friend’s family actually owned a patch that we’d frequent during the late summer months, and I have fond memories of making blueberry jam with her and the rest of our Girl Scout troop one summer.
Once I moved to Alaska, I had no more backyard blueberries and produce is not so cheap in the 49th state! When a friend invited me to go hiking in Arctic Valley one summer I was thrilled when she mentioned we might be able to find some blueberries. We found some alright, but I was surprised to find that unlike the fat berries on tall bushes I was used to, these berries were tiny and low to the ground, nestled in the tundra.
Finding blueberries to munch along the route of your hike is just one of the perks of getting out and about during summer in Alaska. Thankfully once you’ve eaten your fill, they also freeze super well and make for a great subsistence treat in the winter months!
Although throwing blueberries into pancakes, pies, and muffins are fairly quick and easy options, my mom’s recipe for Blueberry Buckle is one of my absolute favorites! It’s basically a blueberry coffee cake, and whether you’re munching on Blueberry Buckle for breakfast or serving it warm with ice cream for dessert, it’s a quick, easy, delicious way to put your fresh or frozen blueberries to use.
I love baking with blueberries, and the memories the come with them are definitely an added bonus. The reason I came home with so many blueberries after my Nome trip? My friend Lisa convinced me that we should hitchhike our way around town! I’ll never forget foraging around the tundra with Lisa and our new (retired teacher) friend Mikey, and then stuffing our bags with blueberries for the flight back! Random trick I learned during that particular trip: rinse your berries, let them dry on a towel, freeze them in a ziploc, and wrap them in newspaper to help keep them from thawing during your travels. It helps if your hitchhiker driver just so happens to have some insider local knowledge on good berry patches. Also, hitchhiking in Nome is surprisingly easy- who knew!
