northern signposts
INUVIK, NT
Method for determining whether you are teaching at an elementary school north of the Arctic Circle: the school secretary comes on the P.A. to announce that there are free caribou heads in the wood shop for anyone who wants them.
Of course, there are plenty of other indications. The wolves howling outside my window tonight, for instance. Or sharing my walk to school with an arctic fox. Following the white tip of its tail against the Rembrandt-like ground of its body, all in the faint morning light along the road on which I live, was astonishing and faeric, and terribly impressive.
Adventures of the palate seem to find you up here. One day I was handed a cup of boiled fish eggs and wild cranberries by a fellow teacher; the cranberries were delicious. I have had more success with other (less) fishy specialties like half-smoked grayling. The best ichthyo I've phaged thus far was fresh lake trout just barely sautéed with butter, salt, and pepper.
I also cooked a second caribou repast last week, using a less overpowering shitake mushroom and red wine reduction as sauce. I suspect that as I gain confidence, I will let more of the strong game flavours come through. To my surprise, strong game flavours were not in evidence when I tasted my first moose meat on Friday.
The photograph above presents the view from the far side of the hill near my house. Out there really is just over the next hill.
All the best.
Method for determining whether you are teaching at an elementary school north of the Arctic Circle: the school secretary comes on the P.A. to announce that there are free caribou heads in the wood shop for anyone who wants them.
Of course, there are plenty of other indications. The wolves howling outside my window tonight, for instance. Or sharing my walk to school with an arctic fox. Following the white tip of its tail against the Rembrandt-like ground of its body, all in the faint morning light along the road on which I live, was astonishing and faeric, and terribly impressive.
Adventures of the palate seem to find you up here. One day I was handed a cup of boiled fish eggs and wild cranberries by a fellow teacher; the cranberries were delicious. I have had more success with other (less) fishy specialties like half-smoked grayling. The best ichthyo I've phaged thus far was fresh lake trout just barely sautéed with butter, salt, and pepper.
I also cooked a second caribou repast last week, using a less overpowering shitake mushroom and red wine reduction as sauce. I suspect that as I gain confidence, I will let more of the strong game flavours come through. To my surprise, strong game flavours were not in evidence when I tasted my first moose meat on Friday.
The photograph above presents the view from the far side of the hill near my house. Out there really is just over the next hill.
All the best.
posted by simon at 12:45 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home