Sitka’s culinary scene is appearing on television screens across the country in the spring. A former filmmaker and child actor David Moscow recently visited the island community to film an episode of his show “From Scratch” in conjunction together with Beak restaurant. Between a jog to pull bull kelp from Sitka Sound and foraging for Cranberries, Moscow sat down with the KCAW’s Meredith Redick to talk about food foraging, filming, and foraging at Southeast Alaska.
Listen:
David Moscow: I host and produce a program called “From scratch.” It’s an international food and travel documentary show, where we get to meet with chefs from all over the globe. They cook the meal that I try, determine the ingredients, then head out to find all the ingredients, including harvesting and hunting, fishing and foraging. I return and I’m given a week to make a new dish by working with the chef.
Meredith Redick: Do you have any information about your experience with hunting or fishing in Sitka to date?
David Moscow: So, that’s right at the core of it I’m sure I’m not sure if I’m crazy, but at the core of the show is the thrill of sourcing food. I’m working alongside Renee at Beak and she’s made two amazing meals for me. As soon as I left for the day it was like reality struck me. It’s November here in Alaska. There isn’t a lot of green on the ground. What can I find? It turned out that there was a fish I could not even purchase since non-Alaskans aren’t allowed to harvest during this time of the year. The fish was The KCAW asked:what was that?It was Rockfish. However, we heard that there were wild cranberries growing in the bogs of the mountains. Then we discovered that there were mushrooms. We couldn’t locate any guideline to help me out to hunt for the mushrooms. For the first appearance on the show I went on my own to the forest, but I’m not a mushroom hunter. I set out on my own to search for the mushrooms. It was terrifying for me. We were fortunate to find mushrooms that were of the right type. The whole experience was just divine. In the beginning, you are aware that Beak is a wonderful restaurant. Sitka is a beautiful town and an amazing spot. Sitka is a great place to eat.
Meredith Reick You weren’t permitted to catch rockfish because of the regulations. What did you get?
David Moscow: Well, viewers must watch it. Perhaps I saw it. Perhaps I didn’t.
Meredith Redick: Okay, fine, but what do you think.
David Moscow: Yeah. The most frightening moment happened when we set out for a bull kelp hunt on two small boats I don’t even know what was happening with the water at that time but the swells seemed similar to nine feet. It was awe-inspiring. We also had professors from the college who came over here, and they’re crazy. Three women were crazy. My crew was huddled at one of the sides.
Meredith Redick: You mentioned something about Sitka as a place to eat. It’s a surprise to me since I am thinking about our grocery price. It seems like the majority of us here live on a budget because they feel like there’s not a lot of alternatives.
David Moscow: It’s a bit special, isn’t it? It’s the fact that everybody is able to keep, all winter long the most incredible amount of protein stored in their freezers Then you go to a place such as Beak or some of other eateries in the town, and they’re using local ingredients in their dishes. So it’s part an integral part of the town and it’s a common occurrence and it’s interspersed.
The Meredith Reick Show:Is true to suggest that food, in turn it’s an instrument to convey a bigger message that you’re trying to convey?
David Moscow: Yes, I believe it’s really about how communities are connected. To show that we all depend on to be a part of one another. I’m sure Americans tend to think that you know, I’ve done this on my own and I’m alone on an island, and I’m able to pull myself out by my boot straps which isn’t the case at all. If you eat the pizza you’ve had It took 68 people to prepare the pizza. There’s a web. It’s a web. The KCAW says:Is that specific, the number? This is when I cooked my pizza. It required 68 people to create it. There’s a web of community which holds us all together and provides us with the best food. You know one thing we learned on this trip is that it’sn’t just about the community. It’s as much about the way we treat the earth. If we continue to go in this direction regarding food production and pollution, we’re going to be in grave danger. As you can see the food industry, we are on the forefront in the global warming process as well as economic justice, as well as social justice. This becomes clearer and more clear everywhere I travel.
The episode starring Sitka along with Beak restaurant is set to air in February 2024. You can learn more about the show at www.discoverfromscratch.com.
