For most Alaskans, the fishing season has come to an end.
But that doesn't mean there aren't great seafood options out there. This fall, the Alaska Marine Conservation Council's community supported fishery Catch of the Season program offers four seafood-buying opportunities. For those with a taste for red king crab, rockfish, cod or coho salmon, the Catch of the Season continues.
The Alaska Marine Conservation Council works with local fishers to provide sustainable catches. Both the Norton Sound red king crab and the Kodiak jig rockfish can be pre-ordered through Oct. 28. The Kodiak Pacific cod and coho salmon will be available first-come, first-served at pickup locations in early November.
The red king crab will be available in 10- and 20-pound boxes for $250 to $500, depending on delivery location. The crab is caught by local small-boat fishermen with pots in Norton Sound and delivered to Nome. The Kodiak jig-caught rockfish boneless, skinless fillets are available in 5-, 10- and 20-pound shares. Costs range from $65 to $260.
Jig-caught Pacific cod is $7 per pound in Anchorage and $8 per pound in Fairbanks, Homer and Seward. The family-size packs weigh 2 to 4 pounds each. The Taku River coho salmon is $10 or $11 per pound and available as whole fillets weighing 2 to 4 pounds.
For more information and to place an order, visit akmarine.org.
At the markets
Farmers market season has moved indoors, but that doesn't mean the selection is limited. The twice-weekly Center Market inside the Mall at Sears offers many vendors, including some who are returning indoors.
Earthworks Farm is back at both markets this week, and Dee Barker said they have been focusing on the Abeille Alaska body care products "now that we have finished our flower and veggie harvest."
Barker said the moisturizing cream is "a great product for nourishing your skin in the coming dry wintry months. We have developed our shampoo a little more. It's a little more sudsy and includes our honey and saponified argan oil as great conditioning ingredients." Other body-care products include hair conditioner and handmade soaps.
Earthworks Farm also has Valley honey. "The flowers our bees especially loved were sunflowers, strawflowers, sweet William, malva and snapdragons," Barker said. "And of course they were on wildflowers too! The honey is quite the mix and it is lovely."
Alex Davis and A.D. Farm will have a wide selection of pork products, vegetables, eggs, Alaska Sprouts items including micro greens and tofu, and Alaska Flour Co.'s barley products at both markets. Davis' pork items include bratwurst, loin roast, chops, fresh side, ground pork, sausage, ribs, roast, bone, fat, liver, feet and hocks.
La Grassa will be at both markets with a variety of pasta items including mushroom, pecorino and ricotta ravioli; vegan sweet potato and cashew ricotta ravioli; Alaska potato gnocchi; Alaska broccoli and asiago ravioli; Alaska golden beet, goat cheese and almond ravioli; vegan basil strozzapreti; and organic original and spinach hand-cut noodles.
Catherine's Cupcakes will have a variety of gourmet cupcakes available at both markets. This week the cupcake shop is featuring caramel apple, which includes apples, buttercream frosting and caramel filling.
Duane Clark will be at Wednesday's market with a new green tomato salsa, grass-fed Alaska beef and yak, jams, salsa, zucchini relish and a variety of vegetables.
Farm 779 will have a variety of ferments at Wednesday's market including kefirs, kvass, kombucha and krauts. Julie Meer said Farm 779 is showcasing its body products this week too, including "handcrafted small-batch virgin organic coconut oil-based balms and butters. All are mixed for specific uses and include pure essential oils, trace minerals and the five key apiary products from our sustainable farm."
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Local farmers markets
Monday in the Valley: Colony Farmers Market, noon-7 p.m., Palmer Depot
Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Thursday in Anchorage: APU Farmers Market, noon-6 p.m., 4101 University Drive
Saturday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street