Book excerpt: A perennial best seller that’s been in print for over 50 years, Alaska Sourdough—part valuable historical reference and part kitschy souvenir—now offers more than 95 recipes with even more interesting facts and Alaskan lore for sourdough fans. Written by one of Alaska’s most foremost sourdough historians, Alaska Sourdough is a witty and useful primer for sourdough cookery. For decades Alaskans have ordered their lives around their sourdough pots, and Ruth Allman was no different. In this book she shares her own time-tested advice for home cooks and novice bakers, as well as little-known facts and history about sourdough. Sourdough was a staple in pioneer-era Alaska and without it, folks would not survive. Alaska’s Sourdough features two types of starters and discusses the nuances of time on the starter that only a pioneer can know. The book then walks the reader through how to keep sourdough alive and the dozens of things that can be made from it—from hotcakes and waffles, to breads, rolls, muffins, and coffee cakes. But what was once utilitarian may seem peculiar today—sourdough baked Alaska? It was the only way to make such novelty desserts in pioneer time, and Ruth’s writing offers a charming glimpse back to another era. You’ll want to try some of her favorite recipes for such delights as sourdough cakes, doughnuts, cookies, and dumplings, along with accompanying sauces, syrups, and toppings. With an all-new foreword by writer and food journalist Addie Studebaker, this new edition transports you back into a nostalgic Alaskan world filled with comfort, love, fun, and, of course, sourdough.