On one Christmas holiday, I heard my brother-in-law say, "I've always wanted to have a cookbook with the recipes that Phyllis makes. Our guests have requested this and we just have never gotten around to doing this."

Right away, I raised my hand. "Pick me! I know how to do this. Pick me! I can photograph the dishes and create the cookbook. I've made several books. Pick me!"

And that is how I came to Alaska for the first time. Over the course of two summers, I photographed each recipe as well as a lot of the other photos used in this book.

I wish I could say I took all of the pictures, but I received a lot of help from other people I met in Alaska. Thank you to Sage, Kodie, LBJ, Matthew, Mike, James and Hunter. Without your photography of Alaskan fish, fishermen, wildlife and scenery, this book would not have been nearly as beautiful.

Thank you to Jim for wanting this porject and picking me. Thank you to the people I met in Alaska who made me feel so welcome. And, especially, thank you to my sister, Phyllis, for welcoming me into her home and kitchen. We all have our own unique talents and mine are not in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing your gifts to me and now to the world. Every recipe is delicious.