Akutaq in Alaska 2025
Berries mixed with dried fish, walrus tallow, and reindeer fat—sounds strange? Alaskans don’t think so
Best time: July–August
If you are in Alaska in summer during the berry season, try a bizarre traditional meal called akutaq. It literally means “everything mixed” and actually, it is. Traditionally it was made with animal fat mixed with wild berries, fish, and snow, but recent additions also include sugar and milk. Such a strange combination is quite popular among native people, so the meal has another famous name—“Eskimo ice cream.” A bit of an unusual recipe for a dessert, isn’t it? Though, locals assure it tastes pretty good!
The most popular ingredients for akutaq are salmonberries blueberries and blackberries. The important part is that the traditional recipe doesn't include sugar, so it's supposed to be a very healthy dessert. However the modern version might include not only sugar, but also such uncommon foods for Alaska as apricots, peaches and raisings.
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