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If one-of-a-kind outdoor dining experiences are your thing, the Ewing family of Outdoor Channel's "Alaska's Wild Gourmet" has what you seek. In the half-hour series, now in its first season on Saturdays, the family owns and operates Red Hot Cooking, an upscale remote catering service that creates five-star gourmet meals from ingredients sourced from the best proteins and greens that the 49th State has to offer. And they'll serve it in virtually any setting, be it on an island, atop a mountain or in a forest. Basically anywhere a four-wheel drive, boat or plane can get into, they can cook there. The idea for the business came from family matriarch Sherri, who created the mobile camp kitchen that is the heart of the action and the series. "That's what people love," she says. "They sit there and are just lost in the grandeur of Alaska. It's right in their backyard, and first of all they just get that feeling. And then they see us and I'm sure they see the passion that we are following with this food. They see Bradley in action and it's dinner and a movie at that point. And then the food. So it wins people over." Red Hot Cooking can prepare just about anything – salmon, halibut, venison, bear – and do it in any style, such as fusion, Tex-Mex or Italian. Some of the ingredients are caught or gathered by the Ewings, while others are purchased. Son and head chef Bradley, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu, creates the menu and does some of the foraging, while daughter Amy decorates the dining sites. And those sites can pose logistical nightmares. Stoves, propane tanks, tables, chairs, tents and other equipment must be transported in and out. Dishes must be washed afterward and garbage must be disposed of. And then there's the wildlife. The family takes great care not to set up near nesting sites, lest there be clashes with an angry mother eagle, and bear fences are a must. "We have some of the largest bears in Alaska in Kodiak," Sherri Ewing says, "so the potential is always there. And we do scout out the area beforehand and then we tell our clients, 'Bring your camera, you may see a bear.' We don't want it to seem like a negative thing but with that bear fence there, they feel pretty secure in that. "And you know, we're going beyond their expectations at that point," she says. "They don't expect a bear, and then when they see the fence, they're like, 'Oh OK, they thought of this. I can concentrate on my salad now.' " What book are you currently reading? "I'm reading 'Spiritual Graffiti' right now, by Jeff Brown. I am an avid reader. I read a book probably every three or four days." What did you have for dinner last night? "I had wood-baked pizza. I've been cooking on a boat now for about seven days and we came in and brought our equipment back in and so it was the no-cooking night. So I always go to my favorite and that's pizza." What is your next project? "I'm leaving for the oil fields this morning. I'm cooking on a research boat." When was your last vacation, where and why? "I got back from Thailand about three weeks ago. I just love to try different foods and really try to do some fusion cooking and bring some of their culture back to Alaska with me and so I just went on a food journey all by myself." BY GEORGE DICKIE Family creates five-star outdoor dining experiences in 'Alaska's Wild Gourmet' Sherri, Bradley and Amy Ewing (from left) Page 8 May 16 - 22, 2016 I FOUND IT! Whether you are looking for the latest garage sale bargain, a reliable car, a home or a new job. You are sure to find what you want in the classified section of … Nobody Covers Your Hometown Better! • Carpet • Vinyl • Ceramic Mon.-Fri. 8-5 • Sat. 9-1 65669 US 33 East • Goshen 642-4770 TOLL FREE 1-877-642-4770 Area's Largest Selection of Remnants Large Inventory of Carpet, Laminate, Vinyl, and Luxury Vinyl Tiles! OEC Super Buffet 4024 Elkhart Rd Goshen IN 46526 Tel: 574-875-1298 Elk Lunch Monday-Friday 11am-3pm Adult $7.25 Children 2 years old $1.99 3-6 years old $3.50 7-10 years old $5.00 *Saturday Lunch $7.75 Dinner Monday-Friday 3pm-9:30 pm Adult $10.75 Children 2 years old $2.99 3-6 years old $4.50 7-10 years old $6.00 *Sunday Dinner Price ALL DAY $10.75 SENIOR DISCOUNT 10% PRICE On or Off-Site Catering All Occasions Dine under the glow of gas lanterns Breakfast and Lunch Meals also available Open Tuesday through Saturday DON'T STAY DON'T STAY … IN THE DARK. CALL 574-533-2151 OR 800-487-2151 ext. 393 TODAY ! Start your newspaper subscription today and see the light. Stay up to date on all the latest business, entertainment, sports, local news and more!

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