Northwest History. Alaska. Food Supply.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1937
• Subjects: Alaska; Fairbanks; sourdoughs; the musher's trail; Gene Peterson; H. E. James; Yukon Territory; Peel river; Hungry creek; mossolyte; gold; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Pacific; Peel River; Yukon
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/91720

Alaska Sourdoughs Concoct Breakfast Dish From Moss. Alaska Sourdoughs Concoct Breakfast Dish From Moss FAIRBANKS, Alaska, March 26. (AP)—Two sourdoughs, fresh from the musher's trail, recommended to the far north today a new breakfast food— "mossolyte." Gene Peterson and H. E. James, prospectors returning from a trek into Yukon Territory on the upper reaches of the Peel river hundreds of miles from the nearest settlement, announced the discovery. "While breaking camp one morning at Hungry creek, we noticed the dogs were fond of moss which grows prolifically in that region. James decided the moss contained substance fit for dog and man and made a test," Peterson said. Dogs Approve Food. "He gathered a large quantity, made it into a cake with lard and caribou tallow and fed it to the dogs. It was almost all moss, barely enough grease except to flavor and hold the particles together. "The dogs did so well on the diet, we tried it. We liked it and every morning on the trail when the snow wasn't heavy, made croquettes. They were excellent. We grew exceptionally thin, but at the same time remained healthy and strong. The dogs ate it all the time and thrived on it. "We named the food 'mossolyte'," he said. The men said they prospected on two claims but didn't find much gold.