Eating Well in the Chilkat Valley: A basic bread recipe

A column on eating well in the Chilkat Valley

Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:50am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A 40-year resident of the Chilkat Valley shares a basic bread recipe that can be easily made at home with simple ingredients like flour, yeast, and milk or water. The column also provides tips on how to get creative with the dough to make cinnamon rolls, pizza, dinner rolls, and focaccia.

Why it matters

With the rising cost of flour and other groceries, learning to make bread at home can be a cost-effective way for residents of the Chilkat Valley to eat well and have access to a versatile staple food, especially when roads are closed and grocery deliveries are limited.

The details

The basic bread recipe calls for warm milk or water, honey or sugar, yeast, flour, salt, and melted butter. The dough is kneaded, allowed to rise, then baked at 350-375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. The column also provides instructions for using the dough to make cinnamon rolls, pizza, dinner rolls, and focaccia. The author recommends buying flour in larger quantities to save money, and using a mix of whole grain and white flours for better texture and flavor.

  • The bread dough needs to sit for 5 minutes after the yeast is added.
  • The dough should be allowed to rise until it has doubled in bulk before baking.

The players

Sally McGuire

A 40-year resident of the Chilkat Valley who raised four healthy children in Fairbanks and Haines on a budget, but always with an eye to real food and producing as much as possible of what the family ate. She is the author of the "Eating Well in the Chilkat Valley" column.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

Learning to make bread at home can be a cost-effective way for residents of the Chilkat Valley to have access to a versatile staple food, especially when roads are closed and grocery deliveries are limited. The basic recipe provided can be easily adapted to make a variety of baked goods like cinnamon rolls, pizza, and focaccia.