Eating in and around Homer, Alaska

Halibut Cove, Alaska, sits across Kachemak Bay from Homer. The hamlet is home to fewer than 20 people in the winter, but the summertime popular soars to around 150.   (Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune)

World War II troop transportation has been transformed into a charming cooking school at Tutka Bay Lodge, a 45-minute trip from Homer by water taxi.   ( Tyrone Potgieter/Tutka Bay Lodge )

With guidance from accomplished chef and cookbook author Kirsten Dixon, left, guests sharpen their culinary skills aboard a repurposed boat at Tutka Bay Lodge.   ( Tyrone Potgieter/Tutka Bay Lodge )

Blueberries and hedgehog mushrooms foraged by guests sit on a wooden platter, awaiting creative preparations by the cooks at Tutka Bay Lodge.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

Black cod and scallops sit atop a bed of ramen noodles in a lunch dish at the Saltry Restaurant in tiny Halibut Cove, Alaska.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

At Synergy Gardens near Homer, Lori Jenkins inspects her crop of garlic. She encourages other Alaskans to farm the pungent veggie that is seldom, if ever, associated with the state.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

A rusting pickup truck sits outside La Baleine on the Homer Spit. The cafe opens at 5 a.m. to serve breakfast to local fishermen before they head out to sea.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

Local fisherman Len Fabich chats with chef Mandy Dixon outside her La Baleine Cafe. Like other restaurateurs in Homer, Dixon strives to meet the expectations of the town’s growing number of foodies.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

Free-range eggs with shells of various colors wait to be used in a breakfast dish at the Stay and Play B&B near Homer.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

On a sunny September afternoon, guests dine outdoors, overlooking the water, at the Saltry Restaurant in Halibut Cove. Locally caught fish dominates the menu.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

The tabletops at the Saltry Restaurant are colorful mosaics made from broken dishes. The plates are handcrafted by owner Marian Beck, who is both a potter and an artist.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

Plates broken over the restaurant’s 33-year history are repurposed as colorful mosaics atop the tables at the Saltry.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )

Innkeepers Anna Rodriguez-Sansom and Byron Sansom prepare the breakfast table for their guests at their Stay and Play B&B near Homer, Alaska. Anna said visitors are wowed both by the food and the views of Kachemak Bay and the mountains beyond.   ( Jay Jones/Chicago Tribune )