Nina Rawson

November 8, 2001

I have a question that I hope you can answer. Someone on a listserv I am on stated:

“I’ve just learned that in Daniel Pinkwater’s* new book, “Uncle Boris in the Yukon”, he talks about his uncle emigrating from the Ukraine to Alaska, and setting up a successful business based on making caribou pastrami! I therefore withdraw my guilty plea on the charge of ignorance about the tastiness of northern ungulates, while continuing to plead nolo contendere on the charge of insensitivity.”

Can you please let me know where this (of Pinkwater’s) story came from? Is it true? I personally do not think so. I once answered this person (on the listserv) that there was no such item as caribou pastrami. I have eaten caribou and it does not taste like pastrami. I would love to get the facts and present it to the listserv.

Thanks for all your help on this matter, Looking forward to your answer

It was moose salami, and Warsaw to the Yukon, otherwise your information is right on. The book is Uncle Boris in the Yukon, and Other Shaggy Dog Stories, just published by Simon and Schuster.