SOLVED. A book where characters eat SALMON MUSH! Genre/age unknown, possibly old-school fantasy. [s]

[eclaire de lune]

I have a very specific mental image of a scene in my head of two characters making a meal out of mush that is essentially reconstituted dried salmon, potentially eating it with their hands, but for the life of me I can't place which book it belongs to. My best guess is something in the old-school fantasy realm, but it might also be more literary survival fic. It was definitely a setting where technology was fairly basic and resources were limited. It might very well be fiction geared towards younger readers (like middle grade) as well. I certainly read it a while ago.

I know this is a long shot, but I'm hoping this triggers someone's memory and they know what book it's from!

[bookel]

When was "a while ago"? Early 1990s? 2006-2010? A year range would be helpful.

[bookel]

Set in Alaska or the Arctic?
Anything by Gary Paulsen?

[eclaire de lune]

Oh good point, haha. I'd say roughly 10 years ago?

[eclaire de lune]

bookel wrote: "Set in Alaska or the Arctic?
Anything by Gary Paulsen?"

I don't think I've actually read any of Paulsen's books. Alaska or the Arctic would be logical, but for some reason I have the sense the characters were in a dry and dusty location.

[Rainbowheart]

Buffalo Gals, Won't You Come Out Tonight?

The child moved a little closer, broke off a twig, dipped. Lumpy pinkish mush clung to the twig. She licked. The taste was rich and delicate. “What is it?” she asked after a long time of dipping and licking.

“Food. Dried salmon mush,” Coyote said. “It’s cooling down.” She stuck two fingers into the mush again, this time getting a good load, which she ate very neatly. The child, when she tried, got mush all over her chin.

[Kat]

Buffalo Gals is what this question made me think of, too, so seconding Rainbowheart's suggestion.

[eclaire de lune]

YES! It was Buffalo Gals!! Thank you all very much

[Jeff D Ceruti]

"The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin?

[bookel]

Good find! I tried searching for mushy dried salmon etc but you either need to know the book or find it in the correct place.

[Rainbowheart]

Awesome, glad it was the right one!

I searched "salmon mush" on Archive.org, and luckily it turned up the correct title.

[bookel]

That's good. I tried on openlibrary but didn't come up with it.