Theresa Childers Anderson is proud of her Native American heritage, counting Chief Joseph, the late nineteenth century leader of the Nez Perce, among her ancestors. There’s also a proud tradition of cooking in her family; her mother was a chef, and Theresa followed her into the culinary field by becoming a professional cook herself.

Though Theresa’s now retired, her cooking continues to be in big demand. Her native dishes have graced the tables at community powwows, and she was asked to create several recipes for the wild game feast at the Seven Circles Heritage Center in Edwards, Illinois.

An avid reader, Theresa came across a salmon recipe in a Native American cookbook that she just had to try. But some of the ingredients were a little hard to find. Because most supermarkets don’t carry fiddlehead ferns, buffalo berries and Juneberries, Theresa needed to make a few substitutions.

”I chose asparagus because it tastes a lot like the fern,” she says. Another switch: Theresa used raspberries since they’re readily available. The result was Baked Salmon on Wild Rice and Asparagus with Raspberry-Honey Sauce, featured in the April/May 2008 issue.

The recipe was such a great success that it seems safe to say it won’t be the last time Theresa will be asked to create a few dishes, traditional or otherwise.