Alaska’s beloved dip: This cheesy dip is a closely guarded secret

A beloved Alaskan original, Kenai dip, the northern cousin to pimento cheese, is a staple of picnics and salmon fishing trips. — Photos: The New York Times

Drive three hours south out of Anchorage, through two mountain passes, down a highway dotted with rural churches and the occasional moose, and you’ll arrive in Kenai, a seaside town world famous for its salmon fishing.

But in Alaska, the area is also known for a specialty made at the 50-year-old butcher shop called Echo Lake Meats.