For people with a taste for independence.
Culinary traditions say a lot about a people and a place. And Washington State’s wine and cuisine reflect the strong spirit of independence that continues to flourish here. You can taste this spirit in the Washington-led culinary revolutions of recent decades: the reemergence of the independent vintner; the rebirth of coffee that actually tastes like coffee; and the microbrew renaissance that put the flavor (and the kick) back in beer. Washington has also been at the forefront of organic farming for many years now, proving that good taste and good health don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
And the list goes on. Suffice it to say that a deep regard for taste is the common denominator of all these homegrown culinary revolutions. But why is Washington such a hotspot for gourmands, “foodies,” famous chefs and independent brewers and vintners? Probably the biggest single reason is the diversity of fresh found ingredients here.
Consider Washington’s happy culinary circumstances. As a coastal state rich in oyster flats, clam beds and wild salmon runs, fresh seafood is abundant. (Q: How do you know if a fish is fresh? A: It doesn’t smell like fish.) Washington’s extensive farms, orchards and cranberry bogs (it’s true, cranberries grow in bogs) make it easy to find fresh produce in city markets, farmers markets and roadside fruit and vegetable stands throughout the state. All of the essential ingredients needed to make great beer and wine grow here. The state’s temperate rainforests are an abundant source of wild mushrooms, including the legendarily savory chanterelle. Home to several major Pacific Rim seaports, Washington is also a great place to find exotic and delicious ingredients, herbs, spices, teas and packaged foods from all over the world. As a major cultural crossroads, an extraordinary number of highly diverse culinary traditions flourish here and often cross-pollinate in new and delicious ways.
Washington’s independent spirit turns up in all sorts of interesting places. In an age characterized by impersonal fast foods and mammoth grocery store chains, Seattle’s legendary Pike Place Market (“Meet the Producer”) has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years. Yes, it’s a major tourist destination. But it’s also a place where the Seattleites still come to buy fresh, local fish and produce, fresh-cut flowers, and fresh-made cheese and sausage. Other Pike Place Market favorites include gigantic, multicolored bundles of hot peppers, authentic Russian piroshki, fresh-baked French pastries, blueberry syrup and sweet jalapeño pepper jelly (it’s delicious, we swear).
Meanwhile, across the Cascade Range in Wenatchee, “The Apple Capital of the World,” the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival has been a rite of spring and a celebration of the state’s agricultural bounty for nearly a century. And every year in Yakima, the Central Washington State Fair continues the great tradition of the autumn harvest festival.
This is just a small sample of Washington State’s many great agricultural festivals and fairs. But what they—and places like Pike Place Market—have in common is vitality and relevance. These culinary institutions and traditions aren’t about nostalgia; they’re about continuity. And taste, of course.
Home to some 300 wineries and vineyards, Washington is now the number-two premium wine-producing state in the country. Even so, success hasn’t spoiled Washington State wine country. It’s still a place where you can take a wine tour off the beaten path and get away from the wine tour rush hour you’ll find in places like… Well, it’s not polite to name names. So let’s just say Washington wine country is still a place where you can meet the vintner. It’s the kind of place that makes wine lovers want to sip and savor, not gulp and go. Excellent reds and whites can be found at wineries on both sides of the Cascade Range and are reason enough to add a winery tour to your itinerary. The stunning scenery that characterizes Washington’s vineyards is an added incentive. Cheers, indeed.
