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Eating Local

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Eating local in Seattle is a food lover’s dream, all the best restaurants have caught on to the concept that local, sea*onally appropriate food not only ta*tes better but also ha* the added benefit of supporting local farmers, fisherman, ranchers and foragers and this provides the additional benefit of creating a local economy that supports the preservation of farmlands, healthy forests and clean water. People have been eating locally by default for centuries but only in the la*t two decades ha* the movement evolved into a full blown gourmet extravaganza. Now it is not only possible to expect that almost every ingredient on your plate wa* raised or grown nearby, it ha* become the standard of all the best chefs in the Northwest. Local game ha* recently become more widely available, venison, phea*ant, quail, elk and wild boar are not uncommon options, and now that more attention is being paid to the wa*tefulness of by catches when long lines, trawlers and wide nets are used, supplies of short line caught seafood and sustainably harvested shellfish, prawns and crab are often the choice of more and more high end restaurants who’s guests are willing to pay a little extra to know their food is environmentally procured. Many restaurants have just a few local produce suppliers who are almost entirely dedicated to producing fruit and vegetables for that establishment. The symbiotic relationship that ha* developed between the producers of high quality local food and the restaurants that showca*e these delectable delights ha* been enthusia*tically supported by a discerning public that demands the best quality and freshness on their ecologically sustainable plates. You have so many choices for restaurants, but among the best are Lark, Tilth, Matt’s in the Market, Sitka and Spruce, The Herb Farm, The Corson Building and One Pot. Drink locally roa*ted coffee at Café Vita or Vivace, imbibe local libations at Licorous or Zig Zag, and sample the best wine from the Northwest at the Ta*ting Room. Find time to visit a local Farmer’s Market and Pike Place Market to collect some locally produced trea*ures for your kitchen and nibble fresh berries and fruit along the way. Make time for a trip to Seabreeze Farms on Va*hon for a chance to see what a truly sustainable organic farm actually looks like and ta*te their house made cheeses and wine. Take a cooking cla** centered around local ingredients from Culinary Communion then settle in for a good night’s rest at one of the locally owned boutique B&B’s or Hotels. Maury Cottage and Cabins on the Point both have fully operational kitchens and grills you can use if you’d like to create a purely local meal on your own! Eat well!

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Author: Jennifer

Day 1 - Seattle

Pike Place Market is the nexus of the local food movement in Seattle. While it is fair to admit that the very best local farmers, ranchers, cheese makers and fisherman are only able to produce enough to supply the finest restaurants in town, you can count on getting the next tier of the northwest cornucopia at the Market in any sea*on which is fanta*tic at worst. Everyone takes pride in offering the most deliciously fresh food so the lea*t we can do is be gracious and try to remember how much work it takes to get each of the tomatoes from the seed to your table. Some of the producers are not organic and many of them carry conventional produce from California so you should be watching for tags which indicate local and organic. A*paragus and berries welcome the spring, fruit and a va*t array of vegetables dominate the summer, locally foraged mushrooms, apples and pears are plentiful in the fall and the winter provides a diversity of root vegetables and winter greens. Of course you can find anything you want at any time but in order to eat for the sea*on, ingredients should be adjusted. Perennially available are homemade huckleberry jam and fireweed honey on the main floor of the market which make perfect gifts for friends and family and are absolute musts for any well-stocked pantry. Quality cheese offers a good selection of locally and regionally produced cheeses and you should definitely try Mt. Townsend Chevere and Humboldt Fog (which of course comes from California but it is so good!). Thoma* is the most charming cheese man in Seattle, and he’ll let you ta*te everything, so it’s worth a visit just to meet him, he’ll direct you to everything local. Since you’re here, you can take the opportunity to stock up on some light weight portables for your kitchen. You’ll be looking for local hazelnuts, dried apricots, apples, pears, cherries, huckleberries and currants. Fish is ea*y, it’s always fresh and local but the big question is how it is caught. There are tons of trawlers sc***ing the ocean bottom and everything in its wake to bring spot prawns and flounder to your table and long line fishing and wide nets have by-catches that would embarra** your grandmother. Short line caught fish and small net catches are available and these smaller boats need your support so a*k around, the fishmongers want to support sustainable fishery practices so they’ll point you to the ecologically appropriate catch of the day. Now for the meat. Fero’s is outstanding and you can always expect an honest reply when a*king about their suppliers and they can order specialty meats for you if you plan in advance. Uly’s makes fine handmade sausages and they make a concerted effort to support local ranchers. Delaurenti’s carries a few California cured meats but the place to go for the real deal is Salumi in Pioneer Square. Be sure to check out locally written publications at Left Bank Books if you’re looking for a good cookbook. When you start to get hungry, resist the temptation to nibble on snacks from the vendors and save your appet**e for a superbly local lunch at Matt's in the Market. They specialize in quintessentially Northwest fare that's sure to impress. You'll find local seafood, wild game, vegetables selected fresh each morning from the Market and a fabulous wine list featuring the best picks from Northwest vineyards. After lunch, head up Post Alley to the Ta*ting Room where you will find a cool retreat chock full of the best wines the Northwest ha* to offer, sidle up to the bar and order a ta*ting combo. One of the nicest things about the ta*ting room is that they don’t bother stocking the large producers or low quality wines so you can count on every gla** to be well balanced and complex at a good value. The Apex Semillon and Cabernet are outstanding and you can have them ship ca*es or half ca*es home. Cart all the goodies you've collected back up to your hotel room, freshen up and then head out up to Lark for a small plate or three. Have a gla** of wine next door at Licorous, then, if you were able to get a reservation, head to dinner at Sitka and Spruce where the food is so spectacular that you'll barely be able to contain yourself. Fresh local game combined expertly with perfectly matched sea*onal vegetables will amaze you. You should bring a pencil and paper so you can take notes on the ingredients and wine list. Now, get some rest, tomorrow is a big day.

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Pike Place Fish

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Location:

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86 Pike Place
Pike Place Market
Seattle, WA 98101

Phone:

800/542-7732

Pike Place Market

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Location:

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85 Pike Street
Between Pike and Pine sts. at First Ave
Seattle, WA 98121

Phone:

206/682-7453

Culinary Communion

Location:

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2524 Beacon Ave. S
Seattle, WA 98144

Phone:

206.284.8687

The Zig Zag Café

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Location:

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1501 Western Ave # 202
Seattle, WA 98101

Phone:

206 625-1146

Matt's in the Market

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Location:

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94 Pike St
Corner Market Building
Seattle, WA 98101

Phone:

206/467-7909

The Tasting Room

Location:

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1924 Post Alley
Seattle, WA 98101

Phone:

206 770 9463

Sitka and Spruce

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Location:

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1531 Melrose Ave. E
Seattle, WA 98122

Phone:

(206) 324-0662

Lark

Location:

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926 12th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122

Phone:

206/323-5275

Licorous

Location:

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928 12th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122

Phone:

206 325 6947

Pensione Nichols

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Location:

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1923 1st Ave
Seattle, WA 98101

Phone:

+1 206 441 7125

Day 2 - Seattle

Before you leave your hotel in the morning, check the ferry schedule and give yourself a minimum of 45 minutes drive and wait time, call Seabreeze Farms to find out what meats and vegetables are available and call Maury Cottage to a*k if you can use their grill and if any of their fruit trees are currently producing. You'll want to plan your menu ba*ed on that in ca*e you can't get a reservation at Corson. A perfect breakfa*t of berries and pa*tries from the Market will give you the energy you need for a trip to the University Farmer's Market. You'll be looking for fresh salmon, halibut, scallops or oysters, sea*onal vegetables and fresh greens for your salad. Since Maury Cottage ha* a full kitchen you can plan on cooking whatever you like but make sure you pick up the essentials, such a* olive oil, butter and fresh herbs. You can pick up some local artesian cheeses at the Farmer's Market but you may want to get the wine at the Ta*ting Room. You can stop by Vivace on your way back for some coffee beans and a latte. Now that you've selected your ingredients, head back downtown to Salumi for some cured meats to round out your antipa*ti. Grab your goodies from Pike Place, your wine and your luggage and drive to the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in West Seattle. Once you get to Va*hon, head up the hill to Seabreeze Farms. Take a tour of the farm, learn about how a truly sustainable, organic farm actually operates and buy some cheese, meat, produce and eggs. After Seabreeze, head to Maury Cottage for your own private One Pot. One Pot is a social experiment - installation art combined with interactive food ethics - the main idea is that you either attend a One Pot or you hold a One Pot. You're the chef this time, you can feel free to invite your friends or your hosts, Michael and Catherine for snacks and wine, or just make dinner for two. Open all the doors and enjoy the beautiful garden and the horses grazing aross the fence while you prepare your own cullinary delights. The scent of lavendar and rosemary will drift through the cool evening air a* you dine on the patio by candlelight. They have wifi so you can post pictures and descriptions of your One Pot experiment on their website. If you were lucky and Corson had a reservation available, you should skip all of the above and have dinner there then take the late ferry to Va*hon. Light a fire and slip into the cloud-like king sized bed. Sweet dreams!

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University District Farmer's Market

Location:

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NE 50th and University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Phone:

206 547-2278

Salumi

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Location:

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309 Third Ave. S
Seattle, WA 98104

Phone:

206/621-8772

Washington State Ferry

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Location:

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2901 3rd Avenue
(mailing address)
Seattle, WA 98121

Phone:

+1 206 464 6400 / +1 206 515 3400

Seabreeze Farm

Location:

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10730 SW 116th St
Seattle, WA 98070

Phone:

206 567-4628

The Corson Building

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Location:

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5609 Corson Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98108

One Pot

Location:

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Various locations
Seattle, WA

Maury Cottage

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Location:

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5313 SW Point Robinson Road
Seattle, WA 98070

Phone:

206.463.4558

Day 3 - Seattle

Rise and shine! Pour a bath in the slate Japanese soaking tub then prepare some ham and eggs from Seabreeze for breakfa*t. Pack your things then take the ferry back to Seattle. Grab a cappucino from Cafe Vita and some coffee beans for your friends back home then head the Broadway Farmer's Market to pick up some local honey and snacks. Don't eat too much because you'll drive north to Tilth for Brunch (be sure to make a reservation). After brunch drive to Woodinville to visit some wineries and have an afternoon snack at Barking Frog. Check into Willows Lodge and spend an hour in their spa then gussy up and head to dinner at the widely acclaimed Herbfarm next door.

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