The Distinct Flavors of the PNW
Digging into the cuisine of my homeland, the Pacific Northwest
For years the culinary world has asked the question, does The United States have its own authentic cuisine, or is our cuisine just an amalgamation of the best parts of the rest of the world?
In this five-part series, we are going to attempt to answer that question by taking a deep dive into the vast culinary landscape that is the regional cuisine of the United States, and there is no better place to start than my home region, The Pacific Northwest.
PNW Cuisine
The cuisine of the Pacific Northwest is a diversly unique culinary experience that reflects the natural abundance of this region. The PNW as we call it here, encompasses the states of Oregon, Washington, and the Canadian province of British Columbia. This area is renowned for its rich green forests, fertile farmlands, pristine waters, as well as a strong connection to the outdoors, all of which have heavily influenced the cuisine of our beautiful place on this planet.
The cuisine of the PNW encompasses the various ethnic backgrounds that make up this region. PNW cuisine has notable Asian, Native American, and Scandinavian influences. With all three of these cultures, seafood has been a staple for centuries and is highly regarded in PNW cuisine as well.
Being located alongside the Pacific Ocean and dotted with numerous rivers and lakes, seafood is a cornerstone of Pacific Northwest cuisine. Salmon, in particular, holds a special place in the region's culinary identity. Salmon is king in this part of the country and wild-caught salmon in particular is highly celebrated for its rich flavor and nutritional value.
The region is home to many other popular seafoods, including Dungeness crab (the best in my opinion), halibut, oysters, and geoduck (pronounced gooey duck).
In the Puget Sound, you can also find a wide variety of clams from butter clams to razor clams, and when it’s low tide you can dig those right out of the sand. Spot prawns are harvested in the icy Pacific waters of British Columbia from as far north as the BC-Alaska border where they are flash-frozen right on the boat, down to the Straight of Georgia where they can be purchased dockside. There’s nothing quite like a fresh spot prawn.
The mountains of the Pacific Northwest are teeming with game animals such as deer, elk, and moose. The forests they inhabit are a great place to forage for wild mushrooms and plants such as Morel and Chanterelle mushrooms as well as fiddlehead ferns, which can be sauteed together as an excellent accompaniment to a backstrap of venison.
The Asian influence on the PNW is prevalent in the food scenes of Seattle, Portland, and, Vancouver, B.C. It is here in the PNW that you will find our various takes on sushi, pho, and teriyaki. Seattle even has its own sushi roll called, “The Seattle Roll”, what else would it be called? A typical Seattle roll is a makizushi roll consisting of cucumber, avocado, raw Pacific salmon, and masago or tobiko.
Seattle also has a hot dog that is all its own. Although there are variations to the Seattle dog, it seems the consensus is that it must be in a squishy white bun, there has to be cream cheese, and last but not least it has to have some grilled onions. Variations include adding jalapeno peppers, bacon, and sauerkraut. Some say it’s just the bun and the cream cheese and then add whatever else you may want while others are more set in their ways about what makes up this crazy dog.
If we are talking about PNW cuisine we can’t forget to talk about food trucks. The PNW food truck scene has exploded in the last decade with trucks popping up just about everywhere, and were not just talking tacos. These food trucks serve everything from BBQ to Gyros to Fish n Chips or Fried Rice.
One of the most original foods to spawn out of the food truck movement is the PNW’s Korean bulgogi burrito or Bulgoritto. This burrito is packed with sweet and spicy Korean beef with rice, cabbage, and spicy mayo for a flavor explosion that delivers a punch right to the tastebuds.
This article just wouldn’t be complete without talking about the PNW’s three favorite beverages, coffee, wine, and beer.
There are probably as many coffee houses in this area of the world as some cities have people, they are everywhere. The region is home to the original Starbucks as well as a plethora of other well-known coffee roasters such as Seattle’s Best Coffee, Tully’s, and Tony’s Coffee in Bellingham Washington. In the PNW we don’t just love our coffee, we need it.
Microbreweries have popped up all over the Pacific Northwest over the last couple of decades. This region produces a variety of fermented beverages from beers and ciders to non-alcoholic beverages such as the ever-present kombucha. The PNW is also home to a variety of local wineries from Argyle Winery down in Oregon up to Quail’s Gate Winery located in Kelowna, British Columbia, the PNW is a wine lover’s paradise.
When we think of the Pacific Northwest it’s hard to not be overwhelmed by the Major cities of Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver but the PNW has a myriad of small towns, back roads, farmstands, and local markets that will keep you entertained and well fed for days. So if you are ever in the area take the time to explore the many unbeaten paths and delicious treats of the place that I call home, The great and majestic, Pacific Northwest.
Of all the regional cuisines, I probably know the least about the PNW stuff. This was helpful!