Eating the Pacific Northwest Rediscovering Regional American Flavors

From the brisk waters of Seattle to the earthy mushroom-studded forest surrounding Portland, author Darrin Nordahl takes us on a journey to expand our palates with the local flavors of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. There are a multitude of indigenous fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and seafood waiting to be rediscovered in the luscious PNW. Eating the Pacific Northwest looks at the unique foods that are native to the region including salmon, truffles, and of course, geoduck, among others. Festivals featured include the Oregon Truffle Festival and Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival, and there are recipes for every ingredient, including Buttermilk Fried Oysters with Truffled Rémoulade and Nootka Roses and Salmonberries. Nordahl also discusses some of the larger agricultural, political, and ecological issues that prevent these wild, and arguably tastier foods, from reaching our table.

Darrin Nordahl is the author of Eating Appalachia: Rediscovering Regional American Flavors and Public Produce: Cultivating Our Parks, Plazas, and Streets for Healthier Cities. He lives in Sacramento, California, and frequently writes about American food and food production. His work has appeared in the Boston Globe, Globe and Mail, Huffington Post, and on CNN and NPR.