Overview

Explore how truly indigenous, regional food choices can raise our environmental consciousness though cuisine.

From the brisk waters of Seattle to the earthy mushrooms of 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 indigenous 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.

Reviews

"In Eating the Pacific Northwest, Darrin Nordahl curates a delicious tour of some iconic indigenous foods. His evocative writing takes you to Oregon truffle country, Puget Sound oyster beds, and the straits that gift us prized wild salmon, and will make armchair culinary travelers want to hit the road."— Hsiao-Ching Chou, Seattle-based food writer and author of Chinese Soul Food

"With 20 recipes and dozens of photos, Nordahl's guide to the Pacific Northwest's culinary abundance will appeal to locals as well as visitors to the area." —Booklist

Author Biography

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.