Seattle food refers to the collection of dishes and drinks consumed in the city of Seattle of the Washington state, which is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region. It is a port city situated on an isthmus between Lake Washington and Puget Sound, and hence has a rich culinary culture of seafood. It is also known for the influences from cuisines of Native America and Asia, as the population here well represents these two communities. The 'Pike Place Market' of Seattle is the hub of its distinct culinary style. Food in Seattle is known for the flexible nature of its recipes which are often experimented with, and there is no standard recipe for most dishes.
Ingredients Commonly Used in Seattle Food
Ingredients commonly used in food in Seattle include an abundance of seafood like salmon, shellfish, crab, oyster, etc. Meats popularly eaten include game meats. Mushrooms, potatoes and small fruits like berries, wild plants like fiddleheads are other common ingredients.
Popular Seattle Cuisine Dishes
Here are some of the most popular dishes of Seattle-
- Grilled Salmon: This is a dish made by marinating salmon and then grilling it.
- Salmon Patties: They are patties made of mashed potatoes, onions, salmon and a crunchy outer coating.
- Cranberry Orange Relish: It is a relish made of chopped cranberries and oranges which are macerated in liqueur. It is often served with meats like turkey.
- Cream Cheese Dogs: They are hot dogs containing a spread of cream cheese. They are very popular in Seattle food, easily available during sporting events and after closure of bars.
- Seattle Crumble Pie: It is a delicious pie from Seattle containing filling of walnuts, apple tart, lime juice and brown sugar and a topping of shredded cheddar cheese along with nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar.
Cooking Methods Adopted for Food in Seattle
The following cooking methods are most commonly adopted for preparing Seattle Food-
- Grilling: Seafood is usually grilled on fire made by burning wood of cedar tree. Grilling is a method of cooking in which the food surface is exposed to direct dry heat, used for cooking meats that have been cut into smaller pieces. It is done by employing a grill, which is a kind of wire grid which can be exposed to heat from above or below. Grill pans, which are cast iron frying pans with ridges, and griddles, which are a kind of flat plates, are also used for the process.
- Smoking: The method of smoking involves exposing food to smoke obtained by burning wood. The wood used can be of oak, cedar, hickory, maple or fruit trees. This process helps in preserving as well as flavoring the food. Smoked Salmon is a very popular dish from Seattle.
Places Famous for Seattle Food
The Pike Place Market is the heart of the rich culinary culture of Seattle, where one can find numerous restaurants serving delectable Seattle dishes in elegant ambience. It is a famous Seattle food destination that is an important part of all guided food tours of the region.
