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from thesea

The sandy and craggy shores o the Northwest

tell many stories. With an area o roughly 6,900

square miles, the Salish Sea is an aquatic menagerie,

where shellfish divers have to avoid eye contact

with sea lions and, i the tide is low in the wee

morning hours, youll see men and women wearing

headlamps digging on the mudflats, even in winter.

In Alaska, ches catch halibut right off their docks,

and, in Oregon, fishermen and women are bringing

new types o seaood, rom lingcod and wol eels to

45 lb. octopuses.

One o the most undamental ways in which

we relate with our coastal settings is through ood.

Through eating fish, mollusks and crustaceans we

enter a dialogue with the ocean, one that can teach

us something new about where we live and where

we travel. The impact o eating Dungeness crab

straight off o the crabbing boats on a weather-

worn dock is immediate: The flesh tastes more

tender, more like itsel. Eating sustainable and resh

Northwest seaood adds authenticity to our day.

Among Northwest ches, there is a new ury

to translate the stories o the coast to the plate.

Whether a collection o oraged sea greens on

a sandstone plate or a salad topped with coastal

flowers, beautiul presentations are reminiscent

o the very environments in which ingredients are

ound. Boundary-pushing ches are also serving

new seaood to share new stories, and others are

inviting us to partake in their special parts o the

world, rom dining on a ford in Alaska to dining on

Washingtons more secluded islands.

The ollowing pages are dedicated to this

constantly evolving dialogue. Just like the ocean,

Northwest cuisine is always changing, and here, we

present a collection o the newest flavors, textures

and settings in Northwest seaood.

Crack into a sweet Dungeness crab.

Slurp a briny Kumamoto oyster.

Melt into the first bite of perfectly

grilled spring Chinook salmon.

Warm up with a steamy bowl of clam

chowder. Taste whats available in this

appetizing destination, brimming

with bounties from land and sea.

Dine at the SourceSavor ultra-fresh seafood from the Pacific Ocean,

Columbia River and Willapa Bay onWashingtons Long Beach Peninsula

}{With salty air stimulating the appetite,

food tastes better at the beach.

Discovery awaits! Explore more at FunBeach.comiStockphoto

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Someimes, you have o ravel o

disan lands o find whas already

on your doorsep. Owners o Holdas

Dining, ches William Priesch and Joel

Socks, serve some o he mos refinedcuisine in Porland, and gooseneck

barnacles are one o heir signaure

menu iems. Tasing somewha like

scallops, gooseneck barnacles grow

naurally in he Norhwes, bu heyre

almos impossible o find a fish

markes. In ac, Priesch and Socks

ofen have o go oraging on he coas

o find hem a all.

Thas why, when he wo ches discovered Oregon

gooseneck barnacles on menus all across Spain, hey

were shocked, i no slighly miffed. Why do hey ge o

have hem hal a world away, when I can ge hem living

wo hours rom he coas? Socks asks.

Gooseneck barnacles are jus one o he many high-

qualiy delicacies hiding beneah our waers. Yellowail

rockfish, black rockfish, local sole, smel, saury and

cabezon are all lesser-known fish ha are pleniul in he

Norhwes. All offer whie mea ha is rich in healhy

oils, and hese oils keep he mea delicae and moiswhen cooked. Neverheless, mos fishermen label hese

as bycach, a erm or seaood ha has been misakenly

caugh while fishing or more popular species, such as

salmon or shrimp.

To raise awareness o lesser-known seaood, ches

have begun o hrow enire dinners o showcase rash

fishanoher erm or bycach. In so doing, hey

simulaneously share new seaood species and raise

awareness o susainable fishing pracices. Eaing

lesser-known fish akes he pressure off o over-fished

populaions, and by argeing invasive species o s eaood,

companies help naive species hrive.

In Briish Columbia, Che Terry Pichor o Sonora

Resor serves pan-seared wild sablefish wih braised

oxail over squid-ink vermicelli, and in Porland, Jusin

Woodward, che a Casagna Resauran and finalis or

2015 James Beard Bes Che Norhwes, ser ves rockfish.

Rockfish is a paricularly grea fish, says Woodward. I

cooks ino large delicae flakes wih a mild flavor.

Seaood companies are developing new business

models o mee demand. In Garibaldi, Oregon,

Communiy Suppored Fishery urned he Oregon

fishing indusry on is head by specifically fishing or

species o fish ha are normally considered bycach.

Led by ounder Eric Wong, he Communiy Suppored

Fishery pracices hook-and-line fishing, and in his way,

i can arge specific seaood species as well as release

unwaned species alive.

Jeff Wong is someone who shoos me ex messages

rom he boa or docks abou he fi sh ha he has coming

in, says Socks. Accordingly, seaood is being delivered

even aser o resaurans, and diners are enjoying

resher fish.Lesser-known shellfish are also on he rise, and

perhaps he mos overlooked Norhwes shellfish is

geoduck. The larges burrowing clam in he world,

geoduck has a bizarre appearance (I won say i i you

won say i), bu once broken down ino hin, delicae

seaks, is as flavorul as oysers bu wih a firmer

exure. The Puge Sounds mos highly valued seaood,

geoduck, is nearly all shipped o Asia.

In Washingon, Suquamish Seaood harvess wild

geoduck, which can grow up o 14 lbs. These large geoduck

are no valued as highly as 1-2 lbs. geoducks, bu he mea

is almos idenical. Mike Rogers, a capain in he flee,

explains ha geoduck are ofen purchased whole, and a

14 lbs. geoduck could be a serious invesmen. Tha said,

spliting he cos wih riends can resul in a higher value.

Geoduck can be flash-seared, sliced ino a delicae sashimi,

used in chowder or smoked, and i reezes well, oo.

To explore new seaood, visi your local fish monger

or gourme grocer. New Seasons and Whole Foods, or

insance, are beginning o work direcly wih fishermen

o marke local fish, mollusks and bivalves.

ResourcesHoldfast Dining

holdasdining.com

Sonora Resort

sonoraresor.com

Castagna

casagnaresauran.com

Community Supported Fishery

communiysupporedishery.com

Suquamish Seafood

suquamish.org

NewFishin the Net

Luke Nicholas of Suquamish Seafood uploading fresh geoduck

Gooseneck barnacles

MattieJohnBamman

OregonDepartmentofFish&

Wildlife

45TASTEMAKER nwtravelmag.com

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Evocaive o he ocean and he good lie,

oysers are he rocksars o shellfish.

A plae o chilled oysers served wih a crisp beer or wine akes us o he

shore, no mater where we are, and so many resaurans have blackboards

lising he days oyser varieies ha is almos expeced. Bu i wasn long

ago ha resh oysers were hard o find, and, in ac, mos oysers were sold

pre-shucked. As awareness o resh flavors grew, s o did our opions, and oday

we love our kumamoos, virginicas and Olympias served on he hal-shell.

Jus like oysers, a seaming bowl o buter clams offers nuanced flavors

specific o a region. Even he buter clams rom he nex inle over will vary in

sweeness and enderness. Is no absurd o say ha shellfish, more han any

oher ype o seaood, expresses he ull range o he oceans characerhe

oceansmerroir, as some have come o call i.

Washingon produces more armed shellfish han any oher sae in

he naion, and no one can beter share he wisdom o susainable shellfish

aquaculure han local shellfish armer, Taylor Shellfish. The Taylor amily

has been acive in he shellfish indusry in he Puge Sound region or five

generaions, and oday hey run he larges shellfish arming business in he

naion, wih wo-hirds o is producion saying wihin he Unied Saes.

We arm five ypes o oysers, one mussel and wo ypes o clams, says

Whipple. Wearing all rubber boos, she sands on he muddy shore o Litle

Skookum Inle. Beyond, a Taylor Shellfish crew led by Britany Taylor digs or

Manila clams alongside a Squaxin Island Tribe crew, and all across he shore,

clams, sill hidden in he mud, sporadically spur waer ino he air.

Manila clams are he small, swee clams ypically ound drenched in

whie wine and buter in pasas. Taylor Shellfish can harves 5,000 lbs. o

Manila clams in one day rom Litle Skookum Inle, and each year, he inle

produces roughly 400,000 lbs. One o he digers on he Taylor Shellfish crew,

Chano Elguero, says ha Litle Skookum clams are sweeer han clams oundanywhere else in he Sound. Give hem a ry, he says, as he unearhs a hal

dozen or so wih a single plunge o his clam rake.

Though he scene is idyllic, he clams being dug along he shore were acually

planedno ha his piece o shoreline looks any differen rom regular

shoreline. Taylor Shellfish raises billions o oysers, mussels and clams rom seed,

and he nurseries look like isolaed floaing docks. Once he seedlings have grown

large enough o have a fighing chance, hey are moved o designaed areas o

he shoreline, where hey grow unil maure. Is a very organic process, one ha

leaves he shore as prisine, i no in beter healh, han beore arming.

Over-enrichmen is a pervasive problem or oceans, wih repors

esimaing ha more han hal o U.S. ocean waers are affeced. The Naional

Research Council and oher environmenal organizaions also repor ha

shellfish aquaarming is one o he bes ways o remove nurien polluans,

such as nirogen and phyoplankon. This is a message ha has been pickedup by ches, such as Ned Bell, execuive che o YEW, inside he Four Seasons

Vancouver. To raise awareness o susainable seaood and aquaculure, he

creaed he oundaion, Ches or Oceans. Through our Foundaion, we

nurure he message o susainable seaood, he says.

One o he bes ways o suppor aquaculure is by eaing delicious shellfish.

Taylor Shellfish has hree oyser bars in Seatle as well as a reail sore on

Chuckanu Drive jus ouside o Bellingham; hey also ship online orders.

The Bellingham locaion is a shoreline desinaion, and i has a large picnic

area replee wih grills or cooking up he laes cach. Addiionally, i youre

looking or somehing ou o he ordinary, visi Xinhs Clam and Oyser House in

Shelon, also owned by Taylor Shellfish. Che Xinh Dwelley grew up in Vienam,

and her range o usion dishes includes homemade mussel curries as well as

crispy, pan-ried oysers. Ofen, her shellfish are harvesed ha same day.

Resources

Taylor Shellfish Farms,

aylorshellisharms.com

Xinhs Clam and Oyster House,

Shelton, WA

xinhsresauran.com

(call 360-427-8709 or reservations)

YEW Restaurant, Four Seasons

Vancouver, BC

ourseasons.com/vancouver

(call 604-689-9333 or reservations)

Ches or Oceans,

chesoroceans.com

Nurturing Baby Oysters

The Taylor amily has experienced the effects o over-enriched oceans

firsthand. Ater more than 100 years living on Puget Sound, Taylor Shellfish

saw its oysters struggling to develop shells. Further research showed that

this was because o ocean acidification, caused when the ocean absorbs

too many CO2 emissions. Shellfish are sort o like the canary in the coal

mine, says Jennier Whipple, who offers educational tours at the Taylor

Shellfish plant, a one-time chicken coop, in Shelton. To help its baby oysters

along, Taylor Shellfish provides them with previously used oyster shells to

attach to. In act, Taylor Shellfish reuses all o its oyster shells.

a nw original

Sustainable Shellfish Aquaculture

Taylor Shellfish

Taylor Shellfish and Squaxin Island Tribe crews

dig for clams in Little Skookum Inlet

Chef Xinh Dwelley

MattieJohnBamman

MattieJohnBamman

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Interview with

Chef Kirsten Dixon The Cooking School at Tutka Bay Lodge, AK

Afer growing up in

backcounry Alaska,

Kirsen Dixon wen on

o atend Le Cordon Bleuin Paris and earned

a masers degree in

gasronomy rom he

Universiy o Adelaide in

Ausralia. Melding her

inimae knowledge o

backcounry ingrediens

wih her advanced

raining, Dixon ounded

Wihin he Wild

Advenure Company

(withinthewild.com)

wih her husband, Carl,

in 1983. Ever since, she

has been sharing he

raw culinary wealh o

Alaska wih visiors a

her lodges.

Dixon is an author, too, and

having earned a masters in creative

writing rom Goddard College, she

has published multiple cookbooks.

In 2004, she was named Best

Female Che USA at the Gourmand

International Cookbook Awards or

The Winterlake Lodge Cookbook.

Tutka Bay Lodge Cooking School

is located on the shore o a

scenic seven-mile ford on the

Kenai Peninsula.

NORTHWEST TASTEMAKER:Afer many years in he kichen, you sill

ideniy yoursel as a culinary suden. Wha are some o he hings ha

you learn rom your special par o Alaska?

DIXON: Cooking is a lo like ashion, righ? I goes in and ou o cerain rends,

flavor palaes and new echniques. So is no a saic proession. Im 59 now,and I sill eel like Im learning everyhing. Is wonderul. My husband and

I bough Tuka Bay Lodge in 2009, and Ive learned a lo abou sea lie, in

general. Alaska has he longes coasline in he U.S., and here are a lo o

ineresing edible species in he ocean ha someimes do no make i o he

cener o he plae. We have a local fish up here called greenling, and you

know, heyre prety ugly, bu heyre also super delicious.

NWTM: How does an average oraging day begin?

DIXON: In he morning, we kayak over o his oyser arm and gaher our

own oysers. The armers pu he seedlings on he beach and le he waves

wash over hem o creae hicker shells. Our oysers have a very paricular

flavor: a clean, briny, delicious ase. Here a Tuka Bay Lodge, when were

a low ide, we can walk along he beach and lierally pick up ineresing

seaweed, seagreens and beach peas. Litle wild flowers are sor o my joy

hroughou he summer, because hey change every week.

NWTM: You make your own house-made sal. Tell me abou ha.

DIXON:I began producion las summer, and I jus could no believe how

delicious and easy i was. One o he hings we do in our litle cooking

classes is a sal asing. People ase Moron sal, and hen, hey ase

fleur de sel, so hey can ase he difference. To make our own fleur de sel,

we jus scoop up a bucke o seawaer righ ou o our ron door, and is

super clear and clean. We sick i in our greenhouse in shallow pans, and

i heas in he greenhouse. Is really flaky. Very differen rom fleur de sel

rom France. I has is own flavor. Now were addiced o i.

NWTM:Alaska is known or game mea. Do you serve any o i, such as

reindeer sausage?

DIXON: Heres he real sory. Reindeer sausage is somehing ha is kind o

ubiquious in Alaska, wheher reindeer breakas sausage or whaever,

and he reindeer ha hose sausage companies are using are acually

Canadian, and is usually cu wih pork. To answer your quesion, unless

youre a member o he Naive populaion, sae law dicaes ha, in a

resauran, you ypically canno serve mea ha youve huned.

NWTM:Wha are some invenive ways o prepare seaood ha should be on

our radar?

DIXON:We don cook a lo o rozen fish here because we have access o

resh fish, bu heres a curren rend: he echnique o cooking rozen

hings. We really believe ha fish can be rozen well. Ofen imes, people

orge ha, when hey go o he marke o buy a piece o fish, is already

been rozen and he marke has hawed i ou o sell. Thas one o he

misconcepions o wild oodsha hey jus arrive resh in he marke.

NWTM: Wow, how do you cook a piece o rozen fish?

DIXON:Oh, ry i! We use a regular sau pan and begin on prety high hea

and urn i down halway hrough. I is an average-sized piece o fish, we

usually cook i presenaion-side-down, wih a litle oil in he pan and a

litle sal and pepper. We were surprised oo, bu i really produces a very

nice, mois fish.

WithintheWildAdventureCompany

49TASTEMAKER nwtravelmag.com

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