What's the quintessential food gift from Seattle?

[dimsumfan]

Thanks, one and all, for all the great ideas and discussion! This particular trip is to NYC, so I'm thinking Salumi (as delicious as it is) would have slightly less star appeal there than, say, Maine (oh, I love Maine!). Don't want to bring liquids, as I'm hoping not to check bags, which might disqualify local jams or jellys. Maybe it will be smoked salmon this time - but I have lots of food for thought for other gifts in the future!

[little ms foodie]

I've had health issues for 17 years before I was diagnosed with cancer. I haven't eaten farmed fish in over 15 years, and yet, I've had plenty of wild salmon that was smoked! I've lived in a lot of places, visited a lot of places, and yet never been to Seattle.

I'd say that  if you're coming to visit ME (I'll be in  Radiation/Oncology at Sloan-Kettering, on the 4th floor!), you should bring the Salumi stuff, if you're going to visit someone who isn't such a foodie, stick with smoked salmon. At least it will be a predictable/commonly accepted Seattle item!

Not that I don't give props to the smoked salmon, 'cause believe me, when I'm feeling up to eating, I do adore a decent amount of the salty, velvety stuff!

It's just that well, geez, you're talking SEATTLE! I can get decent smoked salmon almost anywhere, I CAN'T as easily get something from Salumi, and they're pretty much the tops. I'd rather have something unique to Seattle,  like a gift from Salumi, than a smoked salmon.

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Rebecca I have to totally disagree....the smoked salmon that most of the world gets is FARMED salmon and not the same as ours at all.

If they are from Seattle and I'm visiting I also bring copies of Seattle magazine which people like.

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Rebecca if I was going to be in your hood any time soon you can bet I would bring you a salami from Salumi!! the healing powers of pork....sending those thoughts your way!

[cburnsi]

I've done regional food swaps through another online community, and here's the list of things I've sent:

smoked salmon

Aplets and Cotlets

dried cherries

Dilettante chocolates

Walla Walla onion mustard

hazelnuts

fireweed honey

marionberry preserves

Penguins caffeinated mints

wine

Tom Douglas teriyaki sauces and spice rubs

dried apple chips

pickled asparagus

coffee

Washington wine

Almond Roca

I always get ideas at the Market.  DeLaurenti's always has a some interesting goodies of this sort, as does the Made in Washington store.  And I always wind up finding a few things browsing the day stalls.  The wine was the big hit one time; another time it was the Tom Douglas sauce; another it was the hazelnuts, which went to someone in Virginia who couldn't find them locally.  She baked them into a torte that wowed her family.

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And the pickled asparagus? That isn't something I automatically would associate with Washington. Is there a story here?

cburnsi

[pupcart]

I've done regional food swaps through another online community, and here's the list of things I've sent:

smoked salmon

Aplets and Cotlets

dried cherries

Dilettante chocolates

Walla Walla onion mustard

hazelnuts

fireweed honey

marionberry preserves

Penguins caffeinated mints

wine

Tom Douglas teriyaki sauces and spice rubs

dried apple chips

pickled asparagus

coffee

Washington wine

Almond Roca

I always get ideas at the Market.  DeLaurenti's always has a some interesting goodies of this sort, as does the Made in Washington store.  And I always wind up finding a few things browsing the day stalls.  The wine was the big hit one time; another time it was the Tom Douglas sauce; another it was the hazelnuts, which went to someone in Virginia who couldn't find them locally.  She baked them into a torte that wowed her family.

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And the pickled asparagus? That isn't something I automatically would associate with Washington. Is there a story here?

cburnsi

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Washington State is the country's largest producer of asparagus - and the world's largest of canned asparagus. Some years California produces a tad more than we do - but lately we have been, er, winning the U.S. aspargus production contest.