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1. elgrego
   Member Profile

   I'm putting together a couple of packages for friends out of state, and I wanted to put some unique Seattle food in them. In the past I've sent some nifty blueberry cookies and Salumi meats I get at Metropolitan Market, but I'm looking for other, new ideas.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

2. JenV
   Member Profile

   

   beechers flagship cheese

   Posted 3 years ago #         

3. RS
   Member Profile

   

   Candied salmon!! No, just kidding, that's gross.

   I'm a big fan of Theo Chocolate. Local, fair trade, organic. Or how about Market Spice Tea from Pike Place? Or Beecher's cheese?

   Posted 3 years ago #         

4. Zenguy
   Member Profile

   

   Tim's Cascade Wasabi chips...mmmm

   Posted 3 years ago #         

5. add
   Member Profile

   Chocolate covered espresso beans - maybe not uniquely Seattle but I think Dilettante (sp?) makes some good ones...

   And then there is always smoked salmon (not candied, that really IS gross!).

   Posted 3 years ago #         

6. Sue
   Member Profile

   

   You can get some ideas from http://www.madeinwashington.com - they make similar gift baskets, but you can look at the list of what's in them to make your own.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

7. add
   Member Profile

   Oh, that just reminded me - Snoqualmie Falls pancake mix. I'm pretty sure it's at the Thriftway and probably QFC.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

8. mellaw6565
   Member Profile

   

   Anything with local berries - many on the East Coast have never heard of marionberries for example.

   We also like to send the Chukar cherry sauces & chocalate covered cherries from the Market; oh - there's also the spicy jelly across from them as well that my parents from Florida really love.

   Posted 3 years ago #         

9. flipjack
   Member Profile

   

   A Cheeseburger from Jade West!

   Posted 3 years ago #         

10. squareeyes
    Member Profile

    

    When you say candied salmon, do you mean Indian Candy? That stuff is delicious! I've only seen it sold in BC, but there are recipes on the web.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

11. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Dungeness crab is good as well - they sell it in cans at the fish throwers. We only had Maryland Blue Crab and Florida Stone Crab growing up - so it is a real treat for me to bring home and make crabcakes;)

    Posted 3 years ago #         

12. Trick
    Member Profile

    

    Mountain bars by Brown and Haley.

    "They're only ugly until you taste them."

    Posted 3 years ago #         

13. squareeyes
    Member Profile

    

    flip, is the Jade West burger actually good, or was that sarcasm? I've never eaten there and am always in the market for a good burger.

    I second the Chukkar cherry idea, also great honey can be found...some of it harvested right here in West Seattle. Husky Deli used to carry West Seattle honey; I don't know if they still do.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

14. Zenguy
    Member Profile

    

    For burgers I like Smokies on 128th or Pepperdock.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

15. miws
    Member Profile

    

    Yes! Thriftway has the Snoqualmie Falls pancake mix, and their oatmeal too.

    Mike

    Posted 3 years ago #         

16. RainyDay1235
    Member Profile

    

    West Seattle Gold Coffee? It's pretty good -they sell it at Tony's market

    Posted 3 years ago #         

17. HunterG
    Member Profile

    

    OOOOOH...cougar gold cheese! YUM!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

18. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Hunter - I haven't been able to find Cougar Gold over here - do you know of a place? So good!!!!!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

19. ellenater
    Member Profile

    

    Did anyone say Fran's Chocolates? I like their gray salt chocolate caramels. Actually, I'd commit a felony of almost any kind to attain them. Also, check Amazon Fresh. They have a search option in shopping where you can check a box that says "local". It's not all Seattle but may offer some new ideas.

    I did baskets for my Oregon family last Christmas and I also included smoked salmon. Cascadian Farms is local. Go to the markets, too, for honey and jams.

    Sounds fun...

    Posted 3 years ago #         

20. HunterG
    Member Profile

    

    Mellaw... we have some at Thriftway.(Or at least we did). I'll double check in the morning and get back to you.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

21. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Thank Hunter - my partner is a native Washingtonian and has never tried it!!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

22. datamuse
    Member Profile

    

    Anything with local berries - many on the East Coast have never heard of marionberries for example.

    We have...but to us, that's not a fruit. :D

    (I'm from Washington, DC originally. When my husband and I were first going out he introduced me to marionberry jam and couldn't understand why I couldn't stop laughing.)

    Posted 3 years ago #         

23. HunterG
    Member Profile

    

    The cougar gold is awesome in a grilled cheese with green apples!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

24. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Hunter - yum!

    Data - I have a VERY funny story about "Marion Barry" and "marionberry" that I'll share with you sometime. I chuckle about it every time now;)

    Posted 3 years ago #         

25. RonM
    Member Profile

    Aplets and Cotlets! Cashmere rather than Seattle, but in business since 1920 and so good!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

26. miws
    Member Profile

    

    A couple of local condiments (that I can't enjoy anymore, on my sodium restriced diet :-( ).

    Johnny's Seasoning Salt, originated at Johnny's Dock Restaurant in Tacoma many, many years ago.

    And, Marina's Tartar Sauce. Used to be Marie's, originated at Marie's Restaurant in Seattle, also many, many years ago. (Apparently Marie's sold off their product lines, except the salad dressings. I noticed the name change on the tartar sauce maybe a couple of years or so ago, but wondered how long I went without noticing. I noticed no change in flavor or quality).

    Mike

    Posted 3 years ago #         

27. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    It would be a happy discovery to find Cougar Gold in WS. I was in Spokane last year in October and brought back several cans (a few for myself, some for friends, and two for fund raising auctions). I was thinking that I might need to drive to Spokane again this year. My understanding, which could be erroneous, is that WSU doesn't ship to stores anymore but it can be ordered online and shipped at a riduclous shipping & handling fee.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

28. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Thanks Flower - I've found the same thing. Can only get it there or order it. Maybe Hunter has found the secret Seattle stash!!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

29. Huindekmi
    Member Profile

    Is there still a WSU store in the Westlake Center? I haven't really paid attention, but that was the last place I purchased Cougar Gold.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

30. Zenguy
    Member Profile

    

    For all you Cougs and cheesaholics...like me here is the skinny on Cougar Gold cheese and where to purchase from the WSU site.

    Can I buy Cougar Cheese in stores?
    Cougar Cheese is available on the Pullman campus at Ferdinand's Ice Cream Shoppe. In the event Ferdinand's is closed, you can purchased the cheese at several Pullman locations. Outside of Pullman, Cougar Cheese may be purchase at WSU Branch Campus Bookstores located in Spokane, Richland and Vancouver. It is also sold at the Washington State Connections store, located in the Westlake Mall in downtown Seattle.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

31. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Thanks Zen - It's been so long since I've been to Westlake Center that I didn't even know they have a WSU store.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

32. HunterG
    Member Profile

    

    We've got four cans of cougar gold at Thriftway, getting more on Friday.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

33. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Very cool - even closer! I'm there!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

34. HunterG
    Member Profile

    

    It's in the cheese wall (right net to the deli hot case), bottom left corner.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

35. sohonyusa
    Member Profile

    I just bought a can of Cougar Gold at the Met Market last week for $35. Spendy but worth every penny. It really makes the best mac and cheese EVER! They had 5-6 cans at the time. They sell it cut up as well if you don't want a whole can.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

36. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    I could hug your necks Zenguy, HunterG, and sohonyusa! You might have saved me a trip to Spokane. $35 is almost twice the amount I pay at a WSU book store ($18) but it might still be worth it.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

37. FoxyDiamond
    Member Profile

    

    A must in a NW basket would be BEER!!! How about some Manny's (oops maybe not in bottles yet?) also there are some REALLY beautiful wines coming from our fine state these days! Glug!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

38. Zenguy
    Member Profile

    

    It is only $27 at the Connections store at Westlake, but you might have to pay for parking. I should start going at lunch and distribute it on the down low.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

39. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Zen - you have my order:)

    Posted 3 years ago #         

40. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    And just so people know - Cougar Gold cheddar cheese is made from the milk produced by the dairy cows in the Agricultural Program at WSU.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

41. Erik
    Member Profile

    

    My first year at Wazzu (late 70's) I lived across the street from the cougar creamery...loved the ice cream too!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

42. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    Ok - now I'm jealous I went to college somewhere else!

    Posted 3 years ago #         

43. credmond
    Member Profile

    We sometimes forget the obvious. Get a few bags of Tims Cascade Potato Chips (whatever your fave variety is) and a few bottles of Kemper cola (whatever your fave flavor is). I'm from "back East" and the only potato chip worth a damn was Grandma Utz' original thick kettle chips - which is exactly what Tim's are the better variant of. And believe me, Grandma Utz' chips are probably the best chips east of the Mississippi. And, Stewarts (somewhere in Virginia) and IBC (somewhere in NC?) cola was the sh*te for drinks and Kemper comes pretty damned close.
    -
    So, yeah, good local chips and cola definitely count as specialities of a place and Seattle's damn lucky, it's got one each where most places are lucky if they even have one or the other and the majority of places have neither. Forget Frito-Lay, no one west of Pennsylvania ('cept here) knows how to cook a potato chip and no one west of the Appalachians ('cept here) knows how to brew a decent cola.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

44. Bonnie
    Member Profile

    What about Jones Soda? Can't you get personalized labels?

    Posted 3 years ago #         

45. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    I work downtown and could pick up Cougar Gold at the $27 price... no parking challenges at all when one is riding Metro.
    I couldn't agree more with whoever suggested Cougar Gold for homemade mac and cheese. It will make you weep.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

46. add
    Member Profile

    Bonnie - great idea. Here's the link for customized Jones Soda labels...
    http://www.myjones.com/

    Posted 3 years ago #         

47. emk
    Member Profile

    I had never heard of Cougar Gold, and I was curious so did some research and found out you can order it online from the WSU Creamery. With shipping 1 can will cost you $25.00 according to their website. Thought you guys who were searching for it would like to know.

    http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/

    Posted 3 years ago #         

48. JenV
    Member Profile

    

    I have never heard of Cougar Gold - is it a spread or an actual cheese? Is it so super expensive because they're raising money for the school? It sounds like people think it's worth it. The cracked pepper and chive sounds awesome for mac and cheese.

    Posted 3 years ago #         

49. mellaw6565
    Member Profile

    

    It's a wedge of hard cheese

    Posted 3 years ago #         

50. JenV
    Member Profile

    

    thank you. I was confused because it comes in a can.

    HunterG- does T-way carry all the varieties or just the Gold? The website has all the varieties listed and they all look so good. I am going to have to make some mac-n-cheese for some Husky fans I know... :P

    Posted 3 years ago #         

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