A Washivore Feast
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukah, the Buddha's birthday, Festivus or just need an excuse to whip out your inner cooking whiz and get together with your favorite people, here are some ways to enjoy our beautiful Washington-grown foods this holiday season!
Add Some Yummy Washington-Grown Sides
This beautiful potato dish was developed by Jason Goertz, a student at Lake Washington Technical Institute. He took first prize in the Washington State Potato Commission's Student Recipe Contest for this flavorful version of the classic French Pommes Anna. View recipe.
Speaking of potatoes, have you watched The Gamble yet? This beautiful documentary chronicles the history of potato farming in Washington State and profiles many of our hard-working and visionary potato farmers.
For your favorite vegetarian, the Barley-Quinoa Cakes to the right from Stacks at Steamplant will be delightful! Using an egg substitute will make this dish suitable for vegans as well.
Washington State has the right mix of volcanic soil, clean mountain water and warm spring and summer days, with cool nights, to produce some of the world’s finest pears. Oregon and Washington produce 84% of the nation’s fresh pear crop. This Pear & Gorgonzola Spinach Salad and Roasted Beets was featured on Washington Grown.
You can meet some of our pear growers on the USA Pear website and find out more about this delicious fruit.
Brussels sprouts and blueberries go together like magic! If you don't have any frozen berries left from your trips to U-Pick farms near you, then you may find Washington-grown frozen berries at your grocery store of choice. We love these Blueberry Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts. View recipe.
Desserts from Washington Apple Heaven
No Washington State feast is complete without apples! We couldn't choose between apple pie or baked apples, so we're including both here. Two-thirds of all apples in the US are grown here in Washington State. Washington apples are sold in over 60 countries, but there are plenty left for us to enjoy right here!
Few things make a house smell more like a home than good old-fashioned Apple Pie.
And that flour that goes into the pie may well have been grown by our own Washington wheat growers!
This delicious recipe is from the collection of our own Washington Apple Commision.
These Golden Spiced Baked apples make a nice alternative to apple pie.
Raise a glass!
Pair your meal with a delicious Washington-grown wine! Did you know our state is the 2nd largest premium wine producer in the United States with over 900 wineries, over 350 wine grape growers and nearly 70 varieties of grapes? Check out the Washington State Wine Commission for a listing of some of those Washington wineries and more fun facts!
The Yakima Valley contains about 75 percent of the total Unites States hop acreage, with an average farm size of 450 acres, accounting for over 77 percent of the total domestic hop crop. With over 350 breweries in the state you're bound to find some you love! Find this and more on the
Cranberries are an important crop in southwest Washington. The grower-owned Ocean Spray plant near Aberdeen processes fresh fruit, dried cranberries and cranberry sauce. The 206,000 square foot plant with 110 employees run two production lines, with an annual output of 32 million pounds of dried cranberries and 800,000 cases of cranberry sauce. Make this non-alcoholic Festive Cranberry Punch for a bright, healthy and delicious splash of holiday joy at your table.