While at the grocery store this morning, I discovered Puget Crimson Strawberries. Large half flats from Spooner Farms were being loaded up at the entrance by one of the produce guys at T&C Markets in Shoreline.
On sale for an astounding $12.98 this was half off the usual price. The strawberries appeared bright, fresh, plump, red and shiny, which are all indications that they were just picked and hauled in from the fields. What’s not to love, I thought.
As the produce guy continued stacking the trays, he told another customer, if she buys them to have a plan because they are fragile and need to be enjoyed in short order.
Alas, I signed on and bought a tray. While mulling how to use them (aside from eating fresh) I decided to pair them with other seasonal favorites–some Copper River Sockeye and sweet juicy Walla Walla Onions. This recipe is a work in progress today, but this little trip to the store reminded me that it is possible to eat locally, seasonally and well on a budget.
The technique for doing so?
Stay alert for what’s in season and watch for the sales at your local markets. And, be prepared to perhaps buy in a larger quantity and use it up quickly. Whether that means, incorporating the sale ingredient into multiple dishes that week, or even freezing it for use later that month.
Here in the Seattle area items to watch for?
Flats of fresh blackberries, raspberries, tayberries and more.
Walla Walla Sweet onions from the East Side of the Mountains.
Fresh Alaska Salmon coming down from The Last Frontier.
Dungeness crab being hauled in off the Washington Coast.
Stone fruits like cherries, peaches, nectarines from the Yakima Valley.
And the list goes on!
About Puget Crimson Strawberries: A large firm strawberry introduced by Washington State University around 2010, it’s very productive and has a balanced good sweet flavor.
Well, at least that was my theory last Saturday when my husband and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to pick blueberries at 
Our day trip was short and sweet and in the end we carted home a hefty haul of blueberries that are now washed and stashed in the freezer. That said, before I froze all the berries for winter baking, I did bake a beautiful blueberry pie for dessert that night.
My husband and I have been camping for decades now and one of my side shows while doing so has been to hunt down local specialty items while we are out on the highways and byways. For many years I had a mobile kitchen in our family travel trailer which took our family of five far and wide through the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This week we had a fully equipped kitchen in a Minnie Winnie which we rented from Great Alaskan Holidays in Anchorage.
The kelp pickles, made in Sitka from local seaweed and seasoned with the iconic bread and butter pickling spices, were ridiculously good. Pickle rings were added to smoked cheese bratwurst carted up from Seattle. They were also tucked on smoked salmon canapés, resulting in a very Scandinavian inspired hors d’oeuvre.
The sliced sourdough was from The Bakery in Girdwood and sadly didn’t last long in my mobile kitchen. Light and flavorful, the bread made great sandwiches and was enhanced even further with sunflower sprouts from the Saturday Homer Farmers Market. It was the bread of choice for breakfast and lunch.
