Salmon, Salmon and the Port Townsend Farmers Market

Salmon is EVERYWHERE in Port Townsend. You see it in the ocean, on the menus, even on the street.

Because at home we usually buy farm-raised salmon (It’s cheaper), I never realized how much tastier the wild variety is. That was until I ate it 6 meals in a row in quaint Port Townsend which couldn’t nudge up any closer to the sea and still stand on dry land. The local wild salmon is dense, flavorful, almost buttery in texture and dark pink  (salmon-colored!). And probably caught by the fisherman you saw out your window that morning.

Or, if you’re at a restaurant like Sweet Laurette or Alchemy, it’s likely line-caught by Cape Cleare Fishery out of Alaska.

Sally claims Cape Cleare salmon is caught in Alaskan waters, immediately flash-frozen on the boat, sent to Seattle where an employee gets on a bike and delivers the fish straight to Port Townsend via ferry. It’s a great story (or perhaps tall tale?), but no matter what, the salmon is AMAZING with absolutely no fishy taste. And there really is a bicycle which we saw in town.

Cape Cleare sells their salmon sandwich at the Port Townsend Farmers Market on Saturdays. Come hungry, though, because the Farmers Market has loads of delicious food which everyone eats at the adjacent picnic tables . DO NOT pass up the barbequed oysters. As a Texan, I wouldn’t actually call the oysters “barbequed,” because there’s no smokey taste (although that sounds like a fantastic idea to test!) They must get their name because they’re cooked outside on a grill. Guess that qualifies as barbeque Olympic Peninsula-style.

And don’t forget to wander over to the Finnriver Winery tent to pick up a bottle. You’ll need it for one of our upcoming recipes.