cherries
The Local Flavor is Sustainability
matt werbach
It is hard to have missed the turn American food culture has taken in the last few years. Whether it’s the escalating gas prices of the last couple summers or the popularity of books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, many in the country have taken a more responsible role in what they put into their bodies. Here in the Columbia Gorge, the idea of buying local, sustainable and organic is nothing new. It has been the backbone of our much celebrated food culture for decades.
According to a study by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 39 percent of the fruit and 78 percent of fish and shellfish consumed in the United State are purchased from other countries. These numbers, and many others like them, have led to a wide range of reactions from Americans.
Environmentalists concerned with rising CO2 levels are revolted by the distance food travels to reach the plate. Millions of gallons of gasoline are used to ship food around the country. Those concerned with their local economy fear the impact importing food has on nearby farms, seed producers and markets. Even those simply concerned with saving money have taken notice of the spike in food prices when gas becomes more expensive.
People concerned with their health have found much to fear in recent studies. The inclusion of corn in so many of the foods Americans eat was exposed in Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis’ hit documentary King Corn and Michael Pollan’s bestselling book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. These works highlighted the homogeneous nature of the modern diet and its inherent health risks. Barbara Kingsolver’s bestselling book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle chronicled her family’s attempts to grow and raise all the food they needed over the course of a year.
Here in the Columbia Gorge, these battles are easy to win. The adjacent communities have utilized conditions ideal for growing some of the country’s best fruits, raising livestock and producing a wide variety of wines. These cities and towns don’t simply produce great foods, they celebrate them.
This summer visitors and residents alike will join together in commemoration of the local fruits. In July, Hood River celebrated the cherry and in September it will celebrate, the pear. Early estimates hinted at as many as 16 to 18 million boxes of cherries to be picked this season. Gravenstein apples will have their time in the sun in August. Even the lesser known and often overlooked fruits get in on the party. Apple Valley Country Store will celebrate the Huckleberry August 15 and 16.
These fruits are as local as can be. The celebrations often take place right in the fields and orchards where the produce grows. The popularity of selecting your own apple or pear right off the tree has led to U-pick orchards blossoming all over the region.
The stores and markets from Goldendale to Troutdale never miss a chance to tout their local products. Jellies, jams, syrups and sauces are made from almost every regional fruit.
Locally raised or caught meats, from lamb to salmon, can be found at area markets and grocers. Being a resident of the Columbia Gorge means there’s little challenge to putting together a meal that is 100% local, and there is no lack of variety to this diet either.
Don’t have the time or desire to cook? Many of the restaurants that dot both sides of the Columbia River feature fresh local ingredients. Area chefs pride themselves on utilizing indigenous flavors in unique and consistent ways. Menus have to be more adaptable in order to embrace these neighborhood ingredients. Chefs like Matt McGowan of The Glass Onion in Goldendale are constantly changing menus to offer ripe vegetables and fruits, and to take advantage of seasonal events like salmon runs. As Riverside Grill chef Mark DeResta recently said in our Summer issue, “if it’s not fresh, we won’t use it.”
There is no better pairing to the fare of the region than Columbia Gorge wines. Red or white, dry or robust, simple or complex, they are second to none. A visitor to the area could spend the whole summer exploring the different wineries. Even residents who have lived their entire lives here haven’t run out of new wines to taste. Whether you find yourself at Erin Glenn Vineyards sampling any number of local varieties, at McMenamins Edgefield enjoying great music with your wine or you’re just purchasing an award winning bottle from Cathedral Ridge to share with that special someone, there is a neighborhood wine for you.
Those who live in the Columbia Gorge display great pride for the products they bring to the table. There is a feeling of satisfaction and delight when you can locate the farm that raised the beef you are serving. Grandma can dish out cherry pie filled with the cherries her grandkids picked earlier that day. From seed to tree, from calf to cow, so many of the foods eaten in the Columbia Gorge come from farms and orchards just down the road.
If you’re visiting this summer, or just passing through, don’t forget to ask a nearby business, grocery or shop owner what’s good this time of year or where to grab a great meal. Tasting the perfect filet of salmon caught right outside the front door, prepared in exquisite fashion and paired with a wine from just a few miles away is an experience unique to the Columbia Gorge.
There is a feeling of satisfaction—a sweeter taste—when you know you’ve helped out the environment, done something healthy and boosted the local economy while simply eating your lunch.
Tags: animal, apple, cherries, cherry, columbia gorge, columbia river, corn, economy, food, glass onion, Goldendale, gravenstein, Hood River, miracle, orchard, oregon, pear, riverside, salmon, sustainability, Troutdale, vegetable, washington
