Great Food Products in Washington

[savvy savorer]

1. Theo Chocolates
2. Beecher's Cheese
3. Greek Gods Yogurt

Please add more to my list!

[Merlin13]

Beechers standard cheddar cheese has no flavor. Now they have flavored cheese, not that it helps their flagship Beecher's cheese which is still bland.

They sell very good mac & cheese in the store, but for a coffee size cup, it's about $6!

[kgreig]

The Beecher's Honey Blank Slate is amazing.

And let's not forget Top Pot donuts!

[jamesbra]

MIGHTY O DONUTS.

[savvy savorer]

mmm, organic donuts, can't wait to try

[jaydeflix]

Not just organic.

Vegan. =)

[krishkat]

Chocolate Vitale - the best hot chocolate ever! Whole Foods just started stocking their products.

[savvy savorer]

I have to try!

[JackNH]

The March issue of Saveur launches a new column focused on "unique foodways of each of America's 50 states," with the spotlight on Washington state, blogs Devour sEATle. The issue listed the top 10 "quintessential Washington food experiences" as follows:
1. Steamed Penn Cove mussels at the Oystercatcher in Coupeville
2. Aplets and Cotlets
3. Kouign aman cake at Colville St. Patisserie in Walla Walla
4. Farmstand Grisdale goat cheese from Estrella Family Creamery
5. Bacon from Wooly Pigs in Spokane
6. Geoduck salad at Xinh's Clam and Oyster House in Shelton
7. The seasonal strawberry milkshake at local 98856 in Twisp
8. Dry riesling and off-dry gewurztraminer from Steppe Cellars in Rattlesnake Hills
9. House-made pickled herring at Olsen's Scandinavian Foods
10. Stake-roasted salmon at Tillicum Village

[staffstuff]

Aplets & Cotlets!..... amusing & antiquated.......:-)

[bourbongal]

Are they even food?

[lemiller610]

Sahale Snacks, anyone?

A little pricey but so satisfying and yummy.

[jamesbra]

Loki Salmon

Burgerville burgers (s. washington - oregon)

dry soda (although, you know...I find I don't buy them - at whole foods - next to cans of soda for $0.49 vs. Dry's $1.79

[Walla2WineWoman]

It's true - Fran's chocolates are pretty tasty. However, just outside of Walla Walla is a new chocolatier - Petits Noirs. Very decandent!

Cougar Gold cheese is quite delicious and also Walla Walla Sweet Onion Mustard by Aj'sedibles.

[Cafe Mich]

Stone-Buhr unbleached AP flour (not the whole wheat or bread flour version)
Tillamook unsalted butter

This combo makes the best baked goods you'll ever bake in your life.

[savvy savorer]

thanks!

[jammin]

No Salumi??

Probably the best made in Washington product outside of our indigenous ingredients like salmon, dungeness, oysters, razor clams (my personal favorite).

[bourbongal]

Yep, you are right. Salumi rocks - it is off the charts

[bourbongal]

A lot of the items listed on the board can be found regularly at the U-district Farmer's Market. I would add the Prague Bakery pastries, Willie Green's produce (try the shelled English peas in June, even if you think you don't like peas), Tiny's organic apples (fresh or dried).

[jamesbra]

LOVE the Greek God's Yogurt. Thick goodness. A little goes a long way.

Can't wait to try Theo Choclates - and a tour...

Beechers cheese - again, people say this is good..can't wait to try.

DRY SODA - so good. Expensive in terms of a bottle of soda, but it is high quality and its so much better than regular soda. I could drink like 80 of them, just sipping through out the day - and that's a good thing for someone who doesn't drink...

[staffstuff]

FRAN's caramel filled DARK chocolates are fabulous.
Mt. Townsend Creamery Cheeses from Pt. Townsend are a much better cheese choice than Beecher's, IMO.
Pumpernickel/dried cherry bread from Tall Grass Bakery
Mussels from Taylor Shellfish
Cheesecake (any flavor) from 60th St. Desserts

[cristinamom]

Haven't tried Theo Chocolates, but really like Beechers Cheese and Greek Gods Yogurt.

[Olympia Jane]

1) Mama Lil's (the original goathorn peppers packed in oil, not so fond of his other products) http://www.mamalils.com/

2) Fran's chocolate ganache stuffed figs http://www.franschocolate.com/

3) St. Jude's tuna http://www.tunatuna.com/

[PAO]

La Panzanella's Italian peasant bread. Alas, not as good as its predecessor, Ciro's bread (named after the original owner), but still head and shoulders above any other Italian county bread.

[lemiller610]

I love La Panzanella's focaccia. LOVE!

[nonbei]

1. Oysters from Taylor Shellfish Farms
2. Cougar Mountain Cookies
3. Geoduck harvested from Puget Sound (Puget Sound + Vancouver BC supply approximately 90% of the world's Geoduck)

And that Greek Gods Yogurt really is a gift from God. The Honey flavor and the Pomegranate are my faves.

[gt1485a]

Snoqualmie Ice Cream
Estrella Cheese's are the best!

[savvy savorer]

thanks guys, there is a lot that I haven't tried!

[bighound]

FRAN'S CHOCLATE'S ARE SIMPLY BETTER THAN THEO'S. SHE IS A WORLD CLASS CHOCOLATIER. AND OLYMPIC MOUNTAIN ICE CREAM IS THE BEST WEST OF THE MISSISSIPI. UNFORTUNATELY THE RETAIL OUTLETS ARE VERY FEW. MANY LOCAL RESTAURANTS SERVE IT.AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST G&D SMOKED FISH PRODUCTS ARE SERVED IN FINE RESTAURANTS ALL OVER THE US.

[bourbongal]

Fran's Chocolates are the best!!! They are better than Theo's. I've never had better, even considering the old European chocolates I've tried while traveling.

[vanillagorilla]

Fran's and Theo's really are two different things. Frans confections are better than Theo's. But Theo makes chocolate, not just confections. Their single origin bars are some of the best I've had.

[nseattlefoodie]

Theo does have confections, and they leave alot to be desired. just ok in my book. And their single origin bars are just ok when compared to most European chocolates, IMO.

[seattledebs]

Holmquist hazelnuts
Estrella cheeses indeed!
Sea Breeze Farm's products
Lots of local produce.

I've never cared for Beecher's cheeses. I don't find the taste terribly interesting or delicious.

[savvy savorer]

I can't believe I have never tried Estrella Cheese. Am I the only One? Where do you get the holmquist hazelnut?

[seattledebs]

Holmquist hazelnuts can be found at the U-District farmers' market, and also at a stand in Pike Place Market (usually on the water side near the north end, just a few stands past the northernmost fish place). Best hazelnuts I've had. This week, I bought some of their hazelnut flour for the first time and baked pear tarts out of it (recipe is here: http://web.mac.com/seattledebs/gofrol...

)

Definitely try the Estrella cheeses! They're also sold at the U-District market. They're very generous with samples.

While you're at the market, the folks at Growing Things (the people who sell lots of soaps) have great jams for sale. They've been having amazing raspberry and plum lately.

[seattledebs]

Shoot, today was the last day they're at the U-District market until the spring. You can still order from their website, through.

[sebetti]

Am I missing something with the Theo Chocolates? I really just don't think they're all that. I spent over $50 buying one of everything when visiting a while back because everyone said they were so amazing and I was pretty disappointed. I respect what they're doing but taste-wise...

Not an actual product but an amazing food resource is World Spice near the market.

[dagoose]

I haven't bought theo chocolates, but as someone who doesnt normally eat chocolate and got a box delivered today...Damn, they are delicious...

[terrier]

I dig Theo's single-origin bars. Not wild about the flavored ones.

[Lauren]

I'm just the opposite! I'm not crazy about the single origin bars but I love their coffee chocolate bar.

[vanillagorilla]

I have had much better confectionaries than the ones that Theo makes. However, their milk chocolate bars, single origin dark chocolate bars, and even some of their flavored bars are quite good and compare favorably with most other chocolate out there.

I have to agree about World Spice though. It may be my favorite store in all of Seattle. Not only does using whole fresh spice make my food better, it's cheaper than buying those horrible bottles at the mega mart.

[tedfood]

I agree with sebetti. Theo is enjoyable but not great.
Stuff from Forage and Found, not products but hands down the best seasonal ingredients for people who love to cook. For example- black trumpet mushroom, truffles, nettles in the spring etc..

[Finspot]

Tedfood, one of the great things about our region is that you can find most of the Foraged & Found products yourself with a little study and effort (see my link). But agreed, when time is short, it's nice to have places like F&F at the farmer's markets, etc.

Great topic!

[terrier]

Estrella Creamery's cheeses out of Gray's Harbor. d-d-d-damn they're good.

And don't get me started on all the great beer around here...

[savvy savorer]

Seattle is good at the milk product thing, a lot of the products are cheese. Wow!

[yummers]

Mount Townsend cheese, especially Seastack.
Sally Jackson cheeses, of course.

[dagoose]

and estrella family creamery

[bourbongal]

Try their smoked provolone!! Spectacular

[knowspicker]

Cougar Gold, Viking and Cheddar Cheese from WSU.

[nothingman]

Double that. favorite thing about christmas is anticipating a big box of cheese from dad.

[sulbin]

Cougar gold is a must. Sharp... a little grainy... PERFECT!

[Lauren]

Greek Gods Yogurt is from Washington? I had no idea. I love that stuff!

[savvy savorer]

the baklava Greek God Ice Cream is great. I think they are based in Olympia

[Lauren]

I just looked them up and it's Mountlake Terrace. That baklava ice cream sounds great!

[Snapdragon]

Greek Gods baklava ice cream *is* great. Less so is their chocolata fig. The name is misleading--I expected chocolate ice cream w/dried figs, but it's actually fig ice cream w/chocolate chips. Too figgy for me.

[mrnelso]

And where in North Seattle might I find Greek God Baklava ice cream?

[somerset]

The Greenlake PCC @ Aurora & Winona has it.

[bluedog67]

Met Market carries it.

[mrnelso]

Answered: I found it at PCC Fremont as well - tya

[PayOrPlay]

Greek Gods ice cream has just shown up in Los Angeles. My son and I were blown away by the chocolate fig--haven't tried the baklava yet. I've started a thread on the General Board about this now that it's in distribution outside the beautiful Northwest. Thanks for the alert!

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/522091

[savvy savorer]

I am adding more chao dao teas,
Simply Chocolates
Dry Soda