For generations coastal communities have looked both to the land and to the sea to feed their people. As a ‘land-farmer’ myself, it is easy for me to overlook the potential for a diversity of flavors, traditions and culture that encompass food taken from the seas; in our corner of the Pacific Northwest, we have the great privilege of having the best of both scopes in our back yards. With a temperate climate, fertile lands, and the Puget Sound all working in harmony, a great many people have (and still do) thrived off of an abundance of food found right here in Western Washington.

‘Terroir’ and ‘Meroir’: French terms for external and internal conditions of the land and sea, respectively, and how these conditions of origin affect flavors of food and drink. For instance, two oysters harvested from two neighboring inlets may have incredibly different flavor profiles. Although the oysters could have been separated by no more than a mile of water, the conditions of the waters that they grew in may have been remarkably different; temperature, food source, algae, etc. all influence the flavors of an oyster and thus create a difference in merior from one inlet to the next.

In an effort to pay homage to the people and cultures of both land and sea, and to explore a few of the different flavors of Evergreen, I have teamed up with Makenna Madrano, the SURF student-representative in charge of re-vamping the Evergreen State College Oyster beds. With her work on the Evergreen Campus beaches and my work at the Evergreen Organic Farm, we are hoping to produce some foods that are highly sought after throughout the world, and to share these with our community of students. Not only is it my goal to look at the differences in variety within a given crop, but to also learn about different pairings of crops (for instance, oysters and radicchio) that may hold some culinary significance.

It is my opinion that the best way to learn about flavors is to smell first and then taste. We can read about and ponder foods all day, but when in it comes to a true understanding of ingredients, one must put it in their mouth and contemplate.

There are few places on this planet that allow for such fertile growing conditions for both vegetables and shellfish and it is our goal to highlight the joys and culture around these two western-PNW staples!

All photos in this post are courtesy of Ryan Richardson, Evergreen Photoland Lab Manager.

You can find more information about Makenna’s work on her blog: …………