9 adventurous menu elements from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

Most chefs will tell you salmon is a reliable fish to have on your menu; people know it and love to eat it. But did you know at least 137 other species depend on the marine-rich nutrients found in salmon? President and CEO of Wild Salmon Center Guido Rahr writes, “few animals have been as central to the Pacific human experience as salmon…the last intact salmon watersheds around the North Pacific are composed of free-flowing rivers and dense forests, which provide clean drinking water and absorb carbon to slow climate change.”

And not only that, but “millions of people rely on salmon as a healthy and reliable source of protein,” Rahr writes. “Native people have always seen the salmon as the life-sustaining centerpiece of their culture, dating back millennia.”

At Central Washington University (CWU), Chef Joe Ritchie created a salmon-starring plate with ingredients found in the Pacific Northwest in supporting roles. Check out this idea and others from this fascinating region.

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