ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Pacific Northwest cuisine

Hey there kiddo, do you know what cuisine means? It's basically the type of food that people in a certain place like to eat. So Pacific Northwest cuisine is the kind of food that people in a specific part of the United States (which is the Pacific Northwest) like to eat!

The Pacific Northwest is a region in the United States that includes the states of Washington, Oregon, and sometimes Idaho and British Columbia, Canada. This area has a unique climate and environment, which means that the food that people eat there is different from other parts of the country.

One of the key things about Pacific Northwest cuisine is that it's really focused on using local ingredients. That means that the chefs and home cooks in the area like to use food that's grown or raised nearby. That's because the climate and soil in the Pacific Northwest are good for producing certain types of food, like salmon, berries, and mushrooms.

Some of the specific ingredients that you might find in Pacific Northwest cuisine include wild salmon (which is a type of fish that's caught in the area's rivers), berries (like raspberries and blackberries), mushrooms (like morels and chanterelles), and hazelnuts (which are a type of nut that grows really well in the region).

When chefs or home cooks in the Pacific Northwest are cooking with these types of ingredients, they often like to keep the flavors really simple and fresh. That means that they might use herbs like dill or thyme to season the food, and they might cook the ingredients over a wood fire or grill to give them a smoky flavor.

Overall, Pacific Northwest cuisine is all about celebrating the delicious and unique ingredients that come from this special corner of the United States.