Northwest Washington is home to a rich and resilient food system. Bordered by the Cascades to the east and the Salish Sea to the west, this region’s lands and seas are stewarded by farmers, fishermen, ranchers, and makers. Anyone who’s been to a farmers market or local grocery store will tell you about how fortunate we are to live in such an agriculturally abundant region. Those of us who live and visit here know how special this place is – but we were so excited to see that local food businesses are getting recognition on a national level.
Photo courtesy of Sauk Farm
Photo courtesy of Bellingham Pasta Company
Nine – yes, nine! – local businesses took home a Good Food Award this year, honoring social and environmental responsibility, craftsmanship, and flavor. A program of the Good Food Foundation, the Good Food Awards recognize that truly good food brings people together and builds strong, healthy communities. We couldn’t agree more.
Bellingham Pasta Company has brought high-quality fresh pasta to the Puget Sound area since 2007. Their pasta is made from non-GMO, non-enriched flour and whole eggs, using local products whenever possible. They took home a Good Food Award for their pappardelle.
Pangea Ferments is a family-run business making sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented pickles, jalapenos, beets, spicy brussels sprouts, and other seasonal goods in Bellingham. By sourcing local, organic vegetables, they support their local food economy and preserve the harvest at peak season. Their flavors and commitment to sustainability netted them a Good Food Award for their kimchi, curtido sauerkraut, and garlic dill sauerkraut.
Funky’s Hot Sauce Factory is a hot sauce and condiment company located in Bellingham, known for their locally sourced and organic ingredients – as well as their creative and delicious flavor combinations. They were recently featured on the popular show Hot Ones, and they were honored with a Good Food Award for their Chili Librae and Stellar Fuzz hot sauces.
Marie’s Bees is dedicated to ethical, sustainable, and healthy honeybee practices, working with local beekeepers and farms to bring high-quality products to their community. They were recognized with a Good Food Award for their Savory Honey, which blends raw Pacific Northwest honey with thyme, rosemary, and sea salt.
Speaking of sea salt, San Juan Island Sea Salt won a Good Food Award for their Salted Honey Caramels. They produce solar-evaporated sea salt, raw honey, and a small assortment of fruits and vegetables on San Juan Island.
Photo courtesy of Funky’s Hot Sauce
Photo courtesy of Girl Meets Dirt
Fellow island business Girl Meets Dirt also took home a Good Food Award for their Apricot Shrub. Girl Meets Dirt Heritage Preserves are inspired by the long history of orchard keeping on Orcas Island and a craving for high quality, locally sourced, organic fruit preserves. They craft jams, shrubs, and bitters, made in an old-school style.
Bow Hill Blueberries is a small family farm with a huge commitment to growing and preserving organic heirloom blueberries. Established in 1947, it is the oldest blueberry farm in Skagit Valley. They won a Good Food Award for their Organic Heirloom Blueberry Juice.
Also in the Skagit Valley, Sauk Farm is an organic family farm aptly located at the base of Sauk Mountain. Their love affair with fruit began many years ago with a few backyard fruit trees and a giant grape vine and led them all the way to Good Food Awards for their Honeycrisp Dried Apples and Honeycrisp Apple Cider.
Last, but certainly not least, is Terramar Brewstillery, a brewery, cidery, and distillery that pays tribute to the fertile farmlands of Skagit Valley by producing terroir-driven beer, cider, and spirits – not to mention amazing artisan pizza. They won a Good Food Award for their 2023 Space Quadyssey, a full-bodied, bold, and complex Belgian Style Quadrupel.
We’re so fortunate to live in a place that values the hard work of those who grow, harvest, catch, and make our food. Getting national recognition from the Good Food Awards is just the cherry (a locally grown Rainier Sweet cherry, of course) on top.
Photo courtesy of Terramar Brewstillery