Pear Blossoms
For most of us, travel equals food. From discovering falafel stands in Israel, to hunting down the best pizza and gelato in Florence, food makes travel memorable. We’ve enjoyed tacos with the locals in Mexico, poteen in Jasper, Alberta, high tea in Old Niagra, bison burgers in West Yellowstone, and game pie in historic Gettysburg.
We love to eat in Leavenworth. More than just sustenance, food is a lovely shared experience. We create memories around meals. Like the picnics we’ve shared along the Wenatchee River, breakfasts with new friends and old, trying new German dishes and sampling gourmet chocolates. There are foods we rarely eat except when we’re in Leavenworth. Things such as JaegerSchnitzel, Apfelrotkraut, black licorice ice cream, amaretto fudge, and yummy gingerbread cookies. On a recent visit to Leavenworth we tried some new restaurants and enjoyed German dishes at King Ludwigs.
It’s always such fun to find others who look forward to tasting Leavenworth as much as we do. Morgan Fraser is an author and food blogger who is a Chelan area native. Her recent book, Savoring Leavenworth, offers an insider’s view of the food and culture of Leavenworth. As her website says, “Leavenworth is not simply a Bavarian village in Central Washington. . . it has its own culture and local flavor. It is a hub for enjoying local wines, fresh fruit, fresh fish, locally grown produce, a small-town feel and the beauty of a mountain setting in any season.” Morgan has a blog, Savoring Life, where she talks about her culinary adventures, shares family recipes and reveals some secrets from favorite local restaurants. I was tickled to find a recipe for Mole de Oaxaca from SOUTH. It’s one of our favorite dishes in Leavenworth. Just reading the recipe in Morgan’s post brought back nice memories of sitting on the patio in lovely weather, savoring Mole enchiladas, house-made chips and salsa and a refreshing sangria. Another popular SOUTH recipe published in Morgan’s blog is Salsa Verde. You can also find Morgan on Facebook at Savoring Leavenworth.
Pear tree in bloom
There’s a new festival on the Festival calendar in Leavenworth. Spring Sensations is a culinary adventure through the month of April. Restaurants and shops throughout the village are offering unique specials and products for sale all with a pear theme. There will be pear scones, pear candy and savory pear dishes. Wineries and restaurants will be offering wine “pearings.” Icicle Brewing is hosting a Pear, Cheese and Beer “Pear”ing.
Spring Sensations will be kicked off with a new event: A Taste of Spring, March 31, 2012. There will be culinary samples along Front Street, live entertainment, pear tasting, a pear cook-off and an International Marketplace.
For more on food in Leavenworth see blog posts such as, Favorite Food in Leavenworth, Magic of Sauerkraut, and A New Taste Place.
Before you travel to Leavenworth, and while you’re in town, Check out our Eat page for dining ideas. Have a craving? Use the search at the top of the page to look up restaurants that serve the food you’re looking for.
What are your favorite tastes of Leavenworth? Let us know in the comments below or leave us a post on Facebook.
