Gifts of the Land: Our New Seasonals
Inspired by the tender, flavorful asparagus grown in Eastern Washington that fills the Pike Place Market in spring, we started featuring seasonal pizzas in 1993. Our state has such a diversity of climate and soil conditions—from the fertile soil in the Skagit Valley to the dry alluvial soil in the Palouse, from the damp verdant climate of the coastal lowlands to the hot, dry high desert in the east—that we’re able to showcase an incredible range of local products. From asparagus to Skagit strawberries, Yakima Valley peaches to Walla Walla onions, wild mushrooms from our western forests to esteemed local producers of cured meat and sausage, we live among an embarrassment of riches.
But every so often, a seasonal ingredient from elsewhere captures our fancy. The Hatch chile is one of those. If there is a single ingredient essential to New Mexican cuisine, it’s the long, green chile with medium spice and a smoky flavor. First grown by the Pueblo, the green chile is grown throughout the state, but most famously in the Hatch Valley. Roasted Hatch chiles lend their distinctive flavor to our BBQ Chicken Primo, which features chicken, pickled red onions, the chiles, and mozzarella over barbecue sauce. After baking, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro finishes the pizza.
The pizza that kicked off our seasonal offerings in 1993 is still a customer favorite after nearly 30 years—the Asparagus Prosciutto Primo. Warm spring days and cool nights and the mineral-rich volcanic soil in Eastern Washington make our state the nation’s largest producer. We roast tender local asparagus and layer it with La Quercia prosciutto, Taleggio, a mild cheese with a fruity tang, and mozzarella over an olive oil base. Give it a try, and you’ll see why it’s still in our rotation.
An hour north of Seattle, the Skagit Valley is a farmer’s dream. The thick, fertile soil is due to thousands of years of seasonal flooding by the Skagit and Samish rivers. The combination of climate and soil makes the Skagit Valley one of the best places in the world to grow berries. Fresh Skagit strawberries are the key to Gelatiamo’s Strawberries and Cream gelato. They swirl ribbons of silky sweet cream with their strawberry sorbet and mix in flecks of fresh Skagit strawberries.