Anyone who has visited Pike Place Market can verify that fish do fly. And due to some innovative packing procedures, fish from the market can even fly home with you. Some of the most popular choices include salmon, halibut and Dungeness crab. For a few extra dollars, the fishmongers can pack your selection in TSA approved containers, which will keep the items frozen for up to 48 hours so they can be checked as luggage or carried on as a personal item for your flight home.
Alderwood smoked salmon, hearty salmon jerky and smoked oysters are just some of the specialty seafood items that help visitors take the true flavor of the Pacific Northwest home with them. Most are packed in attractive boxes creating the perfect gift for the folks at home. These delicacies are ubiquitously available, so be sure to shop where samples are offered to ease the decision-making process.
Second only to California for wine production in the United States, Washington has done itself proud, producing some wonderful wines worth taking home. Wine tasting tours through Pike Place Market are popular, but day trips to wineries just outside of Seattle can also uncover some palate pleasing varietals. The state's oldest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, located just 15 miles outside of the city, is a good bet for its premium wines and remarkable wine shop.
Beecher's Handmade Cheese in Pike Place Market offers visitors a rare glimpse of the cheese making process through their store window -- and you won't want to go home without your share. Their signature 18-month aged Flagship, Flagsheep and Marco Polo cheeses are full of flavor and made using the same techniques that have been used for 5,000 years. From the "World's Best" Mac and Cheese kit to their "Best of Beecher's" collection, you can find something for everyone at Beecher's.
World-class chocolates exquisitely displayed in beautiful gift boxes are sure to please the loved ones you left behind. Stepping into Fran's Chocolates, where the aroma of chocolate wraps you in its warm embrace, will make it difficult to think clearly, but it will be hard to go wrong with any of the confections produced there. Choose from truffles, caramels, chocolate sauces and chocolate covered fruits and nuts. The hardest part will be waiting to eat them until you get home.
