Pacific Northwest Sauce

Two things influence sauces up in the Pacific NW. First the abundance of fresh (really really fresh, like right out of the Columbia River onto a grill) salmon. The second is the abundance of really, really fresh berries: primarily blueberries, raspberries, and marionberries.

Addressing the fruit sauces first, there are several commercial bottling companies who make a fantastic line of fruit barbecue sauces. With the predominance of roadside stands selling “justpicked” berries it’s easy for anyone to grab a handful, put them in a saucepan with some spices (garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, savory, cumin, etc.), and whip up sauces which are heavenly on chicken, turkey, and just about any fish filets or steaks.