Out with hot soup and winter-weather cozy cravings and in with all the finger-licking foods that make it worth our while to get out in the sun. There are summer staples that can't be denied, regardless if you're a Spokanite or visitor — like food festivals, seasonal ice cream and barbecue haunts — but there are also ways to spice up your summer by finding food in nature. Dig in!
AN INLAND NORTHWEST PLATTER
Pick and choose which foodie fests pique your interest this summer. Find a variety of food trucks at Riverfront Eats (Tuesdays from 11 am-2 pm through Aug. 19) and a perfect spot for your weekly lunch, or visit the 44th Annual Pig Out in the Park (Aug. 28-Sep. 1, daily from 11 am-10 pm) which boats 65 booths and over 250 menu items. Both take place in the heart of Spokane: Riverfront Park.
Putting Inland Northwest chefs to the test, Crave! Northwest (July 11-13, $49-$179, 21+) draws foodies to Spokane Valley's CenterPlace Regional Center. Taste how regional chefs utilize fresh ingredients from fresh seafood to meats grilled over an open flame to vegetarian options and more. Get tickets at cravenw.com.
Munch your way through all of Sandpoint's tastiest offerings at the Sandpoint Sampler (June 26, 5-8 pm). The event brings local restaurants and caterers to Farmin Park, along with libations, live music and family-friendly fun.
Pop on over to the Majestic Park in Rathdrum for the Taste of Rathdrum (Aug. 9, 11 am-9 pm). Make sure to bring your appetite for some good food and a fun time with several food vendors, a beer garden, a cornhole tournament, a car show and live music.
Early summer means strawberry season for the Inland Northwest and Siemers Farm's Strawberry Festival (June 14-29, Sat-Sun from 10 am-4 pm) is making its return. Catered to families, a wristband purchase ($6) gives access to fun rides and play areas. If you go just to pick strawberries entry is free, with times also offered outside festival hours on July 5, 6, 12 and 13 from 10 am-4 pm.
When it comes to fruit, it wouldn't be a true Inland Northwest summer sampler without huckleberries. The Wallace Huckleberry Festival (Aug. 15-17) is a one-stop shop for all things huckleberry. Start your day with a huckleberry pancake breakfast before exploring the town, filled with food and craft vendors.
Calling all lentil lovers! The National Lentil Festival (Sat, Aug. 16, 7:30 am-10 pm) returns to Reaney Park in Pullman, celebrating the agricultural feats of the region in producing some of the highest quality lentils. Kicking off with the Tase T. Lentil 5K, the day is packed with various events from a parade to live music to a bowl of free lentil chili.
"FARMACY" FOODS
Get to know local farmers this summer with a pair of farm-to-table events. Facilitated by Food As Farmacy Events (foodasfarmacy.com) and spearheaded by Dr. Casey Carr, attendees embark on a trip to Castle Rock Ranch (June 28, $35/kids, $80/adults) to learn more — and taste — the bounties of regenerative agriculture with a meal featuring beef from the ranch. Or, close out your summer food adventures with a trip to Quillisascut Farm (Sept. 21, $87) in Rice, Washington, where you'll learn how to make cottage cheese and chèvre as well as enjoy a seasonal lunch.FIND YOUR ROOTS
Connecting with your food doesn't get much deeper than plucking it yourself. Foraging can be daunting to get into for obvious reasons, and knowing how to do it safely (and legally) is important. Luckily, there are local resources and clubs to make it more beginner friendly.
The Spokane Area Mushrooms, Mycology and Foraging club on Facebook is a great place to meet fellow foragers. You can also identify your finds with the Pacific Northwest Mushroom Identification Forum on Facebook. Yet another Facebook group, called Inland Northwest Foraging, offers more general food-foraging knowledge and community.
It's recommended to go with an expert your first time, but books like Pacific Northwest Edible Plant Foraging and Mushroom Guide by Stephen Fleming and The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts by Katie Letcher Lyle are good places to start.
If you want to get your hands dirty, but not too far out in the weeds, U-Pick farms can be another good option for locally sourced produce. Green Bluff just north of the city center is known for its abundance of orchards and farms, where you can pick fresh strawberries, rhubarb, garlic, melons, peaches and more. You can find more niche produce here, too, like tayberries at Knapp's U-Pick Farm — a cross between a raspberry and blackberry.
Don't have the time to get out to a farm? Fret not, you can get fresh farm produce right to your door with CSA boxes. LINC Foods is a year-round CSA (which stands for community-supported agriculture) that works with local farmers operating with sustainable growing practices. Alongside seasonal goodies, you'll find recipes and other helpful tidbits with your weekly box (lincfoods.com, pickup locations are offered throughout the region). Courage to Grow (couragetogrowfarms.com) is another CSA subscription that runs from July 16 to Dec. 24, delivering over 60 veggie and over 40 fruit varieties.
YOU SCREAM, WE SCREAM
A favorite annual fundraiser benefiting Spokane's Urban Art Coop, Scoops and Bowls (July 12), returns to Manito Park. Attendees buy a handmade bowl (starting at $15) and receive free ice cream in the bowl.
Craving something new? Hop on some other ice cream trends this summer! Rolled ice cream originated in Thailand, but can be found locally at Poke King with aesthetic and delicious toppings. Or, a more recent Asian ice cream trend overtaking the U.S. is the Tao Qi Peach Ice Cream, which is shaped and flavored like a peach. Though demand is high, you can often find it at Hot Pot Ramen House in Rathdrum and at Asian World Food Market in Spokane when stocked.
Find other innovative local flavors and concepts at local ice cream shops, like watermelon Dole soft serve at The Scoop and an ice cream flight at Panhandle Cone & Coffee, which has locations in North Idaho.
PICNIC PICKIN'S
Shake out your picnic blankets and plop down on a shady patch of grass. If you're looking for a bite to eat on your picnic escapade, head to Manito's seasonal Park Bench Cafe, which sells ice cream cones, sandwiches, coffee and more. If you're at Riverfront Park, swing by the Riverfront Park Cafe located inside the Numerica Skate Ribbon and Skyride building. And right across the street from Audubon Park in northwest Spokane, hop in Little Garden Cafe for all the classic cafe fare.
SIZZLIN' EATS
If you're looking to barbecue this summer but don't own a grill, there are plenty of options to turn up the heat and get something sizzling. Many of the area's public parks have barbecue pits, including Shadle, Manito and Comstock among Spokane's city parks (spokaneparks.org), as well as Camelot Park (spokanecounty.gov) in the Wandermere area. In North Idaho, Q'emiln Park (postfalls.gov) in Post Falls and Riverstone Park (cdaid.org) in Coeur d'Alene have barbeque pits and grills. Check if reservations are required for picnic shelters and barbeque areas, as some are first-come, first-serve.
If you want an indoor, restaurant-style barbecue experience, head on over to the newly opened Seng's Asian Barbecue in Spokane. In true Korean barbecue style, for a fixed price you can grill an all-you-can-eat amount of meat and pair it with some tasty sides. If you don't want to grill but want the reward, Outlaw BBQ, Bulldog's Famous BBQ & Brews and Betty Jean's BBQ all offer classic American brisket barbecue.
A TASTE BUD TRIP
If you don't have any vacations in the books this summer, you can still satisfy your cravings for international cuisine with the Taste of Asia & Filipino-American Friendship Cultural Festival (June 21, 10 am-4 pm) at Riverfront Park and the Global Food & Art Market (Tuesdays from 3-7 pm through July 29) in the Garland District. Sample new dishes and immerse yourself in other cultures right at home in the Inland Northwest.♦
