Recreating a Seattle-Tahoe healthy blend at home

News | Sep 29, 2025 Tahoe Daily Tribune

Cal Orey, M.A. Considering a return to the Pacific Northwest for my annual fall book signing and research trip, I’m reminiscing about a particularly memorable stay. One year, celebrating my birthday at my favorite Seattle hotel, the concierge thoughtfully arranged a comforting spread of artisanal tea and chocolates in my Puget Sound-view suite after I mentioned feeling a touch homesick. It was a perfect blend of Seattle charm and Tahoe comfort. This year, I’m contemplating recreating that Pacific Northwest ambiance at home. To infuse your home with Seattle charm and Tahoe comfort, consider healthy elements that evoke blending nature with urban flair.

Cooking: Embrace seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Think fresh seafood (if available in Tahoe, otherwise focus on sustainable options), wild mushrooms,, and root vegetables. Pacific Northwest-inspired dishes include cedar plank salmon to hearty stews are the best dishes with fresh herbs. A well-stocked pantry with artisanal jams, and antioxidant-rich local honey is a must. Baking: Focus on rustic, comforting baked goods. Berry muffins (especially blackberry), apple crisps with oats fit the bill. Keep it healthy with spices. Incorporate nuts for healthy and hearty touch into your recipes. 

Coffee: This is paramount to a Seattle vibe. Plus, a cup of Joe boasts perks including staying lean, heart health, and staving off diabetes 2. Invest in a good coffee maker (or two) and purchase Seattle roasts found online. A coffee bar area with oversized mugs, organic low-fat milk, and spices enhances the experience. Tea: While coffee is king in the Emerald City, a good selection of artisanal loose-leaf teas and tisanes are good for your mind, body, and spirit. Think of herbal blends for immune health. Go for robust black teas for heart health, and delicate green teas for keeping colds and viruses away this fall.

Tahoe Takeaways: My favorite choices for complementing a Tahoe home with a taste of Seattle, is to include art and picturesque coffee table books (with personal memories of Tahoe). Try panoramic postcards of the Seattle skyline with Mount Rainier in the background or serene landscapes of the Olympic Mountains across Puget Sound. Get Seattle-based Theo dark chocolate at our local Whole Foods Market. Then, you, like me, can savor South Lake Tahoe while enjoying Seattle’s sophistication this autumn without leaving the creature comforts of home! 

CAL OREY, M.A., is a bestselling author-novelist specializing in topics such as adventure, health, nutrition, and science. She holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in English (Creative Writing) from San Francisco State University. Her books include the popular Healing Powers series, and Courage with Paws: The Heart of a Siamese Cat, (Book 2) Time-Traveling Tabby, and The Ghost Ships. Currently, she is writing the new, revised 2nd ed. of a popular Healing Powers book, 2026. She is a South Lake Tahoe local. Her website is http://www.calorey.com  Healthy Tahoe

Recreating a Seattle-Tahoe healthy blend at home

Sep