The Pike Place Market: The Dolly Parton of Groceries
What could this metaphor possibly mean? Do I find the market do be a busty bussom of plenty? Or perhaps the market is past its prime and has become a glitzy crowd pleaser who has lost its roots to Hollywood — but if you dig hard enough, you might still find an awesome recording of Jolene?
No, I mean the damn market only works 9 to 5. Maybe 8-6 if you’re lucky.
As something of a yuppie, the market’s schedule is perfectly incompatible with my daily routine. I’m speaking here about the market part of the market. The restaurants and cafes keep reasonable hours. (Le Panier opens at 7am for my morning brioche and cappuccino. For a real treat, show up on a weekend and buy a basket of six brioche in a wooden basket. Slice the brioche loaf length-wise and make french toast from it. Top it with sweetened mascarpone from DeLaurenti and fresh seasonal berries… HOLY SHIT.)
But say you want fresh vegetables. Your options are: 1. Go to work late. 2. Come home early. 3. Buy your vegetables on the weekend.
Ok, so say you wait until Sunday to try and make your produce last the week. Well by Friday, it isn’t really all that fresh, now is it? And really, many of the specialty shop owners love life too much to work Sundays.
This is especially true of the glorious women at Bavarian Meats. I went home early one day to pick up some Landjäger (~$9.50/lb, local) for my boss. According to Hoss, this stuff is best if you leave it hanging in a dry place (a feat in Seattle) for a month until the lining gets a little white on the edges. Intriguing. I’ll take a picture of the contraption that he’s building in his office to dry it. I will vouch that it’s Fucking Delicious™ from day one.
What’s worse, you’ll have to brave large crowds on the weekends.
Is it worth it? God yes. This blog will help you get in and out alive on a weekend… as soon as I figure out how myself. So far, I’ve learned it’s best to know where everything is so that you can avoid high-traffic areas in your search for chanterelles. I hope to create a “Phil’s Guide to the Market” map, updated regularly as the market evolves. Stay tuned.
Coming next: I’ve purchased a Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese Kit! Cheese of the week: Beecher’s Flagship cheese and Just Jack cheese. Also: Nancy at The Pike Place Market Creamery accepts cash, check, and IOUs? How awesome is that?
-Phil
Posted in Pike Place Market Tips
July 28th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I went Pike Market shopping yesterday. Theo Chocolate from that yummy Italian store at the end, Lime Cilantro pasta from Papparadelle’s, and shrimp from City Fish (I think — the north-most shop). The guy at Papparadelle’s gave me a yummy recipe for lime sauce (basically, lime + olive oil), and with some peas and parmesan I had a totally YUM meal with tasty nibs chocolate to finish! Oo, yum yum yum!
July 28th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Jenni, that sounds delightful. Chocolate nibs ftw.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Oh man, I love landjäger. Best skiing lunch ever: Landjäger, crusty bread, and cheese, extra points for wine, extra extra points (if you’re in the United States of Puritanism) for covertly drinking right in the brown-bag lodge out of dixie cups.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:54 am
That’s so funny — I immediately thought of Elenbaas skiing picnics when I first bit into a landjäger sausage… I had no idea I’d had it before! What a vivid connection.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
[...] In other news, here’s the promised picture of Hoss’ Landjäger hanger that I mentioned last post. [...]
January 4th, 2010 at 2:49 am
Thanks for the review on our Mac & Cheese! We appreciate you taking the time and would love to thank you with a sampling of some new frozen sides we’ve been working on – all just as cheesy as our macs! If you’re interested, shoot your contact/shipping information to cheesemonger@beecherscheese.com and we’ll drop some in the mail. We’re happy to delete your info after we ship you the goods, just let us know! Thanks again!