Savor Seattle (Part 1 of 2)

For regular readers of my blog, I have to warn you, this is going to be another instance in which I gush about Seattle. So, if you’ve had enough flowery descriptions of the market and mountains, take this opportunity to catch up the news about the world around you. For example, this story about dairy farmers. 

This trip was my mini-vacation before starting my new job. We flew out Thursday night, and got in too late to do much except collapse on a hotel room bed. We stayed at the Red Lion Hotel, which, to be honest, has the potential to be a much better hotel. The décor was grand and the location ideal, but even with the leather wallpaper the rooms left lots to be desired. The bedding was beyond its prime and food that was left outside the room wasn’t picked up for two days. The hotel was hosting an economics conference Andrew’s dad was attending, so that is what brought us in, and for a place to rest our heads, it worked. And that is all the negative Nellie you’ll be getting here.

Friday morning we woke up and met for a group dinner in the Terrace. I opted for a small meal as to keep my appetite for the Pike’s Market Savor Seattle Tour we were scheduled to take at 10:30. If the weather were a little nicer we could have sat on the patio, but instead we left it for the birds. The Savor Seattle tour started at the Starbucks across from the Green Tortoise Hostel and the market. The tour promised market food and Seattle fun facts. It definitely delivered. From the starting Starbucks we “sampled” chai apple cider. I have sampled in parenthesis because I have tried nearly everything on Starbucks menu, and have on more than one occasion ordered this delicious drink on a cozy fall day. We introduced ourselves to the group and met a few other folks from the Midwest. And, in addition to names and cities we call home, we also shared our favorite food. I went with cheese. A family of four independently said a different type of meat for his or her favorite food, including the daughter who must have been about 5 or 6 years old who said lamb. 

After Starbucks, we crossed the cobblestone road to the Economy Market, originally a hotel that realized the value of it's land early and transformed its space into additional stalls for farmers to handle the large crowds of shoppers. The destination in the Economy Market was Daily Dozen Doughnut Company. We sampled cinnamon sugar doughnuts fried in the hottest oil to create a crispy outside with a light, doughy inside. The cinnamon made it easy to compare to a churro, the way churros are supposed to be.  From there we went to Market Spice Tea. For some in our group, this was their favorite place. The big secret? One of the previous owners didn't even like tea, but they were able to make the best blend of orange and cinnamon tea around. 

From sweet breakfast staples we transitioned to the savory Seattle staple: salmon. The Pike Place Fish Company has been in Seattle since 1930. In 1965 it was purchased by an employee whose goal was to make enough on an owner's salary to make the payments on his new Buick. Twenty years later, nearing bankruptcy, the company harnessed the power of the flying fish to become a worldwide sensation. This was the only place without a veggie option, so Andrew got double fish portions before we headed outside for some fruit.

Yes, it's not a salmon. But they weren't trowing him, so it was easier to snap a shot quick. 

Only a few stalls just that are a part of the old Sanitary market (originally this was the only space animals were not allowed to enter)  allowed to sell foods not grown locally. The one we visited was Frank's Quality Produce Company. This multi-generation family business sells exotic fruit like pineapple and kiwi alongside strawberries, blueberries, pears, and eggplants. They were the juicy, full-flavored fruits that Midwesterners crave in the winter. As we ate the perfectly pieced pears and bold blueberries, we learned a fun fact about eggplants: some are male and some are female. Male eggplants are deeper in color, less bitter, and have a roundish "bellybutton" on the bottom. Female eggplants have more a a "slit bellybutton" and have more seeds, which are bitter. So, we'll give this one to the guys, they simply taste better (mostly because they aren't responsible for the seeds that ensure the proliferation of their species). 

These last couple may be a little out of order, but no matter what came first, they were all delicious. I'm going to start with Beecher's cheese. THE. BEST. MAC & CHEESE. It's rich, creamy, a bit sharp, and delivers the kind of comfort adults missing their mom's cooking can savor. I lucked out and got a double helping of one of the cubes of Beecher's famous Flagship cheese. They have crafted the words to describe this cheese almost as carefully as the cheese itself, so I'll let it speak for itself:

"The first wheel of Flagship, Beecher’s signature cheese, was handcrafted just as Beecher’s Handmade Cheese opened its doors in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market in November of 2003. Flagship is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a uniquely robust, nutty flavor. It is carefully aged for 15 months under the watchful eye of the cheesemaker to fully develop its complex flavor and ever-so-slight crumble. " - Beecher's website

 Chukar Cherries will make you remember why cherries are the staple of any good summer picnic, and help you realize they can be so much more. The people at Chukar used to grow the cherries themselves on an orchard in Yakima Valley, which is the region the cherries still come from today.  What is a Chukar? Here's one from their logo.

The samples were Cabernet cherries, truffle cherries, chocolate honey pecans, raspberry truffles, and cherry bings. All better than the last, don't ask me to choose a favorite.

We also visited the award winning Pikes Place Chowder. I didn't get their awarding winning clam chowder, but their vegan corn chowder was a great veggie option. The clam chowder and seafood bisque folks will probably diasagree, but I was happy with my sample. And the difference between bisque and chowder, as we learned from someone's smart phone in the group: bisque is usually smooth and chowder is usually chunky.  What do you prefer?

Then there was the Piroshkys from Piroshky, Piroshky. This bakery got its name from street vendors in Russia. Like New Yorkers know the Hot Dog call, Russians heard the Piroshky call. The piroshky is a stuffed pie. There are savory fillings like like cheese, chives, potatoes, salmon or beef, and sweet pies like cinnamon and apple. The best traditional foods come in the form of a dumplings and the piroshky is just another example of great family cooking. Take a look at this deliciousness before it went into the oven.

Our last stop, just before the skies opened up for a few drops to fall, was the famous Etta's, one of Tom Douglas's many Seattle restaurants. For the meat eaters, crab cakes. For me corn bread. The perfect end to a wonderful tour.

We walked back trough the market, stopping at most of the places we visited to buy take-home treats and then stumbled on a cute Italian shop that had a wine tasting and something that made the mac and cheese a little better: truffle oil. Though we brought some home, something tells me it won't taste the same on Roundy's brand macaroni and cheese in the shape of Spongebob.

To make myself feel a little less guilty about all the food I just indulged in, I went for a run a little after returning to the hotel and left Andrew to nap before hanging out with his dad's economists for a little while that evening. There is something about Seattle air that just makes me feel happy when I running (even as I'm struggling up the hills, and admittedly walking one or two of them). I ran to the sculpture garden, which I'll talk more about in part two of this Seattle post. So, stay tuned for part two, where I'll talk about the Diamond Jubilee, a living room rave, the sculpture garden, and more.

Talk Derby to Me

Note: This blog was started nearly a month ago. A crazy, exciting, unpredictable month. My job hunt is finally over, and I have a new place in Edgewater (still close to Lake Michigan, and closer to some great friends). Moving and starting a new job have left little time for writing. Today is the first day in an effort to get back on track not only on this blog, but on that novel I've been telling myself I'll finish by the end of the year. Below is a quick recap of the Derby trip. Next up: Weekend in Seattle.

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In 1970, Hunter S. Thompson wrote “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved.” It was the result of deadline driven madness that led to the publication of his first person account of the spectacle that is the Kentucky Derby and the beginning of gonzo journalism. Though I was never for want of a Julep, I can say with certainty that my experiences at the Derby have been watered-down in comparison, but they have never failed to deliver lively tales of pomp and circumstance (and indulgence). This year was no different.

This was the first time have ever had a ticket to the “grand stand” and made it to the Oaks, which takes place the Friday before “the most exciting two minutes in sports.” Right after Andrew and I met up with his brother and sister-in-law, the Churchill Downs staff members were herding everyone inside. We thought we could wait it out in our ponchos, but just as we picked up a couple abandoned lily glasses, we were told to join the others under the stands. There was no way we were fitting in, people were packed in like the back of a clown car, so we stood on the outside letting the rain pound our poncho hoods. It was the kind of rain that seems as though someone is pouring a bucket of water directly onto you, but not a big bucket because it didn’t last for too long. 

We were back in the stands within a few minutes and waiting for the next race, eyes peeled for the Julep seller. The Oaks is known as Ladies Day at Churchill Downs, to raise awareness for Women’s Health Issues everyone wears pink and there is a cancer survivor parade. I took the opportunity to wear my favorite pink shirt with a sequined flower appliqué from my travels to Australia half a decade ago. It’s one of those shirts I just can’t give away, even though it might be beyond its prime. Who knew there were so many shades of pink? Nearly everyone in the crowd was sporting a pink hat, shirt or skirt.

The day of the oaks also marked Andrew’s brother’s birthday, so we sang and after the races made our way to a steak house for a late dinner. They had fried pickles, so really, I was set. I also got a loaded baked potato (substituting broccoli for bacon). For a steak house, my options were pretty good, and the servers brought out a birthday dessert. It was a tasty, filling end to a good first day in Louisville.

The Derby day was hot. Not "you'll be fine if you wear light colors, linen shorts, and sunscreen" hot, but "even the devil would hate it outside" hot. But, the juleps were flowing, sunscreen was being reapplied, people were wearing hats, and horses were racing. The bets I placed for friends came through, and I didn't loose more than a couple bucks betting. You don't loose what you don't bet, but that also means no "big money" wins were going to come through for me. 

As for the hat, Andrew's mom let me borrow a colorful hat that fit well with the Cinco de Mayo at the Derby theme more than a few people were following. Sombreros were not uncommon. 

This year we didn't make it to the infield or the paddock. And honestly, we didn't hear about the murder at the paddock until a couple days later. It's still under investigation. The stands are so crowded and there is so much going on, that there is a lot that I didn't get to see (like the fabulous hats of the celebrities who didn't make it to the jumbo screen). But, it's always better to be there than watch it on TV. Like most sporting events, I'm in it for the time I get to spend with my friends not who wins or looses. But, in case you'd like a reminder about the Derby winner, it was I'll Have Another. He was on his way to the triple crown, but was scratched from the Belmont due to an ankle injury.