Pike's Market: Savor Seattle Tour Part 1

Start of the Pike's Place Savor Seattle Tour
We met at a Starbuck's outside the market and the tour guide passed out ear pieces.
The ear pieces were really nice, because you could hear everything the guide was saying without being right next to him. If you fell back to look at something, you didn't miss any of the tour. The only strange part: I went to the bathroom and could still hear the tour. Little bit creepy. :P

After a frozen treat at Starbuck's we had donuts here.

Then we went to the Spice Market. This is such a great store! We had samples of Spice Market tea, which has cinnamon oil in it. I hate cinnamon teas like the Good Earth tea, but this was yummy! Sweet, but not sugary.

Lots of spices and teas.

Then we had 3 samples of smoked salmon.

Lots of tourists.

Piggy bank. People put in money and the money goes to pay for food and medical care for the (homeless) people that live in the market.

Fruit!

The next stop was Frank's for some grapes and cherry samples.

See part 2 for how delicious these morels were.

We didn't really stop at this both and there wasn't any sample, but the guide told us a little about the chile garlands. I don't know what he said, because I was still distracted by all the gorgeous fruit and vegetables!

They sure are pretty!

Another store. I just snapped pics of everything.

Next stop was the Pike Place Chowder. Soooooo good. I didn't get a pic of the actually chowder, because my hands were full with the 2 cute little cups of chowder that we ate as samples. The best chowder EVER!!

Post alley.

Why is it called Post Alley?

Because there is a post.

People hitched their horses to posts in this alley instead of paying for a stable. Probably a good place to hang out if you were a horse thief.

The Sanitary Public Market.

Sanitary because hoofed animals weren't allowed inside.

Lots of flowers!

Next stop: Chukar's Cherries.

We got to go behind the counter for our sample of chocolate covered cherries and cherry salsa! Which I found super exciting.

See how excited I am!

See we were behind the counter!

Dad thought it was neat too!

Next: Beecher's Handmade Cheese.

Cheese makers making cheese.

Wouldn't it be fun to dive into those cheese curds?!?

Mac and cheese made with Beecher's Cheese.

So yummy, but may I suggest a little bit of thyme added to the recipe?

Cheese and crackers.

Mom trying a sample.

I thought this was impressive. Hula hoops, harmonica and guitar.

The buskers pay for a spot and time to play in the market. Not everyone gets a spot they have a kind of board that decides who gets in.

Next stop: Piroshky Piroshky.

Salmon and veggie.

They were OK, but I thought the pastry was a little soggy. I wouldn't wait in the GIANT line to buy one.

That was an especially nice thing about this tour, we didn't have to wait in line for our samples.

Different view - moving down through the market.

Those piroshkys (piroshkies?).

The 'first' Starbucks.

The original logo. Hmmmmmm.

Last stop: Etta's.

Crab cake with tomatillo salsa.

The salsa was good, good, good - the crab cake was OK.

The END.

This was a FUN tour! I was sad when it was over and wished it would have lasted a little longer. We saw, ate, learned and heard so much that, without this tour, we never would have known about.

Highly reccomended!

*sigh* I LoVe tours.

Pike's Market: Savor Seattle Tour Part 2

Pike's Market - Savor Seattle Tour cont.

Amazing selection of pastas. We bought a few and sampled some chocolate linguine. Hmmm? Very different.
Mom and me by a flower stall.

Flowers!

I wanted to buy them all!

Yum!

Look at the size of these shrimp!

We stopped for a break at the Crumpet Shop and had many, many cups of tea, a crumpet with butter and honey and plenty of people watching.

Mural at the Crumpet Shop.

Mom buying some fruits and vegetables from Frank's Market.

We bought some smoked fish here.

Mom and me resting and drinking some more Market Spice tea with our new Market Spice bags.

Mom and Dad.

After all that food what could be better than a nice piece of gum?

Preferably not ABC gum!

Mom and Dad.

Dad and me.

Chickens! Yay!

This shop had all kinds of eggs - duck, quail, goose and chickens.

These are a few of the delicious things we bought (and ate!).

This butter was so, so good. We bought 2 tubs (in 6 days) and ate every bit.

Black velvet plums. So sweet!

A little collage.

Challenge: Can you make a meal from the above ingredients?

Sea beans. These were awesome. Just don't microwave them. They have sea salt ('cause they're from the sea) and the salt sparks in the micro.

Rainer cherries. Really amazing eaten on the beach.

Kumquats. My new favorite food. You want to kill yourself while you're eating them, because they are sour, but then they are sweet and ahhhhh delish and you want to eat another one. And another one and another one.....

Mangoes.

Mom making dinner. Yum!

Morels in sage butter. So, so good. Like vegetarian bacon fat. Crispy, chewy and salty.

Dad and me enjoying our sage butter morels.

Market Spice 'um spices? Tea and nice little tea bags and yeah spices too.

Bread, cheese and tomatoes.

Ah, dinner view!