Monday, September 28, 2009

My Trip to Pikes Place Market

The Famous Pikes Place Market in Seattle. All the brochures say that at 102 years old, it is the longest continuously operating farmers market in the country. The people in Soulard might have something to say about that though...

Anyway, this market has a pretty cool history. Apparently between 1906 and 1907, the price of onions in Seattle skyrocketed. The citizens were angry about paying fees to middlemen who brokered the produce. A councilman at the time suggested a public street market where consumers could deal directly with the farmers. On August 17, 1907, the market opened to 10,000 customers and sold out before noon. Today, the market has 120 farmers and another 190 craftspeople.

This is where they throw the fish. Unfortunately, no fish were being flung as I snapped some photos on Wednesday.


Monster sized wild King Salmon.


Shrimp as big as your head.



And lobster tails.

The market had more than just fish though.


There were all kinds of locally produced honey and chocolates and preserves and salsas.
Where are the farmers? The sign says "farmers market" too!
Oh how I love chiles. I should have brought an empty suitcase with me.


It was "Organic Wednesday" so all of these blackberries, raspberries and grapes were organic. Heaven.

Some brightly colored veggies.

And flowers everywhere. Bouquet after bouquet of $5 arrangements. If I lived in Seattle, my home would have fresh flowers everyday.

Here's a vegetable that I have never seen in real life. Its romanesco, a type of broccoli. I was stunned when I saw it. Its like the unicorn of vegetables.

3 comments:

  1. Did you buy the romanesco and cook it? If so, was it good?

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  2. I didn't. I didn't have anywhere to cook it, and I didn't think it would travel well. Have you ever seen that in real life? I swear I have never seen it. It looks like it would taste like broccoli and cauliflower mixed together. (Or am I saying that because I subliminally remember hearing that somewhere?)

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  3. Oh also, you would appreciate this, it was local and organic.

    ReplyDelete