Fall is Comfort Food Season and we are all for it!
We don’t know about you, but we’re fully feeling this transition into fall! With the new season upon us, its time to bring out the scarves and sweaters as comfort takes priority over everything. That includes comfort food as well, and nothing warms the belly better than your favorite, rich, mouth-watering treats that feel like a hug when you take that first bite. We’ve curated just that in this week’s Iconic Market box. Full of gourmet Pike Place Market treats that we know you will love, we are pretty sure you’ll never want this box to end.
Piroshky Piroshky
If you were to ask a Savor Seattle tour guide how to describe a Piroshky, the response would probably be something like “a baked bun of awesome,” or “fresh baked hot pocket on Russian steroids”. Both answers are true, and really the best piroshkies in the city come from Piroshky Piroshky in Pike Place Market. The business was founded in 1992 by the Kotelnikov family with only $1,200 in startup capital. Thanks to the support and donations from friends and the Russian community, they were able to raise $20,000 to open and get started. After serving their community for over twenty years, the Kotelnikovs sold the business to Olga Sagan and she has been able to grow the family business into a well- recognized destination for folks looking for something tasty to eat when visiting Seattle.
This week, Iconic Market Box customers will receive 2 beef and cheese piroshkies and 2 apple cinnamon piroshkies. Both are classic flavors beloved by piroshky fans old and new, and are great to eat when on the move due to their handheld shape. Please note that “Classic” size boxes will only receive 1 of each type of piroshky, so choose wisely when ordering! Follow Piroshky Piroshky on Instagram @piroshkypiroshky.
Pike Place Chowder
When it comes to visiting Pike Place Market and looking for the ultimate comfort food, one place always comes to mind: Pike Place Chowder. The cozy chowder shop is well known for notoriously long lines in the summer season thanks to tourists patiently awaiting a bowl of their signature award-winning New England clam chowder. The business has humble roots at a small neighborhood diner in West Seattle – the Charleston Street Café – which Larry, the current owner of Pike Place Chowder, originally owned. Clam chowder was already a fan favorite, but it was decided to have a contest amongst the kitchen to see who had the best recipe, with the winner receiving some major bragging rights. The winner’s recipe – a fry cook – tasted so good that they ended up perfecting it and ultimately adopting it as a signature dish on the menu, and shortly after took the chowder on the road to clam chowder cookoffs both local and afar. They ended up winning the National Clam Chowder cookoff in Newport, Rhode Island three years running before being asked to not come back (they’d won too many times!). At that point, they decided to open a business dedicated solely to the award winning soup and to do so in the iconic Pike Place Market. Since then, they have been able to expand and grow as a company and the rest is history!
This week’s customers will receive 32 ounces of New England Clam Chowder. Packed frozen to preserve freshness, simply heat and serve to enjoy the comfort of Pike Place Market at home. If you are truly adventurous, turn your bread loaf into a bread bowl for a serious comfort food hack! Follow Pike Place Chowder in Instagram @pikeplacechowder.
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese is easily one of the most well known brands born from Pike Place Market. Known for their long lines for mac and cheese and large viewing windows enabling passersby to view daily cheese-making, it is a no-brainer that we have been working with this business from the first day of Savor Seattle’s food tour operations, over thirteen years ago.
Started by Kurt Beecher Dammeier, the Pike Place Market location opened in 2003 and has since expanded to the Flat Iron District in New York City and even to Monroe, Wisconsin. Eating food without harmful additives or preservatives is critical to Kurt and is even part of the company’s credo: “Beecher’s Handmade Cheese makes foods only with ingredients we trust, are proud of, and would eat ourselves. It’s just authentic and original food, full of flavor.”
This week Beecher’s is providing a triangle cut piece of their Dutch Hollow Dulcet. This rich and tangy cheese is produced in Beecher’s New York location exclusively, made with Jersey cow milk straight from Dutch Hollow Farms just outside of Albany, New York. An elegant treat for our Pacific Northwesters! Follow Beecher’s Handmade Cheese on Instagram @beecherscheese.
Frank’s Quality Produce
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, there is no better place than Frank’s Quality Produce, located at the Corner Market Building of Pike Place Market. Three generations of the Genzale family have had a presence in the Pike Place Market, starting with Frank “Cheech” Genzale in 1928, and now Frank Jr., the current owner and operator of Franks’s Quality Produce. Locals choose this stall not just for the quality of produce, but because of the people that make this stall so special. It is not uncommon to find team members recommending recipes or describing flavors of veggies unfamiliar to those passing by. It is that kind of service that keeps locals loyal to their small business, and why we love working with this amazing family-owned operation.
Each week, Iconic Market Boxes include a box of produce, curated by Frank Jr. and his team. The produce changes based on availability and seasonality, ensuring that our customers get the best produce available – oftentimes much fresher and better than what can be found at the grocery store! Follow Frank’s Quality Produce on Instagram @franksqualityproduce.
Michou Gourmet Deli
A favorite among the crafts vendors, artists and pretty much everyone who works in Pike Place Market, Michou World Class Deli makes another appearance in this week’s iconic Market Box. Michou’s bounty of panini-style sandwiches, soups, dips, desserts, and salads are beloved for their use of great quality ingredients, and lines are common in the morning and during the lunch rush. This week Michou Deli has provided their Fall Wheatberry Salad in two different sizes: 24 ounces for “The Works” size boxes and 14 ounces for “classic: size boxes. Follow Michou Deli on Instagram @michoudeli.
Truffle Queen
The tastiest little shop in Pike Place Market, Truffle Queen was started by Rei Hanscomb in 2003 as “La Buona Tavola” (The Good Table, in Italian) and recently rebranded as Truffle Queen to better convey their line of products and allow for the reveal of Rei’s own private label truffle products. Having a classically trained chef for a mother and a sister-in-law who married into an Italian truffle hunting family, it was only natural that Rei’s passion is to share delicious things whenever she discovers them. The shop has been a space where visitors can discover and learn all about truffles and how easy it is to use them in ways to make everyday a little more gourmet. The shop has recently re-opened after having to close from the statewide shutdown.
This week, Truffle Queen has provided Red Truffle Pesto. If you have never used pesto in your kitchen, you surely will now after tasting this rendition of the Italian kitchen staple. Savory black truffle flavor is ever-present in this pesto, and a little goes a long way. Thankfully, this version is also not too overpowering that you wouldn’t want another bite. Mix a spoonful with fresh pasta for a quick and simple meal or top your bagel chips with pesto for a gourmet ‘Lunchable’. Follow Truffle Queen on Instagram @trufflequeen.
Le Panier
If you love the smells of fresh-baked croissants and French press coffee, then you will love Le Panier in Pike Place Market. Started in 1983, the bakery blends together precise French technique with the local bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Signature items include the classic French baguette, almond croissants, and macarons. Today, as the Pike Place Market reopens, it is still the talk of the town, with lines still out the door.
This week, we have a loaf of campagne bread in the Iconic Market Box. Also known as “country bread,” think of it as a French sourdough. The large loaf is perfect for slicing and enjoyed on its own. We recommend grilling or toasting slices to dip into your New England clam chowder, or – if you don’t feel like sharing – carve the center out and use as a bread bowl. Don’t forget to take pictures to make everyone on social media jealous! Follow Le Panier on Instagram @lepanierbakery.
Seattle Bagel Bakery
Have you ever seen our famous fishmongers chowing down on a bagel with cream cheese during their break and wondered where they came from? Seattle Bagel Bakery is located right around the corner and has been serving the community fresh bagels every morning since 1986. “We make ’em, we bake ’em and we deliver them all within a 24-hour period,” said Allen Thorne, Production Manager at Seattle Bagel Bakery. The team at Seattle Bagel Bakery hold themselves to a high standard as well, following the old-school method of kettle boiling their bagels for that perfect chew and texture. They also use the best local ingredients available, such as flour from Shepherd’s Gran CO-OP, known in the region as the premier producer of sustainable Washington wheat.
Iconic Market Boxes this week include Sea Salt Bagel Chips from Seattle Bagel Bakery. These bagel chips are both crispy, crunchy, and can be used to dip in pretty much anything you can think of. We recommend slathering a dollop of your red truffle pesto and a small piece of your Dutch Hollow Dulcet cheese for a gourmet twist on the canape. Follow Seattle Bagel Bakery on Instagram @seattlebagel.
Perennial Tea Room
Tucked away in the Post Alley in the historic Pike Place Market, Perennial Tea Room is a small, independently owned tea shop run by Dolan Honsa and his small team of tea drinking experts. The shop was originally opened by two friends in 1990. After working at the shop for five years, Dolan became the new owner of the shop when he purchased it in spring 2019. His love and passion for tea comes from his own family’s ritual of trying new teas together. Since taking over, he and his team strive to create a nonjudgmental space for people to learn, smell and taste new things and hopefully find their cup of tea, growing the Seattle tea community. They prioritize ordering tea from family and fair-trade farm and take care of their customers by providing a personalized shopping experience to help you find the teas that best suit your taste.
This week Perennial Tea Room has included their loose-leaf Seattle chai tea. Pro-tip: after brewing your tea, strain it and then steam with milk for a delicious chai tea beverage that would rival a chai tea latte from your favorite coffee mega-chain. Please note that this item is omitted from the “Classic” size Iconic Market Box. Follow Perennial Tea Room on Instagram @perennialtearoom.
Chukar Cherries
If you ever enjoyed the morning version of Savor Seattle’s Signature Tour of Pike Place Market, you would remember your stop at Chukar Cherries. This day stall has been in business for over 30 years and is well known for their inviting staff, offering tastings to anyone who asks. The business was founded by Pam Montgomery, a Seattleite with no farming experience, but with a deep love for the outdoors. Seeing her small family grow, she they should move out of the city and found a property in Prosser, Washington that just happened to have a few cherry trees on it. Those “few” cherry trees turned out to be over a thousand Bing cherry trees, and many were left unattended after picking season ended. Pam soon realized the leftover cherries did not spoil on the tree, but rather the Eastern Washington sun and the natural sugar in the cherries lead to natural preservation. After eating one, she realized that the dried cherries were delicious and promptly started to cook with them, creating delightful treats. However, the biggest hit was covering those dried cherries in chocolate, and the rest is history!
This week you will find a bag of Milk Chocolate Honey Pecans in the Iconic Market Box. This treat is a honey roasted praline pecan, covered in milk chocolate then dusted with powdered sugar. It is literally sweet on sweet on sweet and we are NOT complaining. These little bites of joy are seriously addicting and make an excellent gift as you think about the upcoming holiday season. Follow Chukar Cherries on Instagram @chukarcherries.
Middle Fork Roasters
In 2009, a close-knit group of friends and coffee-lovers decided to put their passions first and began roasting coffee in the heart and soul of Seattle’s coffee scene. Since then, they have been regularly active in their community, giving back whenever they can and working with other businesses to help make their own coffee dreams come true. In fact, Middle Fork Roasters are responsible for providing the beans to many businesses around Seattle, including those in Pike Place Market.
We’re psyched that Middle Fork created the Savor Seattle Blend – a combination of Brazilian and Sumatran beans, delivering a bold yet buttery body with rich chocolate undertones. This laid-back blend provides an incredibly clean finish that is perfect for easing into your morning routine. Every “The Works” size Iconic Market Box includes a 1 lb. bag of whole bean coffee and is omitted from “Classic” size boxes. Follow Middle Fork Roasters on Instagram @middleforkroasters.
