Gourmet your Sunday football experience with our Game Day Iconic Market Box!
Football is back, and we are more ready then ever! Whether you are a fan of our beloved Seattle
Seahawks or still rep your hometown team, this week’s Iconic Market Box is all about prepping you for the next big game. Inside you will find a medley of game day favorites with a Pike Place Market twist to make your Game Day stay-at-home “party” the place for your family to be.
Corfini Gourmet
Though technically not a business within the Pike Place Market, Corfini Gourmet is not your ordinary distributer. This chef-driven company supplies the meat and seafood to some of the most well-recognized restaurants and shops in the city! Based in Seattle, their customers consider them to be a leading distributer amongst their peers for clean beef, pork, poultry, lamb and game programs. They are also able to provide customers dry-aged products with the use of their unique dry-aging facility that is one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest. Follow Corfini Gourmet on Instagram @corfini_gourmet.
This week, Corfini is providing us with some of the best chicken drums and flats you can find in
Washington with 3 pounds of Draper Valley chicken wings (2 pounds in the “classic” size box). Draper Valley produces all-natural, antibiotic-free chicken. Their chickens are raised on a 100% vegetarian diet, demonstrating that we really are what we eat. 2- or 3 pounds not enough? Add-on additional wings to your order!
Pike Place Fish Market
For many visitors to Pike Place Market, the first thing people see or talk about is the “guys throwing the fish” (ahem- there are women fishmongers there too!). Pike Place Fish Market has been around since the 1920s but their history really gets interesting in the 1960s when Japanese American Johnny Yokohama purchased the business. His family once had a produce stand that stood just next door to where the fish market stands today; the family business was lost when Japanese internment was implemented. As Johnny operated his business, he realized that he and his team had to do a lot of walking when someone ordered seafood – grabbing the product from the display up front, then walking it to the back to cut, clean, wrap etc., then walk it all the way back to the customer. Johnny figured it took about 60 steps down and back, and at a time when a pound of fresh clams were 60 cents a pound, getting paid 1 cent per step did not feel right. Trying to find a suitable solution, he realized that he could simply “toss” the fish or bagged product up and over the counter as long as a fishmonger was there to catch it. Thus, throwing the fish started not as a flashy promotion as many seem to think today, but rather as a measure of efficiency.
This week, Pike Place Fish Market has included an incredibly special gourmet sauce called Umami 33 Game Day Marinade. This spicy and savory sauce is perfect for marinating your drums and flats, giving them a delicious sweet heat with a tangy aftertaste that will leave you wanting more. Its name comes from the Japanese word “umami,” translating to “pleasant savory taste” and is considered the fifth taste (sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami). The number “33” represents the 33 batches it took to create their sauce’s perfect recipe today. Follow Pike Place Fish Market and Umami 33 on Instagram @pikeplacefish and @therealumami33.
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 Genzales’ 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’ Quality Produce. Locals choose this stall not just for the high quality of produce, but because of the people that make this stall so special. It is not a rarity to find team members recommending recipes or describing flavors of veggies unfamiliar to those who pass by or visit. It is that kind of quality service that keeps locals loyal, and why we love working with this amazing family-owned small business.
Each week, Iconic Market Boxes include a box of produce, curated by Frank Jr. and his team. The
produce changes each week based on availability and season, ensuring that our customers get the best produce available – much fresher and better than what you find at the grocery store! Follow Frank’s Quality Produce on Instagram @franksqualityproduce.
Pike’s Pit Bar-B-Que
Did you know you can get wood-smoked barbecue in Pike Place Market? Pike’s Pit BBQ is only a few years old in the 113-year-old farmers market, but its history in Seattle goes back for 30 years. Ron and Debra Wise opened Peco’s Pit BBQ just a few miles south of the Market, across the street where Starbucks HQ calls home. There, they become well known for their slow roasted, wood smoked beef brisket and pork shoulder BBQ sandwiches, drenched with their signature “Only” sauce. The Pike’s Pit location opened up in 2018 and has since grown a fantastic following, especially for all the delicious sides they offer with their BBQ offerings. Follow Pike’s Pit BBQ on Instagram @pikespit.
In this week’s Iconic Market Box, you will find their homemade 5-meat chili, loaded with brisket, pork, chicken, spicy hotlinks, and bacon. The chili has a touch of spice and sweetness to make each bite a perfect taste! You will also find 4 mini cornbread muffins to pair with the chili and soak up the juicy leftovers in your bowl (2 muffins for the classic size).
Sunny Honey
Anne Smith has not only worked in the Market for many years, she built a business from the ground up within it. She is an expert in honey, having spent many years as a beekeeper, starting with two beehives– one behind her Capitol Hill apartment and the other in her best friend’s backyard in Georgetown. She later spent time in Whatcom County as a pollinator and started her company, Sunny Honey Company in 2010. By 2014, she was invited to be a permanent stall in Pike Place Market, and business has been sweet ever since. Follow Sunny Honey Company on Instagram – @sunnyhoneyco.
Sunny Honey’s Wildflower honey is perfect slathered on pretty much anything you can imagine.
Wildflower plants can be found growing wild virtually everywhere, giving off a light and sweet smell that is very present in this jar of honey. It is also very thick, so a little goes a long way! We suggest you slather your cornbread with the honey and some warm butter for a comforting treat as the fall weather heads our way.
Joe Chocolate
Do you love chocolate? Do you love coffee? Then you will love Joe Chocolate – literally the best of both worlds. Owners Sam Tanner and Peter Keckemet came up with the concept of coffee-infused chocolate for a class project at the University of Washington, and later made the concept a reality as an energizing trail snack for their thru-hiking friends on the Pacific Crest Trail. As a two-man operation, they would make their chocolate product after hours using the back kitchen of Spuds Fish & Chips. Since then, they have grown significantly in size and popularity, and were able to open their first café and factory in Pike Place Market in 2019.
Joe Chocolate uses simple ingredients, and always avoids artificial sweeteners or preservatives. They source fair-labor chocolate and co-op Latin American coffee beans. Not only is the chocolate delicious, but it will wake you up – one bag of Joe Chocolate is equivalent to two cups of coffee, or 90 Mg of caffeine!
Lovers of the outdoors, the company sponsors those who lack the financial resources to hike the Pacific Crest Trail through their Caveman Dirtbag Sponsorship. It provides 8 care packages for hikers with cash, food, gear, and equipment needed for the journey. They want to make sure a lack of funds doesn’t keep anyone from enjoying the Great Outdoors.
Each Iconic Market Box comes with 2 gigantic extra chocolatey sea salt chunk cookies. The sea salt flakes are a tasty contrast to the sweet chocolate chunks baked into each cookie. Dipping in milk is not required, but highly encouraged. Follow Joe Chocolate on Instagram @joechocolateco.
Honest Biscuits
Art Stone was 4 years old when he learned how to make biscuits with his grandmother back in his home state of North Carolina. As an adult, he found himself on vacation in Seattle’s Pike Place Market and fell in love with the artisan craft food scene. After that trip he returned home, quit his job as an administrative judge, and perfected his grandmother’s biscuit recipe, which is open for all to try today at Honest Biscuits. Their extra-large size makes them perfect as a sandwich bun, and its soft yet dense layers soak up any sauces, honey, or jam without getting soggy or overly messy. Follow Honest Biscuits on Instagram @honestbiscuits.
Each Iconic Market Box comes with their signature kale slaw. A traditional Southern-style coleslaw, this version uses kale instead of cabbage. It strikes a nice, crunchy balance with all the other gameday treats in this box. Enjoy this as a side during the big game!
Michou Gourmet Deli
A favorite among the crafts line vendors, artists and pretty much everyone who works in the 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.
Michou offers us a great treat this week: Bleu cheese dip. This dip is funky and delicious, and better than any bleu cheese sauce you have eaten at your local tavern or sports bar. Dip your wings or celery in this for a magical taste of gameday at home. Follow Michou Deli on Instagram @michoudeli.
Cobb’s Gourmet Popcorn
If you ever take the elevator down to Western Avenue from the Main Arcade building, then you will have no doubt walked directly past Cobb’s Gourmet Popcorn, owned and operated by Rowen Ring & Erin Cobb. Cobb’s originally started in a garage as Cobb’s bootleg popcorn, and was secretly sold and sought after by popcorn lovers in Seattle neighborhoods. As their reputation grew, they soon realized that going legit was better than a lawsuit, and the operation moved to the historic Pike Place Market.
The brand takes pride in the idea that their popcorn is “guilt-free pleasure” – meaning that their
ingredients are of the highest quality and they do not take shortcuts like some of their competitors. This difference can be experienced just by taste alone, which is why the business has encouraged sampling their products to potential guests who walk by. The statewide shutdown naturally took a toll on their business, especially since their products were rarely seen for sale online.
In this week’s iconic box, you are all in for an exclusive treat: their “Chicago Mix” of cheddar and caramel popcorn! Because why only have one or the other when you can have both? Speaking of, if you need more than one bag we have 2 other flavors to add-on to your order! Follow Cobb’s Popcorn on Instagram @cobbspopcorn.
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 Works version of the Iconic Market Box includes a 1 lb. bag of whole bean coffee. Follow Middle Fork Roasters on Instagram @middleforkroasters.
