One of the highlights of our Seattle trip was the Savor Seattle Food Tour of Pike Place Market. The company has deemed itself the official Pike Place Market food tour, and in my opinion, rightfully so. For a nominal fee of $39 per person, anyone can experience the sights, sounds and tastes of the Market.
This two hour walking tour highlights nine or ten merchants located in the Market, and on each stop, the tourist is given a delectable sample to nosh on. Our tour guide, Santino, was friendly and very knowledgeable, especially when it came to the history, as well as the ins and outs of the Market. It also helps that he has a sense of humor. We took the morning tour, and here are the stops:
1) Daily Dozen Donut Company - Whether you're a fan of donuts or not, these are guaranteed to brighten your day. Who doesn't like deep fried dough covered in sugar (in our case, cinnamon sugar)? It was hot, crispy, doughy, sweet and simply delish.
2)
MarketSpice - This store has been a part of the Market since 1911, so there is a rich history associated with it. They specialize in bulk teas and spices, as evidenced by the jars lining all the shelves. We sampled a small cup of their Cinnamon-Orange tea, which consists black tea, with hints of cinnamon, orange and clove. It's a strong flavor. I'm not particularly a fan of spicy tea, but if this is your cup of tea (pun intended), then enjoy.
3)
World Famous Pike Place Fish Market - You know the place in Seattle where they throw you a fish? Well, this is it. The seafood is so fresh, it's ridiculous. A little on the pricey side, but I think you're essentially paying for quality that is well worth the extra bucks. The fishmongers are super nice, and helpful. We sampled the Alderwood Smoked Salmon, Alderwood Smoked Salmon with Garlic and Pepper, and Alderwood Smoked Salmon Belly Strips. Each was great in its own right, but I preferred the first smoked salmon sample.
4) Frank's Quality Produce - I'm sorry to say that I really wasn't paying much attention at this part, as I got distracted by the gianormous assortment of beautiful tulips and lilacs all over the market. I was able to take a couple of pictures, however, and sampled an apple wedge. The apple was crisp and sweet, with a slight tartness to it (would be good for a pie or a cobbler).
5)
Beecher's Handmade Cheese - One of Seattle's best artisan cheeses, if not, the best. It is one of the few cheese shops that practice traditional open vat cheesemaking. The result is a flavorful cheese of superior quality. We had the pleasure of sampling the Beecher's Flagship cheese, made from cow's milk. It had a robust and nutty flavor, that paired well with the homemade cracker. We also got to try some of Beecher's Mac n' Cheese, made famous by Martha Stewart and Oprah. Definitely worth a visit.
6)
Chukar Cherries - A family business specializing in combining chocolate with dried cherries, it is one of the Market's main attractions. Customers can sample sweet cherries covered in decadent chocolate. We got to try some of their Cherry Peach Salsa, which was fruity, although I wish it had a little more heat than the guide promised. We also got to sample a variety of their chocolates. I really liked the Bing Cherries covered in Milk Chocolate. It was tart and sweet all at the same time...yummy.
7)
Pike Place Chowder - Their recipe for clam chowder has won so many awards that it was inducted into the Clam Chowder Hall of Fame. Honest! The chowder was creamy, with the distinct flavors of clams, celery, dill, and a hint of lemon. In fact, it was so good that I forgot to take a picture until the very end. We also got to sample the Seafood Bisque, tasty, but not as good as the chowder.
8)
Piroshky Piroshky - Hailed as the best Russian bakery in this hemisphere, Piroshky Piroshky offers hand held pies with a variety of fillings. On our tour, we tried the Beef and Cheese Piroshky, which became one of my favorites. The savory ground beef with cheese inside of freshly baked pastry was excellent. I wasn't a great fan of the sweeter fare, however. The Apple Cinnamon Roll was ok; I guess I wasn't impressed with the filling, it had too much cinnamon.
9)
Etta's - The
pièce de résistance of the tour, Etta's is owned by renowned Seattle celebrity chef Tom Douglas. This particular restaurant specializes in "seasonal, market driven seafood" that attracts locals and tourists alike. The Dungeness Crab Cake is to die for - so much fresh crab that you can't even really consider it a cake. It was a perfect, crispy bite served with a zesty chipotle aioli (if I remember correctly).
The Savor Seattle Food Tour is a must for anyone visiting Seattle for the first time. It really allows you to be a part of the Pike Place Market, without the lines. Just follow the pink umbrella.
Savor Seattle Food Tours, 1916 Pike Place, Suite 12-480, Seattle, WA
http://www.savorseattletours.com/
