Slide Show: Found at Columbia City Farmers Market
At the Kittitas Valley Greenhouse tent, the specialty is tomatoes. The plentiful variety is sure to satisfy even the most seasoned taste buds.
Fiona Higgins, 19, who operates the Kittitas stand, recommends the black cherry variety, second from the left. They’re hard to find in stores and a bit tangier than your ordinary cherry tomatoes, she says. Stock up early—they often sell out right away, Higgins added.
Seattle residents Jeff Lock and Marissa Voisin show off their prized purchases. Voisin holds up raspberry apple cider from Rockridge Orchards and Lock a jar of hot and spicy pickles. He plans to use the leftover brine for DIY pickling.
Molly Liang (left) and Molly Griffard proffer fresh strawberries as well as signature jams and jellies from Tiny’s Organic out of Douglas County.
Tiny’s must-try item? The pluot pepper jam, says Griffard. It’s made with the plum-apricot hybrid and organic jalapeños.
Sara Stockett, 21, scoops kimchi at the Firefly Kitchens counter. Firefly specializes in all-natural preserved foods, such as the spicy pickled cabbage and sauerkraut. Stockett says the kimchi is her favorite of Firefly’s products, though most people “tend to make a face when they look at it” and give it a pass. Adventurous eaters, however, are rewarded with delicious free samples.
While on the hunt for flowers, veggies, and caramels, Margee Monson (left) purchases a jar of regular sauerkraut from Stockett. Monson and friend Jill Johnson call West Seattle home but ventured to the market after hearing it was one of the best around.
You may have noticed these goodies popping up at culinary shops like Picnic and Pasta & Co. They’re Hot Cakes: take-and-bake mason jars filled with molten chocolate batter. Available flavors include dark decadence, milk chocolate brownie, and vegan dark chocolate. Hot Cakes also offers caramel sauces and pastries such as fruit-based pocket pies. Pictured here is Autumn Martin, 30, the Cakes confectioner.
Hot Cakes also sells a variety of cookies. From top to bottom, pick from double chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin bacon, s’mores, or peanut butter. For the s’mores cookies, Martin smokes the chocolate for five hours.
Martin hands a cookie to an eager customer. A self-proclaimed "peanut butter fiend," we didn’t need to ask which one is her favorite.
Lark sous chef Wiley Frank, 33, prepares a dish called Pa Lo at Shophouse, a pop-up specializing in street-style Thai cuisine. In the bowl goes sticky rice, pork shoulder and broth, cilantro, bitter greens, boiled egg, hot sauce, and bamboo shoots that came from “over there,” Frank says as he points to a tent across the market.
Whenever possible, Frank and wife PK source ingredients from their fellow vendors, making for an unbeatable freshness.
