In my never ending quest to bring you stories about notable food artisans and their handcrafted creations, Pike Place Market in Seattle is that one destination where I will always go to discover what’s “new on the shelf”. A tour through the many food shops lining the street can provide hours of food intrigue that are never disappointing.
One of the best was La Buona Tavola Truffle Cafe (now called The Truffle Queen) stocked by the owner, Rei Hanscomb, with not only a nice selection of truffle products (also available online), but a hand picked array of artisan foods, that as she says, make her “dork out”! The name may have changed but the lined shelves still draw curious tasters from the street.
On the afternoon I stopped in, there were half empty tasting jars (a good sign, right?!) of Fat Toad Farm Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce. The family-run goat dairy located in central Vermont, has perfected the art of making caramel over the last seven years and they have quite a hit on their hands! This very silky sweet sauce is worthy of the attention it’s garnered from food lovers far from the farm…including mine, because they are part of the movement to change the face and flavor of American food…one farm at a time.
Here’s how I used this delicious pour! One of my favorite recipes for French Toast sprinkled with “just a little” Lavender Honey Bee Finishing Salt from Salinity Salts.
