Pike Place Market, The Heart and Soul of Seattle

Oct. 22, 2012

POST BY: Pike Place Chowder in PPC News

Pike Place Market celebrates its 105th Anniversary in 2012. Often called, “The Soul of Seattle, the Market has become a world-famous destination for 10 million visitors from all over the country and throughout the world.

Locals frequent the produce stands, flower stalls, crafts and souvenir shops, and feast on the fabulous foods. The Market opened on August 17, 1907, when eight farmers brought their produce wagons to the corner of First Avenue and Pike Street and were greeted by a near-riot of 10,000 enthusiastic customers, thousands of whom went home empty-handed that day. But the demand for fresh-from-the-farm products was clear. By the end of that year, the first Market building opened with every space filled. And a Seattle landmark was born. Visit the Market seven days a week and visit our Post Alley location for the best chowder you’ll ever savor.

PPC Makes Top-Ten List of Places to Experience in Seattle

Oct. 22, 2012

POST BY: Pike Place Chowder in PPC News

Only a few days after our second win of the People’s Choice Award at the West Coast Chowder Cook-Off in Monterey, Travel Expert and Popular Author Marybeth Bond arrived with a film crew to feature our Pike Place Market café. We were surprised and delighted to hear that locals had voted Pike Place Chowder as one of Seattle’s Best Attractions. Of course, there were a few spills and lots of laughs as Owner Larry Mellum served up an award-winning variety of chowders to the crew and host.

Marybeth is the author of a number of National Geographic Travel Books, including The Gutsy Traveler and Gutsy Women, (now in its 4th edition). She has appeared on Oprah – and many network, cable morning shows, and news programs – encouraging everyone, especially women, to get out and travel the world.

Thanks for coming, Marybeth. And thanks to our many local friends and fans for voting for us.
You’re invited to come on over and taste for yourself how Pike Place Chowder became a Hall-of-Fame, must-do experience in the Emerald City.

Meanwhile, check out the video. Be sure to watch all the way to the end for the outtake.

HISTORY OF CHOWDER

Oct. 22, 2012

POST BY: Pike Place Chowder in PPC News

A simple dish of chowder, in the past considered to be “poor man’s food,” has a delicious and centuries-old history. Vegetables or fish stewed in a cauldron became known as chowder in English-speaking nations, a corruption of the name of the pot or kettle in which they were cooked. Just bring up the subject of chowder and most likely a debate will ensue as to which style is the true, authentic chowder.

True chowder lovers delight in their pursuit of the perfect chowder, from creamy white to clear and briny, to tomato-based. What we know for certain is that chowder has been celebrated for hundreds of years as one of the world’s best-loved foods. Celebrate the authentic taste and history of chowder by visiting us at Pike Place Chowder, with two locations in downtown Seattle, at Pike Place Market (1530 Post Alley) and Pacific Place center 600 Pike St., 4th floor). We have a selection of mouth-watering varieties every day, so come on down and vote for your favorite. (Historic details provided by Linda Stradley in “What’s Cooking America.”)

Want to know more about the history of chowder, Click Here There are early European references made in the Cornwall region of Southwestern England and in the Brittany region of northwestern France. These two regions are located across the English Channel from one another. In the 16th and 17th centuries, in these fishing regions, every village had a large chaudiere (cooking kettle) waiting for a portion of each man’s catch, to be served later as part of the community’s welcoming celebration.  Clams and oysters were also consumed in great quantities by Native American tribes along the Atlantic coast. In some favorable gathering-places, empty shells were piled into mounds ten feet high.

According to the book Eating in American – A History, by Waverley Root and Richard de Rochemont: