Our Garden Market is open and mobile dining al fresco style is in full swing. Here is my report on my favorite restaurant scene in Edmonds.

The Garden Market opened on May 2 and ends on June 13, hours 9 a.m.-2 p.m. It’s followed by our more robust version, the Summer Market, which starts on June 20, closes on Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Located in the Public Safety parking lot at 5th and Bell in downtown Edmonds, during the summer it spills into Main at the fountain to Bell and east up Bell Street around Centennial Plaza, to make room for additional farmers, plus art and craft vendors.

Web sites are included for all food vendors. Most offer additional fare and ingredient info at their home locations.

New pies at La Strada Dolce Pizza, lastradadolce.com. Buy a slice, or two- I can’t ever decide on just one! Buy a whole pie- a bargain at $22. Wowed by all the fresh veggies on the top, especially tiny spears of asparagus, their new Fresco Giardino has become my favorite. I did have to get a slice of Pear Gorgonzola, just to compare with taste memories from last year. Sample them all and let me know what you love.

Snohomish Bakery, snobake.com offers many types of bread, which are hand-made from scratch, with locally-sourced Shepherd’s Grain flour. Pastries are also hand-made fresh daily, from as many local ingredients as possible. An item I’d not seen before- Gruyere Cheese Bread. Rustica dough is rolled up with gruyere, mozzarella and aged provolone cheeses. Addictive, so be warned.

All that bread was an opportunity for one of my favorite ways to eat radishes! Produce booths offer red, white, purple, pink and my fave- the French Breakfast varieties. Thinly sliced on fresh bread coated with butter or EVOO, Radish Sammies- one of the best ways to welcome fresh produce season!

Deborah’s Pies, deborahspies.com are back. One stop shop- sweet or savory pies, a shareable size that’s “lunch for two.” Each pie features homemade, hand-rolled crust. Much of the fruit and other ingredients come from local vendors. Rhubarb is in season right now, just sayin’.

Riverhouse Creperie provides sweet and savory gluten-free and vegetarian options to sustain your energy to carry home those heavy bags of produce. Warm crepes are folded and handed over to their customers, for immediate consumption. My hubby’s favorite choice was the veggie savory one. Spinach, sweet onion, peppers and mushrooms, wrapped in a hummus spread buckwheat crepe. I did see a sad sight- a sign at their booth says “Business for Sale.” I wish them well and hope the next owner continues their presence at our Edmonds Market.

Market Made Donuts. Warning- stand too close and you’ll have a fresh, hot morsel in your mouth, before you know what happened. Half the fun is watching the process. Great entertainment and it can end with a tasty treat. I don’t think the No Parking sign in my photo of this booth applies here, stay as long as you like.

Falafel Salam, falafelsalam.com The sign says-“you are what you eat” so a choice from their menu ensures almost everything from scratch using top of the line ingredients and traditional recipes. They only use organic grass-fed meats from 100 percent humanely raised animals. They bake the pita fresh daily and staple ingredients- olive oil, tahini and some spices are imported from Middle East. Wraps are the perfect portable meal!

Mirracole Morsels-Granola! Yummy sweet granola eaten straight out of the bag is my kind of on-the-move breakfast. Besides the very popular granola, they offer cookies, granola cookies and some gluten-free treats like muffins. Products are full of nuts and heart-healthy oats. Better still- they are free of white sugar, wheat flour, preservatives, chemicals and genetically modified oils.

A very sweet story too- Nicole, a single mom of two, started her business as a way to be the mom she wanted to be – spending time with her children and still supporting them. Her business is named after her daughter Mirra Cole, and yes, the name is intended to sound like miracle.

Hot Dogs Ala Carte! Folks queued up in front of the red and white umbrella-covered stand that sells another favorite food eaten on the go. Complete with soda and water, relish and other tasty toppings, it’s a sure favorite for many market visitors.

Ice Cream from Whidbey Island, whidbeyicecream.com is certainly something to scream about! Ultra Premium Homemade Ice Cream in Bars, hand-dipped chocolate, so decadent that you won’t want to share. But pints could be dessert for two, on benches, beneath shade trees that border the market area.
New Libations at our market join our favorites.

Martin Family Orchards have added beverages to their produce choices. Urns of Iced Cold Apple Cider and a Pear Apple variety were front and center at their booth. Try a sample and I’ll bet you will ante up the $3.50 for a full cup before you walk away.

Lopez Island Vineyard and Winery– Offers the perfect beverage, for those of adult age, of course. Wines are produced from organically grown grape varieties selected for the winery’s vineyard sites as well as classic European grapes from the Yakima Valley. Several bottles sported award ribbons. Try the Siegerrebe, an aromatic grape variety bred in Germany, a cross between Madeleine Angevine with Gewurztraminer. Stop by to taste and support the fruits of our Washington organic growers’ labors.

Coffee from Middle Fork Roasters, middleforkroasters.com. Sample their locally roasted brew, purchase a cup to sip as you stroll, pick a favorite to brew at home.

Shen Zen Tea, shenzentea.com offers Iced Tea plain or in sodas, and sweet hot teas. Purchase a tin of your favorite, in organic loose leaf teas to brew at home.

Oh joy! Boiling Point at Highway 99 and 220th Street Southwest opens Friday! Look for a review of our newest Asian offering in my next column. Maybe an update on Salish Crossing too. They keep teasing me, the latest being the note about Brigid’s Bottleshop & Scratch Distillery.

BTW- a near riot was incited by the arrival of a Top Pot donut box at a local brewery last month. Locals hoped the new Salish Crossing Edmonds location was open, but sadly not yet.

Eat your veggies! You know where to get them…

— By Kathy Passage
restaurantnews@myedmondsnews.com

A specialty gourmet food broker for over 30 years, Kathy Passage has in-depth knowledge on food and the special qualities of ingredients used in the exquisite products she helped bring to market. Kathy brings this unique perspective from the “other side of the plate” to writing about the food and restaurant scene in Edmonds.