They are trying to bankrupt me.
Here are the facts. On Wednesday, a new Whole Foods opened in the Denny Triangle neighborhood, or whatever they are calling it these days. Laurie and Iris and I went to check it out yesterday. The bakery is peculiarly devoid of morning rolls and carmelitas, and they’ve deemphasized the produce section in favor of an astonishing amount of prepared foods. (The store serves a large hotel/condo complex; if you live there, you can have stuff delivered.) There are at least four cafes inside: an Asian counter with sushi and bento boxes; a sandwich and hot foods counter; an espresso bar; and the most unusual one, a fish cafe that will grill to order (at no charge) any fish you buy in the seafood department. The fish cafe is called something weird like “Smokefish,” although I think that’s not quite it.
None of these things particularly interest me, but this location does have the typically impressive sausage display, and they sell my favorite kind of herbal tea: Celestial Seasonings Tummy Mint, formerly known as Grandma’s Tummy. It’s a blend of fennel and chamomile. People who are allergic to the daisy family, according to the label, should not drink this tea. And they sell unsweetened chocolate, which none of the other stores in my neighborhood sell, unless you consider Baker’s brand to be chocolate.
The new Whole Foods is a five minute bus ride from home on the number 8. The catch is that the number 8 only runs every half hour. So I’m relatively safe from impetuous trips to the store for things like an $8 chocolate bar.
For now. The problem is, on Tuesday, voters approved King County Proposition 2, which will increase bus service throughout the county. One of the buses set for more frequent service? The number 8.
Even worse, the new tax doesn’t start until June, but as a big sloppy kiss to voters, increased service on certain routes will begin in February, including, well, you know.
I am doomed. Meet me at Smokefiche.
Since I’m looking forward to moving back to Seattle ASAP, the new (dangerously) convenient Whole Paycheck is good news. Do they have the big bulk foods and herbs selection like the other stores?
Any chance we could get a Trader Joe’s on Capital Hill anytime soon?
The QFC on Broadway at Republican certainly has other unsweetend chocolates. I tend to buy the Scharffen-Berger 99% there for making brownies.
Neil, there is a Trader Joe’s on Capitol Hill, barely. It’s at 17th and Madison.
Jon, they were out of it last time I needed some, but that’s good to know.
Do they have nut-roasting bar? That’s the most glorious spot in the Whole Foods Mothership in Austin: Fresh-roasted flavored nuts. The hickory-smoked cashews and cinnamon sugar pignoli nuts are woooooonderful.
17th and Madison – how did I not know about this (or did I)?
Another option to using either sub-par or overprices unsweetened chocolate is to sub in slightly more 70%+ chocolate (Trader Joe’s has Pound-Plus bars of 72% cheap) and slightly reduce the sugar in the recipe.
Lore, I didn’t see a nut-roasting bar, but they could have anything hidden in the depths.
Neil, I really only buy unsweetened chocolate for a particular brownie recipe, and the one time I tried using 70%, it wasn’t as good, but it’s possible I miscalculated on the sugar.
The new Whole Foods is just five minutes away from me, also. After going there, I told my husband “I fear for my pocketbook”. This is dangerous.
Madison Market has Scharffen Berger 99% also. (what’s the 1%?)
The 1% is pure concentrated evil. I always forget about Madison Market, which is totally unfair because they have all kinds of good stuff.
What is a carmelita? I’m fairly sure it’s old Linda Ronstadt song, but as a food item, I have no idea what that is.
It’s a cookie:
[link](https://www.rootsandgrubs.com/2006/09/27/good-karma/)