Iris could spend a whole afternoon tasting jams at the Woodring Orchards stand at the Broadway farmers market. You can taste any of their products, using the same little plastic spoons they have at the ice cream shop.
Woodring doesn’t actually have an orchard. They buy excess product from local farms and turn it into preserves. I mean it with the utmost respect when I say that Woodring is like a fungus: they convert discarded organic matter into something delicious to eat. In addition to the jams and chocolate sauces, they sell a variety of pickles; the spicy green beans are my favorite. They also maintain a stand at Pike Place Market, open every day.
Last week at the market, we told Iris she could choose any jar she wanted. She only had to taste a couple to alight on a selection: lavender jelly. “Are you sure about that?” Laurie asked. Iris was sure.
The lavender jelly is seriously pungent. I could see it working as a glaze on a rack of lamb. But Iris likes it on toast and considers herself especially lucky if her bite of toast features a big glob of jelly.
I was also surprised by Iris’s choice, but it’s not like she took the spicy green beans.
When I first read the title, I took the British meaning for lav (lavatory – toilet), and thought that your posts had gone even more bottom drawer (especially after “Tough cookies”!!! if that was possible :D
Woodring does indeed have great jams. Never tried their pickles though.
Oops. Well, maybe this is an extension of my shock comedy phase.
She might just surprise you one day. Spicy pickled green beans (Ricks Picks to be exact) are one of Izzy’s favorite snacks. In fact he seems obsessed with all things pickled.
Both my children love spicy pickled green beans. They are my own making since around here I can only find them in ‘gourmet’ shops. I have taken to sneak eating them so that they last longer.