World Spice!

I am in the grip of a cruel ague thus a succinct and very short post today. (This is my way of saying I had to run out to Seattle today and finish a paper on budgeting all while my stomach played merry hell with me for the second day in a row, yeah IDEK)

So, I didn't really HAVE to run out to Seattle but a good buddy of mine needed to pick up his last paycheck and offered to drive and go by the market while we were up there. I love the market but because my car is a steaming heap of crap I can rarely get up there and it's always more fun with a pal.

So half the reason he wanted to go by there was for this amazing spice shop behind the market. To get to it we wound through the market, past the patch where they're apparently planning to replace the brass pig someone aced recently (assuming my geography was correct) past the fish throwers, through the produce and food stalls upstairs (there is one stall that sells the most amazing oils and vinegars, 18 year old fig balsamic vinegar is delicious) down past the restrooms (assuming you're using the exterior staircase) - sidenote I paused for a potty break and listened as two addicts in the stall next to me cooked up something toxic and discussed Mrs. Doubtfire, seriously I can't make this shit up - down to street level, cross the street head to the right, past Lazonga's Tattoos (again, not making that up) and up a bit and BAM there it is. A place of glory and deliciosity. WORLD SPICE! <- should be stated in a wrestling announcer voice.

They have an array of teas (at least three types of chai, black, hibisucs, jasmine - both large and small pearls - and a few my bumpkin ass had never even heard of) spices, spice blends, vegan spices and blends specifically for use with tofu. You name it they've got it from true cinnamon (they also offer the more common cassia) to like twelve different hot peppers, at least eight different curry blends, loads of different dry rubs, one formulated for northwestern salmon, Himalayan salt chunks, wee bowls made of Himalayan rock salt, slabs of the same stuff for serving or baking with and probably loads more things that I'm forgetting or overlooking. I don't know how they stay in business, the prices were obscenely cheap. So naturally I loaded up. In fact I'm sipping some fresh spearmint tea now. If you aren't local and want in on the joygsam check out their site here. If you are local I strongly encourage you to visit in person, the delicious whammy of all the scents when you walk in the door is worth the trip alone.