Saturday, Sep 4th - Port Townsend Farmer's Market and Camping Curry

Camping Curry

We went camping for the Labour Day long weekend.  We normally try to go camping a couple times a year.  With our longer trips this summer, we only managed one trip.   I like local camping but we were up for something different so we picked the Olympic Peninsula National Park.  D's ridden there on his motorbike in the past and he had said it was gorgeous.

It is a haul which includes a border crossing.  Nightmare really.  Peace Arch crossing is a farce on the long weekend.  If you do not have a NEXUS card, do not bother.  It was backed up to the last highway exit.  D reckoned the folks waiting were probably in line for in excess of 3-4 hours.  It did not help that that far back, the NEXUS lane does not start.  So we got off at that last exit and did an about face back onto the highway which brings you about 500 m ahead of the line, which if you are not a NEXUS car, is terribly rude.  But at that point the NEXUS lane starts.  Then I did the stupid thing of needing the loo which just tacked on 30 minutes because there were people using the Duty Free as a way to jump the Queue.  We were chatting with this one couple in line with us who just took a wrong turn dropping their daughter off at UBC and ended up crossing the border.  Now they were stuck for at least another 1 hour from that point before the escape turn around point before the Border.

We packed what we could foodwise but the fruit and veg we waited until Port Townsend.  I wanted to stop earlier at a Farm but D was worried we would not make the ferry at Keystone.  We made it with cars to spare!  We were going to pass right through Port Townsend and just stop at the Safeway but I wanted to check it out a bit.  It is an adorable community.  It looks like it's trapped in time.  Wonderful little shops and restaurants.  We stumbled upon the sign for their Farmer's Market.  We climbed the insane stairwell from the lower part of town to reach it.  We bought some Heirloom Tomatoes, Chanterelle Mushrooms from Foragers, Lettuce and Lunch!

Foccacia Pizza and Giacometti (Cheese Straws)

I bought a Cheese Straw aka Giacometti and a Foccacia Pizza from Pane D'Amore.  They had a stall right outside their shop.  That of course meant that they had food long after the Kimchee Bagel guy had sold out.  :^(.  As well, it meant that the food was piping hot.  Who has piping hot Foccacia Pizza at a Farmer's market.  It was delicious.  It had lovely Olives, Artichokes and the right amount of Cheese.  The bread was tender and warm.  Wonderful!  Their Cheese Straw was what attracted me initially because EVERYONE was walking around with one.  Unfortunately, I was handed one of the scrawniest, and saddest looking ones.  So I was rather disappointed in it.  Everyone else seemed to have one that looked easily twice as large.  I guess that's the local's edge.  I clearly was not one as I fished for change around my Canadian quarters.  Still that pizza! MMMM

Pane D'Amore

617 Tyler St
Port Townsend, WA 98368
(360) 385-1199
www.panedamore.com

Burned and Dry Bavarian Bratwurst

D had Bratwurst.  It was horrible.  She was a lovely lady but that Bratwurst dog was so ill prepared.  He was all set on having a Fish Taco right next door.  They were frying to order!  But he just can't turn down a good Wurst.  They were a women's finger sized.  You get two.  She does not take orders from the queue. She only takes orders from the front people and waits.  So that is a tad inefficient even for a market in a small town.  AND she places the frozen sausages directly on the grill with the cooking ones.   That results in a cooled off grill and longer cook time for the other sausages already on the grill.  They were all burned on the outside and on the edge of pink on the inside because of the frozen start.  As well, she kept pressing on them so they were quite dry.  I'll bet D wishes he had the Fish Taco after all.

Get the Fish tacos next to the Bavarian Bratwurst tent

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At the campsite we plan our meals ahead so the first night was going to be a simple instant Curry.  We bring just enough rice for the two of us and I like these 'boil in the bag' curries that are available all over Vancouver and the brand is 'Mother's Recipe'.  Since we were cooking over a fire pit, we could have both pots on at the same time which was nice.  Other times we have to do one then the other on the little campstove.  I brought two: Lentil Dahl and a Vegetable Korma.  The Lentil Dahl was very good and D endorsed it as well.  The Korma was very very strong on the Cardammom.  Although he was rather reserved on the feedback he did say that he'd rather I never bought that one again.  I thought it was acceptable.  It was not my favourite but there's the verdict.  Their Saag Paneer (Spinach with fresh cheese) is very good as well.  Generally, adds a bit of variety to the vegetarian option when camping instead of hotdogs.  Plus, they do not weigh much particularly for just a weekend trip.

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