Whenever we are around Pike Place Market, Amanda pulls on my coat and begs, “Can we PLEASE go to The Crumpet Shop now?” She’s seen enough fish throwing and fresh flowers in past visits. All she wants is to take a gigantic bite out of a Nutella and ricotta loaded crumpet.
The Crumpet Shop, located on 1st and Pike (Directly across the street from Showgirls. See, now you know where it is!), is set up like any other coffee shop in Seattle. It has several small, worn tables, employee-produced décor, an artist display and self-busing stations next to the untidy stacks of weekly newspapers.
The difference is in the menu: Crumpets with green eggs, crumpets with pesto, crumpets with ham and cheese. Crumpets, crumpets, crumpets.
But first, what are crumpets? Before Amanda took me to The Crumpet Shop the first time, I only knew the English ate them with tea. I thought they were crackers.
No, crumpets are fluffy, small loaves of bread. Not as heavy as scones, but not as light as English muffins. They are bland but serve as an excellent, edible plate like a pizza crust. They are heavenly.
The next time you are around the market, try and swing by The Crumpet Shop before they sell out for the day (get there before 2 p.m.). If you didn’t have enough reason to go, let the photos entice you.
Mmm...
