Piroshky!

After a few errands, The GF and I head down to the Seattle Cheese Festival at the market. From the website:

Join us for the 5th Annual Seattle Cheese Festival, May 16-17th 2009. As artisanal cheese production grows, so does the festival! Come taste more than 200 cheeses from local and international producers along the cobblestone street of Pike Place Market. The Seattle Cheese Festival is the first of its kind on the West Coast with artisanal cheese at center stage.

When we got down there, with our coffee cups in hand, we saw the info desk right away on our left. We turned right to delve into the depths of the street fair, taste some cheese, and get lost in the wine garden.

Smack.

People.

Thousands of people in two blocks. The entire population of Montana attended the event at the same time we were there. That flight over must have been awful. I'm sure they ran out of room in the for carry on bags, and started gate checking garment bags. And ranch dressing. Because if there's one thing I learned in Montana it's that people will put ranch on everything.

"Can I have some hot fudge on my Sundae?"

"No, sir, I'm sorry. We don't have any hot fudge. Would you
like some whipped cream and ranch dressing on it instead?"

It was like looking out the Enterprise view screen in "The Mark of Gideon."

(Which, BTW is the creepiest TOS ever. I think it game me nightmares. It's almost as creepy and scary as "Hush," one of best Buffy episodes.)

It was a beautiful day and everyone came out for the Cheese Festival. All the Seattleites filled the streets and lines and booths, shedding their long sleeves to celebrate the new sun and blinding each with with the sickly, pale whiteness of there skin. No, it wasn't just white people there. After a Seattle winter it seems everyone, regardless of ethnic background, shares the same sickly pale skin.

So we trudged into the crowd. It was like trying to swan dive through a memory foam matters. Sure, it's soft and squishy, but you aren't going to make much progress with that plan.

We gave up on the cheese and were sad for a brief moment. Then I remembered -- PIROSHKYS!

Pike Place Market is filled with awesome places to eat, and Piroshky! Piroshky! is one of my favorites. The entire restaurant is about the size of a Smart Car with ovens, and the line stretches out the door. But it moves fast and you can quickly get your warm, flavored beef, onion, and puff pastry snack. Or you can get the ones with potatoes. Or cheese.

These things are perfect on a blustery day. Stick them in your pockets and you'll have happy pockets. Or you could just eat them.

On a Spring day you just have to settle for them being mighty tasty.

We picked up our piroskys and wanded into the inner courtyards of the market, found a seat and enjoyed a lovely lunch of piroshky and coffee. And since everyone was outside groping desperately for a sliver of cheese, the courtyard was pleasantly uncrowded.

So it was a good day.

You can still catch day 2 of the Cheese festival on Sunday if you want to brave the masses. Obviously, many people have no problem doing just that.

But the next time your in the Market, do yourself a favor and grab some piroskys.