This little start-up went to Market

Crosscut turned one this month, and to celebrate, we hosted a party in our offices. As with most start-up companies these days, we wanted to host something festive, but not break the bank. So, we opted to host the event in our downtown Seattle headquarters, and to organize the food ourselves.

I immediately began fretting about refreshments. Where to go and what to buy? Costco is an obvious choice: good prices, quality food, and large quantities. However, if you don't want to pay for delivery, you need a vehicle and parking to transport Costco merchandise. A number of caterers downtown produce nicely presented and fresh food, and they'll deliver it right to your door. Mel's Market, Specialty's, and Gretchen's come to mind, but though the quality is high, so are the prices.

I needed something simpler. Publisher David Brewster didn't hesitate when I asked his opinion. "The Market," he said. The Pike Place Market? Well, yes, it is located only blocks from our offices, and they do have wonderful produce. The Market has been in the news lately because it turned 100 on August 17, 2007. Its colorful history is well-chronicled at HistoryLink, or read Arne Zaslove's recent profile of the Market as cultural refuge on Crosscut. But I always thought of it more as a tourist destination or a place to shop occasionally.

I decided to give it a try. It turned out the only hard thing about using the market as your caterer is trying to choose from the abundant options.

Everything else was easy. The staff brought in wine, a few platters, a basket for bread, and paper plates. And on the day of, at T minus 2 hours, I simply walked over and hand-picked what I wanted. I chose DeLaurenti's for cold cuts — rosemary turkey, and a sharp and peppery Salumi salami — and cheese — a buttery, double-cream Brie, a smoky Gouda, and slices of Gruyere. I bought sweet, crisp Muscat grapes (a seedless wine grape that is surprisingly delicious), bright red strawberries, and easy-peel mandarins at Sosio's. Le Panier sold me baked-that-morning baguettes and tasty little chocolate, almond/orange and hazelnut sablés cookies.

I was back in the office arranging the food in just over an hour. Despite slightly sore arms from carrying my bounty, the experience was more fun than ordering from a menu on a Web site. We brought in our own wine but could have easily purchased it from several shops at the Market. All the money was spent on food only — no catering overhead here. When our guests arrived, many remarked on the food and were surprised we'd purchased it all at the Market.

Next time you have to host a party, give yourself a treat and walk to the Market. You'll actually enjoy the preparations, and the results will be delicious.