Summer in Olympia tastes like strawberries, sun-warmed produce, and the simple pleasure of cooking something beautiful with what’s in season. There’s nothing like the thrill of seeing the first summer zucchini at the farmers market—it means we’re officially in the heart of high season.
Recently, I wandered through the Olympia Farmers Market and came home with arms full of inspiration—perfectly ripe strawberries, bright fennel, rich cheese, crusty bread, and wonderful herbs. Here’s a peek into what I cooked.
🍓 Strawberry French Toast with Market Challah
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of fresh challah (I got mine from the Bread Peddler)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Butter for the pan
- Strawberries
- Maple syrup and powdered sugar
- Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, etc… (I love going to Buck’s Spices for these!)
Instructions
- Slice challah thickly.
- Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and spices.
- Dip each slice in the egg mixture and cook in a buttered skillet until golden brown on both sides.
- Top with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of syrup or dusting of powdered sugar. (I cooked my strawberries down in a pan on low and then used the juice for syrup as well)
🍋 Strawberry Lemon Posset
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup sugar
- Juice of 4 lemons
- Blended strawberries
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring cream and sugar to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and strawberries.
- Pour into small cups or jars and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (I carved out the lemon halves for a fun serving option!)
- Top with fresh strawberries before serving.
🐟 Mediterranean Tuna Melt (Open-Faced)
Ingredients
- 1 can tuna
- Herbs to your liking (Including dill but you can also add green onions, chives or oregano)
- Chopped red onion
- Greek yogurt
- Crusty bread from the market (I used bread peddler levain)
- Sliced Cucumbers and Kalamata olives
- Cheddar cheese (I got mine from Domino Dairy)
Instructions– I got this recipe here
🥩 Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1.5–2 lbs stewing beef (I got mine from Delmonico’s)
- 2 carrots, sliced
- Potatoes
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic (or more like 8 if you like your food garlic filled like me)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Sear beef in a Dutch oven. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and potatoes until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste, then add beef back in with broth/wine and thyme.
- Simmer low and slow for 2–3 hours until everything is tender.
🌿 Fennel Salad
This really highlighted the flavor of fennel, which I couldn’t recall tasting in such clarity.
I grabbed this recipe here
There’s something deeply grounding about cooking with what’s in season. It slows you down, connects you to your community, and fills your home with the colors and smells of right now. If you’re in or nearby Olympia, swing by the farmers market, it’s high season so it’s open Thursday-Sunday 10am-3pm.
eatdrinkandseeoly 