Broadway Market ‘During the Holidays’ Guide for Noobs

I know Easter was this past Sunday, and I’m blogging on the following Saturday about it, but you don’t care, so let’s get on with it.

In Buffalo, NY – if you’ve been here enough times, or have lived here long enough – or do nothing but troll the web for ‘hidden gem’s’ – you’ll eventually hear about the Broadway Market. The Broadway Market is a large building, located in a now, not so nice, but still charming part of town, filled with little shops and stands for food, gifts and tons of other stuff. It is a shame to admit, but business-wise, the Market is basically dead with minimal foot traffic for almost 300 days out of the year. But for the 2 weeks before Christmas and 2 weeks before Easter, is BLOWN UP with people looking for the ultimate experience in Culture and Tradition – which you will get, whether you want it or not.

Little known fact, but I worked for Redlinski Meats for many years at their various locations (now consolidated to 1 on Walden Ave) It was my first job in High School, and I keep in touch with the family to this day – 20 years later (yikes).  I actually worked the Broadway Market location for an Easter season (before they pulled out of the market) – it was crazy. for a 19 year old to work 80+ hours in a week was a big deal. I can remember the bell ringing, and the doors opening on Good Friday. All of these older women swarming our counter to grab their number – and literal fist fights breaking out because of the pushing and shoving. within 15 minutes, 200+ people were in front of the counter. You ever look at your ticket at the deli counter and see a letter next to your number? yeah – that’s in case there’s 275 people waiting, you call “34” and 3 people could raise their hand…  then you say “oh.. 34-A” and watch 2 people in unison, say “oh my god, f— this”.

My Broadway Market ‘During the Holidays’ Guide:  (for noobs)  

Things have changed in 20 years, but the mad rush around the holidays  has not. When the wife and I go these days, we are in and out in about an hour and a half. BUT – if you REALLY want to do the Broadway Market right, you should really put aside 4 or so hours, and make a day of it.

• Find the parking ramp – park in that, do not mess around with finding parking anywhere else – there is PLENTY in the parking ramp.

• I strongly recommend mimosas or some type of morning alcohol intake – in your car – before you go in. It will help with dealing with the crowd, as there is an overwhelming sense of discombobulation once you’re in the thick of it.

• Limit your cash – Many of the stands in the Market are cash-only, so make sure to bring some – but only bring what you really want to spend. The Market is FULL of impulse buys, and you’ll get home and ask yourself ‘did I really need the BIG jar of local honey? probably not..  damn..  sorry cable bill…

• Take the first hour or so to case the joint the best you can, I suggest not buying anything at first, because you’ll have to carry it with you for the rest of the time you’re there. Not to mention, something you want to get might be cheaper or done way better at another stand. That, or you’ll just be flat out of money when you get to a spot with something you can’t live without, and as tempting as the high-fee ATM is, you set a limit – stay within it.

• There are wine tastings hidden throughout the entire market to serve as filling stations to keep your buzz on. Many tastings are free.

• I recommend to Find: The Meat Counters (Lupas), Wooden Eggs, Horseradish, Chrushiki Bakery, Chocolate vendors, Candy vendors, Pierogi vendors, live music, fresh hot donuts, Polish Pride store. If you find all of that, you’ll have been exposed to most of the market and you’ve seen the niche markets that peak your interest.

• Once you’ve fully cased the joint, have a bite to eat from one (or more) of the vendors – grab something you don’t get every day, pierogies, polish sausage, I recommend Pott’s Deli. Sit down, relax, maybe you brought some pocket liquor in – sip that..  – and start putting together your game plan for purchasing your items.

• Understand that the meat counter is the longest wait – eating at Pott’s puts you right by the meat counters, so you can easily go snap up a ticket. If you’re number is 100+ behind what’s being called –  leave, and go execute the rest of your purchases, and get back to the meat counter – hopefully in time to hear your number called. Even if you don’t make it back in time, the wait is fun for people watching – and the staff working the meat counter can be very entertaining if you pay attention.

 

• Take pictures

• Smile at everyone

• Say excuse me even if it’s not your fault

• Tip – chances are, the person waiting on you has been on their feet, moving at 110%, and are exhausted – give them a little joy, especially if they’re a young kid.

• If you’re not going to tip everyone, at least tip your Meat Counter.

• Say ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Easter’ at the end of every interaction.

So that should be good – best guide ever.

 

So what did I buy?

2# smoked polish sausage,

2# fresh polish sausage,

1# chunk of slab bacon

6oz. jar of horseradish

16oz jar local honey (damn you!)

1 kiszka –

 

What’s a kiszka? I hate that I cheated on Redlinskis and got one at Wardynski, but maybe you can zoom in on the ingredients in the image below:

it’s kind of like a coarse ground liver sausage or a scrapple – it’s actually really tasty. As someone that used to sell it, I would always ask the older polish women that bought it, how they would cook it. (insert old polish woman accent here: ) “I cut it TICK and fry it up in-da PAN with BUTtter so it’s nice and CRISPY, hun!” Sounds low cal, I know – but it’s really good, and is now a tradition that I have kiszka at least once a year.

Super good – only need one more thing:

Happy belated holidays folks!

 

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