This post is created in partnership with Metropolitan Market. Metropolitan Market is a grocery chain here in Washington State, with 7 locations across the greater Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area, specializing in prepared foods and gourmet products. They are by far my favorite grocery store in the entire city! Thanks for supporting the brands that support Flourishing Foodie, and as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

There are so many things I love about the Metropolitan Market. The staff is friendly and helpful, and I just love the atmosphere and vibe when I walk into the store. They carry all of my favorite items in one convenient location, which means I no longer have to make multiple stops just to find my favorite goods. They have an amazing prepared foods section. The produce is local and extremely fresh and tasty, and the bakery is incredible and indulgent. Whenever I have family in town, I always bring them to Met Market as an excursion.

I am so excited to be partnering with Metropolitan Market this month to help them celebrate the Best of Met - a collection of over a 100 amazing hand-picked items from around the globe. For the last few weeks, I have been doing research, and by research I mean eating all of the amazing food. Below I have summed up my 10 favorite Met Market picks.

1 - Metropolitan Market Pancake and Waffle Mix

I am not usually one to gravitate towards prepared pancake mixes, but I had heard from a friend that the Met Market pancake mix is amazing, and it sure didn’t disappoint. I made a batch of pancakes for my kids and we all agreed that they were some of the best pancakes we had ever eaten. I’m not sure if it was the malted barley extract that gave them a sweet and nutty flavor or the creamy buttermilk, but they were tender, rich, a little sour, and fried up beautifully.

2 - Metropolitan Market Pure Maple Syrup

Being Canadian, I am extremely picky about my maple syrup. I use it in salad dressings, baking, and as a sweetener in my coffee. Needless to say, I have a lot of experience in the maple syrup department. When I was young, our neighbors used to tap the maple trees in our backyard, and we were rewarded with an unlimited supply of maple syrup. The Met Market maple syrup is really good. Quite comparable to the high quality syrup I used to get back home. It’s sweet, nutty, and slightly thick, which are all characteristics I look for. I am so happy to have stumbled across it. It is my new go-to.

3 - Metropolitan Market Farm Fresh Large AA Brown Bulk Eggs You Pick

You make be thinking, eggs? What’s so special about eggs? But you haven’t truly lived until you’ve tried a fresh egg right from the chicken. The eggs come from a local farm and are delivered directly to the store twice a week. They are from cage-free, locally raised chickens, and are sustainably farmed.

4 - Metropolitan Market Baby Bird Cupcakes

My kids went nuts for these little cupcakes. First off, who doesn’t love a baby cupcake. They are cute and bit-size and just the perfect amount of dessert. The baby bird cupcakes are a smaller version of their signature hummingbird cake. The cupcakes base is made from caramelized bananas, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans topped with a brown butter brown sugar icing. They are perfectly moist and sweet.

5 - Metropolitan Market Shortcakes

I have a real weakness for shortcakes. A dense buttery sweetened dough topped with crunchy sugar crystals served with the fresh strawberries and whipped cream. My ideal dessert.

6 - Metropolitan Market Aceto Balsamico di Modena

I love a good balsamic vinegar. Thick, slightly sweet, and a bit tart. I have been on a hunt for the best balsamic vinegar for as long as I can remember and I’ve finally found one that ranks pretty high on the list. The Met vinegar is direct from Modena Italy, so you know it’s good. I like to use it for dipping bread, salad dressings, and drizzled on desserts.

7 - Metropolitan Market Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I have a favorite olive oil that I have been using religiously for over 10 years. I buy it on Amazon in bulk and I have never veered away from it. I’ve tried other olive oils in the past, but often times I find them too strong for cooking, too peppery, or too acidic. This is not the case with the Met olive oil. It is quite comparable to the one that I love. It has a really nice mild flavor. Not so mild that you can’t tell it’s olive oil, but mild enough that you can use it for frying, etc. without the olive taste being too overpowering. I now find myself reaching for the Met olive oil most often.

8 - Fresh-Stretched Mozzarella

Fresh- stretched mozzarella. Need I say more. It’s soft and creamy and perfect on pizza or a grilled Caprese sandwich. Pairs beautifully with fresh tomatoes and basil.

9 - Skagit Valley Miche Bread

This bread is made with wheat grown in the Pacific Northwest and stone-milled in the Skagit Valley. The Skagit Valley miche is a whole-grain French-style Pain de Champagne, fermented slowly for the best flavor. It is made by Essential Baking, a local bakery here in Seattle. It is light, slightly sour, and perfect for grilling or toasting. It is one of my favorites.

10 - The Cookie

And last, but not least, the cookie. This is seriously the cookie of my dreams. It is served in the store warm. It contains two types of Belgian-style chocolate, toasted walnuts, and finished with a sprinkle of French sea salt. It’s large enough that you can split it between two, or feel no shame eating it all to yourself in the car while parked in your driveway.