On Sunday April 7th, 2024 I visited the Unique Markets at Dock 5 at Union Station in Washington D.C. This event was filled with local business owners that sold candles, skincare, ceramics and even textiles, but of course I was there for the food and drink businesses. During my time at the Unique Markets, I came across, three vendors that caught my attention, two were drink vendors and one was a food vendor.

The first vendor was Crescent Simples which sells preservative free syrups and tonics that can be used in cocktail and cocktails. I purchased the Strawberry Basil and combined it with ginger beer and a few teaspoons of honey for a refreshing cocktail. According to the website for Crescent Simples, the products were created after a life threw curveballs at the creators and they were forced to pivot into their passion. As a someone who dabbles in recipe creation, the simple syrups are as delicious as they are approachable; this product allows food creatives to elevate recipes without compromising quality. Crescent Simples products can be found at http://www.cresecentsimples.com.

The second vendor was the McFierce Experience, which sells alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages infused with THC. I purchased an appropriately titled California Love cocktail mixer that features cucumber, ginger basil, simple syrup and lime, infused with 25mg of THC. I combined the concoction with champagne and also with Sprite; both options were very refreshing. The aspect that I appreciated most regarding the McFierce experience was her customer service. At the time of the market, the California Love was sold out in the nonalcoholic option, the owner herself drove offsite to bring additional quantities; it a level of customer service that is hard to come by these days. The McFierce experience’s lifted libations can be found at mcfierceexperience.com.

The third vendor that I brought products from PE Candy, which features flavored pecans. As a busy professional I am always seeking a snack that is portable and not loaded with additives and preservatives that I cannot spell. I purchased the salted caramel flavor of the pecans and have eaten them alone or on top of yogurt and mixed in with popcorn. I had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of PE Candy Alishia and she shared that PE Candy was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic gave her an opportunity to pursue this venture and she has since been enjoy the sweet success of PE Candy. PE Candy products can be purchased here pecnady.co.