SEATTLE — The trending snack of 2019 will be plantain chips if a Seattle restaurateur has her way.
"Plantains are amazing,” said Donna Moodie, owner of Capitol Hill eatery Marjorie. “They're a little fibrous and they can be savory or sweet."
Miss Marjorie's Steel Drum Plantains are made from scratch and named for a very special person.
"The whole foundation of the restaurant is kind of an expression of gratitude and paying homage to my mom,” Moodie said
During her early childhood in Jamaica, Moodie says life was simple - neighbors stopped by to play bridge, her mother Marjorie would start cooking from scratch, and they'd end up with a spontaneous dinner party.
"I feel so fortunate because I talk to other people and they have these life lessons growing up or they did this or they did that, and I just always feel like my mom was present. And that was really meaningful,” Moodie said.
Her menu is inspired by her mother's cooking – and now, her famous plantain chips are packaged and carried in dozens of stores, with Starbucks sales on the horizon.
Fresh plantains are peeled, sliced thin, flash-fried, and tossed with a secret blend of spices. The process is lead by Moodie's “top banana,” Mario Zamora, who also learned how to cook from his mother.
"She made plantains like that in Mexico,” he said.
The gluten-free cracker alternative is naturally vegan and as healthy as it is tasty. Boxes include the backstory and photos of Marjorie.
Ultimately Moodie would like to sell the snacks nationally but vows to make them by hiring more people rather than using machinery.
"We make them with love and they're really awesome and everyone should be eating them,” she said.
You can find Miss Marjorie's Steel Drum Plantains at a variety of stores. They're also sold online by Amazon.
Marjorie, 1412 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122, (206) 441-9842
