During a trip to Fayetteville - when it was a touch warmer - my friend Bri and I stopped at Wild Art & Wonderful Things. 



This lovely shop has some amazing local art and products. I ended up scooping up some West Virginia-themed coasters, and one of which is a puzzle. I am also dying for one of these topographic maps. Just stunning. 



And, to top it off, they also have kombucha. I'm always a little weird about kombucha, I think, because I don't understand it. I lowkey wonder if it's gonna upset my tummy because "bacteria," but I know there is good bacteria!! Someone tell me why I shouldn't worry about this.



But, all of that aside - this was tasty! It was so summery with that little bit of sour and it made me actually enjoy the flavor - which can't always be said. I would drink this just for fun! Have you been here?

The West Virginia Handcrafted Cooperative is a unique maker market that brings together incredible products, food and handmade items from across West Virginia and beyond.



Think of an Etsy shop in real life. Megan, the founder, does an amazing job of curating a wide variety of talent and items for these markets.



What I especially love about this market is that these are products made with love that are often times rooted in West Virginia culture - these are unique items that you can't find anywhere else.

"Most items we purchase today are mass produced from large businesses. The Handcrafted Cooperative offers a seasonal retail market dedicated to handmade items created by the most talented independent makers in our area. We help improve our local economy, support small business, and keep our community unique." - Handcrafted Cooperative website

  

Pepperoni roll pins? Visit Liz Pavlovic Design.
Mothman print? See Champaign Paper.
West Virginia notecards? Look no further than Wildflower Studio.
Coffee mugs? Hit up Wild & Wonderful Lifestyle Co.

And the food here is next level. From drinks to snacks and treats, the Handcrafted Cooperative is a one-stop shop for local product and food.

I took a little food tour of the market to share some of my favorite finds.

FIRST STOP: Ridge Roasters Coffee

This is a local coffee roasting company based out of Morgantown. You can often find them around town doing pop-ups and it's the perfect way to get your day at the market started.



NEXT UP: The Neighborhood Kombuchery

Kombucha is a beverage produced by fermenting sweet tea with a culture of yeast and bacteria. I've had this in a few different variations, but the small-batch kombucha from the Three-Toed Snail folks was a perfect balance of sweet and tart. I ended up taking a growler full of the Orange-Ginger flavor, with cinnamon, all-spice and star anise.



THEN, TIME FOR A SWEET TREAT: Mountain Spun 

Have you ever had homemade cotton candy? If you haven't, you're seriously missing out. Mountain Spun featured birthday cake, fruity pebbles, apple cinnamon and pumpkin spice flavors. AND, she was spinning cotton candy live. Take a look:

This was pumpkin spice - got to get in the fall spirit! And, I took a tub of fruity pebbles home. Perfect for a treat.





LUNCH TIME: Eggs Will Roll

Owner and operated Kayla Young, one of my besties, churns out some of the tastiest egg rolls this side of the Mississippi (or anywhere?).

She always has a rotating list of flavors. Today's included buffalo chicken, street corn, Thanksgiving, mac & cheese, pepperoni roll and more. My choices were buffalo chicken and Thanksgiving. You can't beat it.


SNACK TIME: Dina Colada's

Finally, my last bite was at Dina Colada's where you can get bubble tea, coffee drinks, mac & cheese, salads and sandwiches.

So, I went for a small mac & cheese and a strawberry bubble tea.


Plus, I got a ton of great goodies from amazing makers to take home. What kind of goodies did you score?

I'll admit, I'm not quite sure what to make of kombucha.

I've tried it elsewhere and didn't have much of a taste for it.

And, upon reading more about it, I worried if it was safe to drink.

Fortunately, when you walk into Bucha Brewhouse & Bistro in Princeton - they tell you right off the bat what it is.

It originated in China in 221 BC. It's a lightly fermented beverage made from sweet tea or coffee and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. 

The space is so neat, with the original built-ins from its past life as a clothing store.

I ordered the "mango" kombucha.

And, I did a half soup, half sandwich lunch.

Half a grilled cheese, and half Spanish rice soup.



What's your favorite?