Grocery Stores around the country.....

[shroomgirl]

Come to Berkeley, bring your shopping basket, and we'll cruise the Ghetto

Now that sounds wonderful, thank you for the offer.....I have a VERY big basket Shel and have been known to stop at farmers markets too.

The store in Walnut Grove area had wooden floors and was a delight. I've had numerous olive oils since but none so vibrant green nor fruity.

[slo_ted]

Just returned from a trip to Austin, TX. Naturally we had to spend some time at Central Market and enjoy their huge selection of every food imaginable as well as their awsome selection of prepared food. Another day we spent the entire afternoon in the new flagship store for
Whole Foods located at their HQ bldg--5th and Lamar. Shopping there was a treat, and dining from their food court was spectacular! I would love to have either one of these stores within reach here on the Central California coast.

[shel]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

Allie, don't let alittle journey stop you from shopping at a farmer's market.....shoot, I've shopped at Ferry Plaza and brought produce/honey/cheese etc home on the plane, funny how the airport personnel did not realize what was in their own town.

Indeed! A good friend comes in to the Bay Area from Kansas every now and then, and off we go ..it's amazing how much stuff she takes back to Dorothyville. We spend an entire day at her favorite chocolate shops and Ferry Plaza, and at various stores in the Gourmet Ghetto. There have been times she's scheduled her flights to coincide when the rustic baguettes come out of the oven at La Farine, one of the great bakeries in the area.

I've brought home cases of BBQ sauce (before internet ordering) from Arthur Bryant's and Gates in KC, or a gross of bagels from my favorite bagel bakery in NYC.

Shel

[shroomgirl]

She has got her priorities in line.....
tartine's breads are also a delight as are most of the bakeries at Ferry Plaza/market.
I too bought bagels (never a gross at one time) but discovered a decent recipe and make them when I'm jonsing for some great ones.
Pistachios from Iran, Bissingers chocolate covered raspberries showed up at my door in DeRidder, La. the end of July 100*+ weather ditto humidity.....
we used to buy gallons of real syrup from Bascoms 25 years ago before syrup became a grocery store commodity. You should see what I bring back from New Orleans, ok....NYC too oh and Santa Fe, San Francisco...ok ok my name is Julie and I am addicted to shopping for fun cool food products whereever I might be....if there are farmers markets within 100 miles I'm there. Dairies, U pickem farms, roadside stands, bakeries, diners.....
I pull over to go through interesting ethnic grocery stores and am not adverse to buying bizarro products just to see what they are like. Last week I talked a Mexican store into finding a translator into giving me a store tour with one of the cooks.....I'm fast talking a Pho shop chef into giving a tour of a neighborhood Asian grocery and giving a class on it. Boredom is rare in my world.....too much to explore, too many things to try.....
Seems like there are jobs for foragers...