Thursday, to cope with a terrible case of cabin fever, mom & I took a trip across the mountain & 15 miles to a general store I have been hearing about. It’s in an old historical building so you wander room to room & see what he’s got.
I think he’s got everything Bob’s Red Mill makes, all sorts of other flours, flavored oils, many local jams, jellies, pickled veggies, salsa, & tomato sauce. Mushroom coffee (I want to try it), teas, regular coffee. Amish popcorn - several different kinds. Oysters, elk, wild boar, alligator, grass fed beef, pork, sausage, ‘cloth’ bologne, & eggs. Toys & vintage puzzles. There’s probably a thousand more things - the place is overwhelming. If I need some different, strange ingredient for a recipe, I can probably find it there.
When fresh produce is in, he has it. You can sign up for a produce (can add fruit, dairy, protein) box weekly subscription, but I would be afraid I couldn’t use it all. Flowers, herbs, etc. will be arriving soon. I also got some good intel on greenhouses & nurseries in the area.
We had a late lunch at a local place where the theme is the Dukes of Hazzard - good burgers (local beef) & onion rings.
I put up 2 batches of fire cider yesterday. One batch was the 15-minute variety for a niece who is ailing. The other batch will take 4 weeks to steep - it is ‘fruity & fiery’ ... apple, lemon, cranberries, elderberries, plus the usual ginger, horseradish, garlic & onion. I wimped on the cayenne - put in one tablespoon instead of 3 - 4!
That shop sounds like HEAVEN! :) Do they have a website?
“I also got some good intel on greenhouses & nurseries in the area.”
We should do that as a subject one month - extolling the virtues of our favorite Garden Centers...even though I grow most of what I need from seed, and hang out at Walmart WAY too much in the Spring. :)
I’m just hoping to duplicate the STEAL OF A DEAL I got on the Proven Winners hanging baskets of a few years back. $50 baskets that I got for $10 each!
Your general store sounds a bit like the orchard market where I shop sometimes. Ours isn’t as big as yours, but it sounds similar in certain ways.
My lovely neighbor surprised us by bringing over apple cider doughnuts baked at the orchard market bakery this morning! They were still warm! I love her to pieces!! The doughnuts were so yummy! Plus, she baked us some raspberry muffins, too! (She’s a talented baker!)
I wouldn’t know many people here in Indiana if she hadn’t first asked me to join a neighborhood book club over 10 years ago. I do love reading, but I don’t like being told what to read.
So that worked for about a year. Before I knew it, I was asked to join card club as a substitute. First, I had to learn how to play euchre. Well, there’s an app for that! Now, I’m one of the regulars, but without my sweet backyard neighbor, I would never have met these other great people.
As you become more accustomed to your new house, neighbors, and area, I hope you will find new *lovely* places to do your shopping, as I have. Be blessed, my FRiend!