Showing posts with label Fun Places to Shop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fun Places to Shop. Show all posts
October 1, 2023
Granel Spice Market - Airline Drive
Granel, I am told means "bulk" in Spanish. This latest, wonderful venture from the Flores Spices family is located directly across from El Bolillo Bakery on Airline Drive. It is impressive and is my default, go-to location for all of my spice needs. Especially cinnamon. The cinnamon we know of as Mexican cinnamon is actually from Sri Lanka. It is a milder cinnamon that is much loved in Mexico for flavoring pastries, coffee, chocolate, etc. Here follow photos of the Granel Spice Market.
July 31, 2022
Tierra Nueva - An Amazing Place for Shopping
I was asked if I’d like to do an article on paleterías and I immediately said “Heck yes!” Today’s explore took me to Crosstimbers (El Pibe and La Florecita Michoacana). And in driving around I came across an absolutely terrific place called Tierra Nueva (corner of Irvington and Crosstimbers). Check out the photos. One stop shopping for fruits, vegetables, spices, candies, et al….. just as one might find in México! Check out these photos.
January 1, 2020
Grocery Stores - The Coolest Grocery Stores in Houston
I'll be the first to admit that this list is not exhaustive.
But.
Here are some of the places that I love to go to for shopping and just all around walking around.
All are amazing. I especially love the Turkish grocery, Acacia and the Indian grocery, Subralaxhmi Grocers.
For everything Mexican, I go to one of the new El Rancho Markets (they're all over town) or to the Mi Tienda (H.E.B.) or to Airline Drive to the places around Canino's Market including Granel Spice Market and El Bolillo Bakery.
And, don't forget the food sections at the most excellent Spec's downtown on Smith Street.
Mexican Sweets
British Foods and Knick-Knacks
Turkish
Ethiopian
West Indies
Indian
Chinese
Chinese / Vietnamese
But.
Here are some of the places that I love to go to for shopping and just all around walking around.
All are amazing. I especially love the Turkish grocery, Acacia and the Indian grocery, Subralaxhmi Grocers.
For everything Mexican, I go to one of the new El Rancho Markets (they're all over town) or to the Mi Tienda (H.E.B.) or to Airline Drive to the places around Canino's Market including Granel Spice Market and El Bolillo Bakery.
And, don't forget the food sections at the most excellent Spec's downtown on Smith Street.
Mexican Sweets
Food Sources - A Food Sourcing List With Links For All Your Specialty Food Needs
Food Sources - A Food Sourcing List With Links For All Your Specialty Food Needs
Greg Buchold provides the following information and links for your food needs:
Greg Buchold provides the following information and links for your food needs:
Pickles
My grandmother used to serve us a sweet mixed pickle with cucumber, onions, and cauliflower. I haven't been able to find the brand she used to buy but I did find a spicy version on Amazon from an Indiana company called Sechler's. They have some pickles with orange and lemon added.
Sweet Mixed Heat Pickles https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063FXPD0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sweet Orange Strip Pickles https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B04FCBW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Jams/Jellies/Sauces
A blackberry grower I found in Pike Place Market called Johnson Berry Farm http://johnsonberryfarm.com/ does single varietal blackberry jams like Tayberry, Boysenberry, and Marionberry. They also do chile versions of their jams. They sell their jams online in 3 packs that you can pick which you like. Everyone I've given these as gifts has loved seeing how each one tastes different.
Preserve Company (PEI, Canada) has an apple curd that is great with cheeses like brie.
Fox Meadow Farms Apple Cider Mustard that I discovered in Vermont is great on pretzels and for making a Vermonter sandwich.
Runamok Maple Syrup that is flavored with elderberry, bourbon, rye, rum, makrut lime, ginger, hibiscus, pecan wood, etc. is available through a bunch of Vermont country stores. I found it through Vermont's Own Products near Middlebury College https://www.vermontsownproducts.com/. Potlicker does beer and wine jellies. Lori Rocket is a cousin of the maker.
Above All Vermont https://aboveallvermont.com/ also has them, but their website only has a tiny fraction of the in-store offerings.
Woods Boiled Cider https://aboveallvermont.com/collections/food/products/woods-boiled-cider (Add this to amp up your apple pies)
I get Wild Huckleberry Syrup from Oregon Coast Jams through Made in Oregon. It's just berry juice and sugar not HFCS like the usual fruit syrups and has great flavor. I like to use it on berry pancakes and to amp up blackberry ice cream with this jam.
Oregon Coast Wild Huckleberry Syrup https://madeinoregon.com/food-drink/food-and-drink/jams-and-nut-butters/oregon-coast-wild-huckleberry-syrup.html
Wild Chokecherry jam from Huckleberry Haven https://www.amazon.com/Taste-the-Wilderness-Chokecherry-Jelly/dp/B0000E6GZT/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Wild+Chokecherry+jam+huckleberry+haven&qid=1598287052&s=grocery&sr=1-5
The Apple Barn in Tennessee has my favorite apple butter. I order some every September along with their apple fritter mix and make them for breakfast for a group of friends. I found their other fruit butters to be less exciting.
https://www.applebarncidermill.com/Apple-Butter-and-Jams?catPage=1&gclid=CMfN_bTl5rcCFWdp7AodZkcA3g
Penzey's Seafood Base https://www.penzeys.com/search/#?q=seafood%20base and Ham Base https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/ham-soup-base/c-24/p-1633/pd-s
My favorite pesto is La Favorita black truffle pesto from The French Farm. I recommend buying it at either their Easter or Christmas open house markdown sales. Some of my other favorite products from them include:
La Favorita Pesto Genovese with Truffles https://thefrenchfarm.com/la-favorita-pesto-genovese-with-truffles/
L'Epicurien coco passion fruit jam https://thefrenchfarm.com/lepicurien-coco-passion-fruit-jam/
L'Epicurien lemon curd https://thefrenchfarm.com/lepicurien-lemon-curd/
L'Epicurien apple cider calvados confit https://thefrenchfarm.com/lepicurien-apple-cider-calvados-confit/
L'Epicurien quince paste https://thefrenchfarm.com/lepicurien-quince-paste/
L'Epicurien sweet onion confit https://thefrenchfarm.com/lepicurien-sweet-onion-confit/ (great on burgers)
Pommery Cognac mustard https://thefrenchfarm.com/pommery-cognac-mustard/
Trader Joe's Garlic Spread (Lebanese Toum sauce) is vegan and lasts a long time refrigerated. I put it in a lot of stuff.
British Food
Marrowfat dried peas, spicy Worcestershire sauce, Hayward pickled onions, etc. https://www.britishislesonline.com/food/groceries/ Their Rice Village location is only doing online orders or curbside pickup since March.
Grains
Generally I go with Bob's Red Mill from the grocery store for most grains and the tapioca flour I use to thicken berry pies, but when I splurge on grains I'm a big fan of Anson Mills for their heritage rice and corn products. Their grits and polenta have more corn flavor than most mills unless you can find corn that is stone milled in the winter to preserve the flavor. The grits have to be babysat and keep adding water though. I love the Carolina Gold rice and the Laurel-aged rice that they store with bay leaves. I like to use it to make a chicken bog or jambalaya. https://ansonmills.com/products
Beans
I bought Rancho Gordo beans online for the Native American Houston Chowhounds cook the book event. I was particularly enamored of their Oaxacan beans. Even just cooked in water they made a chocolatey pot liquor. I can't recall if it was Ayocote Morado or Rio Zape. Jay said they are traditionally cooked with ajo santo leaves, which he has in his yard. I also like Yellow Indian Woman, Vaquero, and Eye of the Goat beans.
https://www.ranchogordo.com/collections/out-of-stock-beans/products/rio-zape-bean?variant=2570819587
Nuts
There's a longer and sweeter heritage varietal of hazelnuts that I found in Pike Place Market from Holmquist Hazelnuts. Bakers like to bake with these rather than the typical rounder hazelnut. When we visited Oregon we found a Marionberry pie made with a hazelnut crust that is like an upscale PB&J as a pie. www.holmquisthazelnuts.com
Snacks
We've gotten obsessed with popcorn this summer. The Popcorn in a Pickle from Trader Joe's is just slightly salty, so you can eat a lot of it.
If you like kettle corn you would like the one from Popcornopolis.
Since we went to Canada we like ketchup chips. British Isles in Rice Village has them and some other meat flavored chips. https://www.britishislesonline.com/walkers-tomato-ketchup-crisps-13227921.html
Keogh's Roast Turkey and Secret Stuffing crisps from Cost Plus World Market https://www.amazon.com/Keoghs-Turkey-Secret-Stuffing-Crisps/dp/B018IUD9NI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8
Cheese
Our friends Adam and Sara Hough after they moved to Washington state discovered Facerock Creamery's Vampire Slayer garlic cheddar. It's the most garlicy hard cheese I've had. They charge a flat fee to ship with freezer packs, so you want to order a sampling of cheeses to make the shipping costs reasonable.
Candy
The French Farm does nonpareils that are flavored with orange flower water and rose water. They also have fruit squares that are way better than the American equivalent. I bought a mixed fruit one, and they are great.
Pate de Fruits D'Auvergne https://thefrenchfarm.com/cruzilles-pates-de-fruits-in-purple-tin/ (like the gourmet version of Chuckles candy)
Cost Plus World Market has a good variety of dark chocolate bars with unusual filling flavors like green tea, passionfruit, chai tea, etc. https://www.worldmarket.com/category/food-and-drink/food/candy-chocolate/chocolate-bars.do
Tea
I've bought a number of different caffeine-free herbal teas from Native American Tea and liked them all. We started with sleepy time tea and then expanded to drinking the other kinds this year.
Bar Harbor Tea Company has the best blueberry tisane that's almost 90% dried wild blueberries rather than a lot of leaves like other brands. https://www.barharbortea.com/product-page/wild-maine-blueberry-fruit-tea
The German company Tea Gchwender has an outlet in Chicago that I order caffeine-free teas with fall/winter flavors like Rooibush apple streudel, Rooibush eggnog, Rooibush cinnamon plum, Fireside Glow, Advent Fruit tea, Luigi Amaretto, and spring/summer Rooibush panna cotta rhubarb (my favorite), acerola fruit tea, and fruit paradise tea. Some teas only available for specific seasons and they do sell out. I've made some cocktail bases including rum punches using a portion of brewed teas or as a simple syrup.
Harney & Sons tea from either British Isles or Kuhl-Linscomb. My favorite ones so far are Paris, litchi, and the hot cinnamon spice (I get wrapped sachets so they don't lose their potency). I get the hot cinnamon spice one in the winter and it's great to drink for sore throats because it's got clove in it.
Holiday foods
Chapel Hill Toffee (pecan and dark chocolate) is available at Christmas time from the Phoenicia location in west Houston near me. It's made in Chapel Hill NC where I went to school. It's thin and a soft brittle not super sticky like some toffees. Order direct in the winter https://www.chapelhilltoffee.com/purchase/
Since I used to live in North Carolina I got used to eating Moravian cookies and sugar cake in the grocery stores there. My favorite flavor is cranberry orange, but it's hard to find in Houston. Bering's and Central Market usually have several other flavors.
It's a tradition in my family to bake a mincemeat pie for Thanksgiving. I prefer the Borden dried package versus the more acidic one in the jars at the grocery store. They store forever, so I buy them whenever I find them in the HEB and Kroger markdown/returns aisles.
Every year I buy my Christmas stollen from Guglhupf German Bakery in Durham NC. The owners moved there from Germany so they make better tasting ones than the ones at Cost Plus World Market or Central Market. https://guglhupf.com/
Central Market sells several varieties of pan forte in different sizes.
Shopping - Fun Places to Shop - A list by Greg Buchold
NORTH HOUSTON
Cactus King 625 W Canino Rd, Houston, TX 77037– cacti and succulents thecactusking.com
GARDEN OAKS
Wabash Feed Store 4537 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77018 – garden store, metal art, eggs, farm animals wabashfeed.com
HEIGHTS
Heights Antiques on Yale 2110 Yale St, Houston, TX 77008 – antiques, 18th-20th century items heightsantiques.com
Lovejoy’s Antiques & Collectables 2100 Yale St, Houston, TX 77008 - lovejoysantiques.com
R & F Antiques 8910 Teichman Rd, Galveston, TX 77554 – antiques, Catholic church items, outdoor metal
The Lift 365 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008 – gifts, books thelifton19th.com
Eclectic Home 345 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008 – tableware, home décor eclectichome.ws
Jubilee - 325 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008 tableware, home décor, clothing, socks, cards jubileeintheheights.com
Bliss on 19th 235 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008 - blisson19th.com
Casa Ramirez 241 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008 – Mexican art, offrendas, Mexican tiles, guyaberas, books, cookbooks, jewelry, Dia de las Muertos figures
Revival Market 550 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007 – deli, meat market, sauces/pickles, fresh vegetables, restaurants revivalmarket.com
Buchanan’s Native Plants 611 E 11th St, Houston, TX 77008 – plants, home décor, fountains, towels, cards, candles, clothing, jewelry, outdoor decorations buchanansplants.com
Kaboom Books 6736, 3116 Houston Ave, Houston, TX 77009 – great used book store kaboombooks.com
MONTROSE
Corazon 2318 Waugh Dr, Houston, TX 77006 – guayaberas, Mexican art corazonfairtrade.com
The Guild Shop 2009 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX 77006 – high-quality second-hand store
theguildshop.org
Space Montrose 1706 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098 – cards, jewelry, spacemontrose.com
Texas Art Supply 2001 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006 – art supplies, activity books, books, etc. texasart.com
Sur La Table 1996 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019 – tableware, cookware, knives, small kitchen appliances, towels surlatable.com
Marshalls/HomeGoods 1450 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019 - marshallsonline.com
Events Gifts 2439 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098 – cards, napkins, glassware, jewelry, home décor, Christmas ornaments eventsgifts.com
MUSEUM DISTRICT
MFAH Shop 5601 S Main St, Houston, TX 77005 - mfah.org
CAMH Shop 5216 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006 – interesting jewelry, toys, personal items, games, books camh.org
HMNS Museum Store 5555 Hermann Dr, Houston, TX 77004 – science museum gifts museumstore.hmns.org
Southern Importers 4825 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004 – costume and party supplies southern-importers.com
Asia Society Texas Center - 1370 Southmore Blvd, Houston, TX 77004 asiasociety.org
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft 4848 S Main St, Houston, TX 77002 – jewelry and tableware crafthouston.org
MIDTOWN
Spec’s Downtown 2410 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006 – liquor store with extensive beer and wine offerings, unusual frozen and grocery items, deli, gifts specsonline.com
High Fashion Home 3100 Travis St, Houston, TX 77006 - highfashionhome.com
GREENWAY/UPPER KIRBY
Urban Harvest Farmers Market 3000 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77098 - urbanharvest.org
Christmas Rocks 2931 Ferndale St, Houston, TX 77098 – Christmas ornaments and holiday décor christmasrocks.us
Whole Earth Provision Co. 2934 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77098 – camping supplies, outdoor clothing, games, books, home décor wholeearthprovision.com
Kuhl-Linscomb 2424 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77098 – department store for the wealthy kuhl-linscomb.com
Antiques Pavilion 2311 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098 – more expensive antiques
Thompson and Hanson Stone House 3600 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77027 – garden themed gifts, plants, and restaurant thompsonhanson.com
Brown 2940 Ferndale St, Houston, TX 77098 – antique lighting, home décor, and small gifts shopbybrown.com
Bering’s Hardware 3900 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005 - berings.com
WEST U
Surroundings 1708 Sunset Blvd, Houston, TX 77005 - surroundingshouston.com
Zapotec Art A Southwest Gallery 1728 Sunset Blvd, Houston, TX 77005 – Native American art, zuni fetishes, pottery, Navajo rugs, drums zapotecartgallery.com
British Isles 2366 Rice Boulevard, Houston, TX 77005 – British food, jams, chocolate, tea pots, britishislesonline.com
Olivine 2405 Rice Boulevard, Houston, TX 77005 – Le Cadeau, French linens, clothing, gifts
La Taste 2417 Rice Boulevard, Houston, TX 77005 - French soap, baskets, tableware, scents latasteboutique.com
Meli-Melo 5617 Morningside Dr, Houston, TX 77005 – French gifts
The Blue Hand 2323 University Blvd, Houston, TX 77005 – unusual home décor, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, clothing, African art
Blue Leaf 2303 South Blvd, Houston, TX 77098 - blueleafhouston.com
Memorial Antiques and Interiors 7026 Old Katy Rd, 166, Houston, TX 77024 – high-end antiques
maiantiquestorehouston.com
GULFTON/MEYERLAND
Craftex Wholesale 7215 Ashcroft Dr, Houston, TX 77081 - craftexwholesale.com
Russian General Store 9629 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77096 - russiangeneralstore.com
CHINATOWN
T & P Gifts 9188 Bellaire Blvd # M, Houston, TX 77036 -
Winseng Books & Gifts 9112 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036 - winseng.com
Moshi Moshi E, 9108 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036 – Japanese plush toys,
Fit JP Store 9889 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036 – Japanese gifts, ceramic cats, plateware, storage items, personal grooming fitjpstore.com
ENERGY CORRIDOR
Antiques & More 1801 S Dairy Ashford Rd #106, Houston, TX 77077 – high-end antiques
Japan House 1801 S Dairy Ashford Rd #121, Houston, TX 77077 – Japanese gifts usjapanhouse.com
Cornelius Nursery 2233 S Voss Rd, Houston, TX 77057 – plants, home décor, fake flowers, wreath supplies, Christmas ornaments, outdoor decorations calloways.com
Bering’s Hardware 6102 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057 - berings.com
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