Online outlets for gourmet goods

April 6, 2005 7:17 AM

Online outlets for gourmet goods : Chef's Warehouse | iGourmet | ChefShop | Earthy Delights | L'Epicerie (french) | Ethnic Grocer| La Tienda (spanish) | French Feast (french) | Gustiamo.com (italian) | Pacific East West (japanese/chinese) | Import Food (thai) . . . (via NYT)
posted by crunchland (40 comments total)

One note about Earthy Delights -- now's the time to order their spring gourmet specials on wild morels, ramps (wild leeks) and fiddleheads.

Also, of special interest to home chefs, the upscale cooking supply store, Sur La Table will sharpen up to 3 of your chef's knives for free at any of their locations during the month of April. (They'll sharpen additional knives for the fee of $1 per inch.) Store locations here.
posted by crunchland at 7:19 AM on April 6, 2005

Perrier Blue?
(just kidding)
posted by bashos_frog at 7:35 AM on April 6, 2005

Yummy.
posted by ColdChef at 7:35 AM on April 6, 2005

Zingermans - for a FedEx'ed sammich anywhere.

Heritage Foods for all of your old authentic breeds.
posted by remlapm at 7:38 AM on April 6, 2005

One of the things I miss the most from Japan. Not.
posted by bashos_frog at 7:39 AM on April 6, 2005

fixed url : http://heritagefoodsusa.com/
posted by crunchland at 7:40 AM on April 6, 2005

Very useful post, thanks!
posted by brand-gnu at 7:56 AM on April 6, 2005

For those of you in Boston, and still live in a cave, check out the best asian market, Super 88.
posted by jsavimbi at 8:08 AM on April 6, 2005

A hearty re-recommendation of Zingermans... great stuff.

Also, Penzeys for spices, Bella Italia for Italian, and The Grateful Palate for... Bacon of the Month subscriptions (among other things). Mmm, bacon.
posted by fet at 8:11 AM on April 6, 2005

For those of you in Cambridge, who never leave Central Square, check out the best spice \ dry-goods store: Christina's Spice Shop. For everyone else, there's Penzey's.
posted by bl1nk at 8:12 AM on April 6, 2005

Crunchland, you rule!
posted by shoepal at 8:12 AM on April 6, 2005

Along Super 88's lines, there's also 99 Ranch for Californians (plus Atlanta, Seattle).
posted by fet at 8:13 AM on April 6, 2005

I've been a huge fan of Penzeys for awhile now. I credit their spices with transforming my cooking, especially, their spice mixtures. They also sell a great hot cocoa mix that my wife cannot live without now -- 1.5 tablespoons of it, plus 12 oz. of hot milk, mixed with 4 oz. of cold-pressed coffee makes a mocha better and cheaper than $tarb*ck$.
posted by crunchland at 8:19 AM on April 6, 2005

I am astounded that a NYT article left out D'Artagnan. They have the best wild games, meats and foie gras available via the internet, and are suppliers to most of the fanciest restaurants and gourmet butchers and markets in the Northeast US.
posted by dchase at 8:30 AM on April 6, 2005

Crunchland. I cannot recommend Marie Belle enough for hot cocoa, double plus for the Spicy Aztec flavor I have linked to. If you are in NYC you can taste it on Broome Street in their only storefront. If you are not in NY, but have pals here, send an emmisary for a tasting.

You will be hooked, it is like crack.
posted by remlapm at 8:31 AM on April 6, 2005

One other place not mentioned is Lobel's for ordering meat, online. Though their prices are really, really sky high. I've made only one purchase through them -- I really can't justify spending all that cash on a hunk of flesh. They have heritage beef and pork, wagyu beef (american version of kobe), and kurobuta pork. I'm not sure if they are still offering the $50 discount to new customers any more, but that was the only way they could get me to swallow their prices. Also, be sure and use a spam email address when you set up your account, or you can look forward to a flood of emails from them.
posted by crunchland at 8:57 AM on April 6, 2005

These sound mighty tempting.
posted by debralee at 9:00 AM on April 6, 2005

The Spice House is another great source for spices. (The owners are related to the owners of Penzey's, interestingly enough.)
posted by me3dia at 9:09 AM on April 6, 2005

Here's a third for Zingerman's. Every time I fly through DTW, I want to take a quick side-trip in a rented car over to Ann Arbor and get the world's best $12 deli sandwich. One of the things I really miss from living in the area. They know food, they love food, and they live food there. Try the Roadhouse, too, if you pass by 23 on 94.
posted by kcm at 9:15 AM on April 6, 2005

This is AWESOME. Thanks so much, crunchland; this knocks off a couple of AskMe posts I've been planning. I love ImportFood.com, so I'll have a few of these others out.
posted by painquale at 9:33 AM on April 6, 2005

You Boston Penzey's fans will be glad to know (if you don't already) that they're opening a store in Arlington soon.

(thanks for the great links, crunchland)
posted by briank at 9:42 AM on April 6, 2005

kcm, I dunno about Zingerman's. As a former Ann Arbor townie who can remember when they first opened doors in the 80's, it seems to me they've lost a little je ne sais quoi in the grocery department. They used to have a very very nice section of gourmet treats from Michigan (including some yummy jams called spoonfruits or some such) but now they're concentrating on importing the latest and greatest chi-chi stuff. I like the chi-chi stuff, don't get me wrong, but it's nice to have Michigan's horn tooted too. However, before I became vegetarian (again), I have to say I'd go through the fiery pits of hell for one of their reubens. Their sandwiches are still the penultimate treat whenever I go back.

As for morels, the best ones come from my brother's backyard (he lives in mid-Michigan in prime morel country). He won't even tell ME where they grow, but they get POUNDS every year. Yes, I'm jealous.
posted by MiHail at 9:44 AM on April 6, 2005

On a related topic, anyone have any favorite gourmet equipment sites or shops? I am having fun getting rid of old (wedding present) cookware and replacing it with some quality stuff now that I'm settling into my bachelorette pad.

So far I kinda like Chef's Catalog, though they have some cheezy as well as nice stuff, but seemingly reasonable prices. I'm also caught up in a "is All-Clad really worth the price?" debate with myself.
posted by MiHail at 9:55 AM on April 6, 2005

Amazon has had some really good prices on calphalon lately ... though some have argued that the calphalon they're selling at the discount prices are cheaply made in china. I haven't had any real complaints. And a $19 10-inch calphalon pan is comparable in price to almost anything you'd get in the back of those discount/close-out clothing stores for even worse made crap. But yes, I covet all-clad, and have been buying one or two pieces a year for the last few years. I definitely think they're worth the price.
posted by crunchland at 10:01 AM on April 6, 2005

I've had enough local provincialism living in my current hellhole of a cityBurgh, and there were plenty of Michigania-type stores around the state to sate my hunger for cherry *, although I'll agree that the stuff was tasty. Never underestimate the ability to buy the truly expensive stuff, since I certainly can't do it here. :) I can't even find Dave's Insanity Scotch Bonnet hot sauce locally, for X's sake!
posted by kcm at 10:04 AM on April 6, 2005

Earthy Delights seems very expensive. For example, a 1.3-1.5lb grade A foie gras is $95, but you can get the same thing from D'Artagnan for $80.
posted by Caviar at 10:10 AM on April 6, 2005

$12 deli sandwich !?

You DO realize that I could get 12 MacDonalds Double Cheeseburgers for that much.
( messin' witcha )
posted by spock at 10:58 AM on April 6, 2005

For the absolute best prices on caviar and truffles and even foie gras, you can't beat: House of Caviar and Fine Foods.com

I have ordered for myself and for gifts on several occasions. They have great customer service and the quality for the price is unreal.
posted by dannynewbs at 12:07 PM on April 6, 2005

$12 deli sandwich !?

You DO realize that I could get 12 MacDonalds Double Cheeseburgers for that much.

You, sir, must have been a Pittsburgh native, n'at. See above. :)
posted by kcm at 12:47 PM on April 6, 2005

What is it about pictures of meat that's so...surreal? Maybe it's just me, maybe I've seen too many bizarre 70's cookbooks that trigger bad memories, but for some reason pictures of meat always set off my WTF alarm.
posted by nTeleKy at 1:06 PM on April 6, 2005

Pittsburgh ethnic stores:

Tokyo Japanese grocery on Ellsworth, can't remember the intersection but where the 71A bus turns towards 5th Ave and Shady

Patel Brothers for Indian - on Route 22 in Monroeville across from the Chuck E Cheese and Jaguar dealer

Further up on 22, near the Petstore and Denny's is the Korean Grocer

And even further in Murrysville is a pilipino asian grocery

Of course the minute chinatown/vietnamese stores in the Strip
posted by infini at 1:37 PM on April 6, 2005

Now I know I needn't advise Seattleites (and, apparently, Oregonians now) to make a pilgrimage to Uwajimaya, because they're already in love with the place, right? Their main store has an apartment complex built in right above it. To be that close to that much good food--! At that point I might as well just sign my paycheck over to them, so it's a good thing that's only a pipe dream.

And to think, I was already planning on checking out ChefShop's only brick-n-mortar store this afternoon...now, I think I'll be going a little crazier than I otherwise would have. Thanks, Metafilter!
posted by Vervain at 2:35 PM on April 6, 2005

That House of Caviar site looks great, dannynewbs, but I'm a little put off that their shopping cart system doesn't seem to be encrypted. I think I'll request a catalog if they've got one.
posted by crunchland at 3:46 PM on April 6, 2005

La espanola near Long Beach for some of your Spanish must haves.
posted by adamvasco at 4:02 PM on April 6, 2005

bl1nk: I've been living in Cambridge now for seven years and had never heard of Christina's, despite the fact that my friends and I are all cooking fiends. I will be there by the end of the week, now!
posted by whatzit at 4:15 PM on April 6, 2005

whatzit -- that's because some Cantabrigians need to remember that there's more to the city than what's on the Red Line ;)

While you're in the Inman Square area, head down Cambridge St. towards the Galleria and you can stop in at New Deal Fish Market (the best fishmonger in the city) and Mayflower Poultry (aka the Fresh Killed Chicken place) for everything from chicken wings and turkey breasts to frozen pintades and geese from D'Artagnan. Along the way, stop at any number of Brazilian bakeries for sweet buns and sundry pastries.

*sigh* some days I miss living in a ratty apartment surrounded by tasty groceries.
posted by bl1nk at 9:54 AM on April 7, 2005

anyone have any favorite gourmet equipment sites or shops?

MiHail - My friend swears by Golda's Kitchen. The prices are in Canadian funds, but they ship worldwide.
posted by Monk at 1:23 PM on April 7, 2005

Gourmet equipment: Professional Cutlery Direct.

On Caviar: Russian caviar is endangered, from having been severely overfished. Sterling Caviar has great American White Sturgeon Roe, which is a fantastic alternative.
posted by Caviar at 11:54 PM on April 8, 2005

I've got to second the recommendation for Amazon, especially with their current $25 off of $125 special on kitchen stuff. It makes those $150 all-clad pans a bit more affordable, and shipping is free too for anything over $25. If you are buying tons of stuff, break it down into as many separate orders of just over $125 as possible. Though it says the special ends on April 30th, they've been running the same deal since (at least) January.
posted by rorycberger at 11:38 AM on April 14, 2005

For what it's worth, I just made an order with cajungrocer.com for some andouille. Online reviews I found said they have great customer service, and good products. I'll let you know how my gumbo turns out.
posted by crunchland at 10:33 PM on April 14, 2005