Great Food and Cooking Supplies (in 3-5 business days): Internet Shopping

[JTMacc99]

Sometimes, I simply can't get what I want at a store near me. The best examples are knives, which I purchase rarely, and spices, which I purchase regularly.

 

I just put in an order from The Spice House for a whole bunch of stuff, which is what prompted me to come here and find out if anybody else orders food over the internet. This time I needed Chili Powder, Hungarian Sweet Paprika, Whole Nutmeg, and a few of their blends like the Italian dressing base, regular taco seasoning, and pumpkin pie spice.

 

It was their high quality cinnamon, black pepper, various chili powders, and Maharajah curry powder that originally caught my attention, but now I pretty much get everything from them. Even simple stuff like garlic powder and dried herbs are noticeably better than what I can get in the store.  If you haven't tried ordering spices over the internet, I would recommend giving it a shot.

 

Most of the Internet spice shops have gift boxes. Send yourself one. It will probably be better than some of the stuff you got over the holidays.

[stillshimpy]

We have a Penzey's here too, and I go semi-regularly, for me the key to retaining any sense of financial security is to treat it like a military strike: Initial recon for imminent threat (what if there's a sale item? Can't pass those up entirely!) then move with swift and stunning accuracy towards all targets, with surgical precision.  Avoid samples with recipe cards, that's where I always end up buying stuff I shouldn't. 

 

Also, the double-vanilla?  Not really all that great.  So I stick with the Mexican or Tahitian. 

 

Weirdly, if I take a friend I have a tendency to not stray from my own personal mission as much as I might otherwise.  It's easier to stay responsible when I have a witness.  I have absolutely found that certain things are better from Penzey's though.  Their cinnamon blend, vanillas, garlic powder are all ones I think are amazing.  I have found ones that weren't quite as "Holy crow, that's so much better" but in truth, their prices just are not that staggering if you're already going slightly higher end on spices anyway.  There are foods where I just don't perceive much of a difference in quality.  For instance, chili powder for Vegetarian Chili (the key there might be that we're only doing vegetarian chili , so the chili powder isn't trying to meld with any meat flavors, so I can go lower end on the spices?) I can just go with McCormicks (I know, I know, I blaspheme) but then for things like that cinnamon? There's no darned contest.  

 

I like almost everything I've ever ordered from King Arthur Flour -- Princess Bakery Emulsion and Coconut extract.  Most of that stuff is now available through Amazon Marketplace where I'm a prime member.  

 

I order match powder from there.  Essentially if I am in the market for anything a little bit out there, and don't feel like paying whatever King's Ransom Whole Foods thinks it should be able to charge for it (I had a bought of what I think might have been truly hysterical laughter when I saw their price on organic matcha, it was stunning) , I check Amazon to see if they have it.  

 

I know ...I know....Amazon, it's Skynet, with Books these days, but still....easier than hell to shop on it.  

Edited December 27, 2014 by stillshimpy

[DeLurker]

I asked my nephew a few weeks ago to take me to Penzey's for the first time - I had never been and was amazed at how much they packed into a very modest sized shop.  I don't use a whole lot of spices regularly - my kids still prefer foods on the plainer side and I am not one for a whole lot of seasoning - but I wanted to buy some of their spice blends a gift for my brother who enjoys cooking a lot and a more robust flavor.  I ended up buying some various peppercorn blends for my Dad too - he much prefers a bolder pepper taste and has to see it to be convinced food is properly seasoned (Mom and I use a lot of white pepper).

 

My daughter did pick up some cinnamon - her favorite - and there is a huge difference between Penzey's and your standard McCormick's (or whoever).

 

It was easy to run the tab up, but I've been very pleased with the spices I did buy and feel they were worth the price.  I agree with stillshrimpy - I wouldn't buy 100% from Penzey's as what is available in your local store is perfectly serviceable, but there are some spices that I have a Penzey's preference for.

[ebk57]

We have a Penzey's here.  I don't cook much, but I love walking around the store and sniffing everything!  I think it's a great selling tool that they have every spice in a jar that can be uncapped and sniffed right there.  I know, I'm weird... :-).  My husband, the cook, orders most everything from them.  He's particularly fond of the Tuscan Sunset and a bunch of the other blends.  

 

It's a fun place to shop.  Tasty, too!

 

And just to keep this on topic, he usually orders online since the store is in Rockville.  And no one in his right mind goes to Rockville unless absolutely necessary.

Edited December 27, 2014 by ebk57

[PRgal]

Ever since I discovered them at a food/independent/small business/craft show type event, I've been IN LOVE with Hawberry Farms spreads, especially those that are sweetened by its own juices (rather than sugar).  My favourite is their apple butter - it's on my toast constantly and I also use it in my banana bread recipe (I mix it with Greek yogurt as a butter substitute.  It works!) and slow cooked or stove top apples.  The only thing is that you have to buy around $40 Canadian worth of product to get free shipping, which means that I have to buy at least three or four jars of products.  In addition to fruit spreads, they have salad dressings, rubs and cooking sauces. 

 

As for kitchen stuff, I've bought items online, but usually from major stores like Hudson's Bay or Bed, Bath and Beyond.

 

Question: Has anyone bought groceries online?  Around 14-15 years ago, I interned at an insurance company and the woman I worked for, a busy mom of two, shopped on grocerygateway.com.  Yes, we're talking about 2000!!! 

[mansonlamps]

 

Question: Has anyone bought groceries online?  Around 14-15 years ago, I interned at an insurance company and the woman I worked for, a busy mom of two, shopped on grocerygateway.com.  Yes, we're talking about 2000!!!

I shop at Peapod.com all the time. I absolutely love it. They always pack beautiful produce and meats, and their packaging ensures everything arrives at the proper temperature. I find that I actually save money since I do more menu planning and there are no impulse buys. Also they make it simple to shop for sale items and they accept coupons. With three ways to get your groceries with different delivery fees, you can choose your threshold for how much you want to spend. Highly recommend trying at least once with the first time buyers $20 discount.

[chessiegal]

My stepdaughter needed groceries but had sick kids at home, so she decided to try Instacart. They delivered 4 bags of someone else's order. They left the wrong order and quickly delivered the right order. Turns out the wrong order was full of ice cream, chips, corn dogs, and other things she doesn't bring home on a regular basis. The kids are thrilled. Good luck doling that out in a fashion that doesn't mean a constant unhealthy diet. 🤣 

[GreekGeek]

I like Misfits Market. They started out as sellers of fruits and vegetables that were larger or smaller or just not as "pretty" as the grocery store ones but otherwise perfectly good. They've expanded to include a variety of groceries and pantry staples at cheaper prices than the stores. 

I've bought quite a lot from Penzey's online but did not realize they had brick and mortar stores too--shame on me!

King Arthur Flour has a good array of baking supplies, but they can get pricey.

[PRgal]

I shop at Fresh City Farms a local supermarket chain with both stores and a delivery service.  I started using them every other week pre-Pandemic, which then increased to weekly or even two times a week.  They have a membership program where you can schedule a delivery window at half the cost (they say it's free, but the membership free works out to half price if you do it weekly).  

[annzeepark914]

Can anyone recommend a mild red wine vinegar? I've used Pompeian for years in my Greek dressing, but wondered if there's a milder brand. Lately, I've been putting a bit of honey in the dressing. It helps a little.

[JTMacc99]

On 7/12/2022 at 6:08 PM, annzeepark914 said:

Can anyone recommend a mild red wine vinegar? I've used Pompeian for years in my Greek dressing, but wondered if there's a milder brand. Lately, I've been putting a bit of honey in the dressing. It helps a little.

Holy cow. I literally just went on a Google hunt the last day or so looking for Red Wine Vinegar reviews. What are the odds somebody would be posting here looking for exactly the same random thing?

Regardless, here's what I know:

• There is no consensus from the internet on what is "best".
• Most of them seem to like both Pompeian organic and Colavita as vinegars you can afford and find in stores.
• The one that seems to be recommended as mild and/or great for dressings (so what you're asking) is Fini. It's expensive (in my opinion), but seems to have a lot of fans.  The link is to the Amazon page for it.

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

• The one that seems to be recommended as mild and/or great for dressings (so what you're asking) is Fini. It's expensive (in my opinion), but seems to have a lot of fans.  The link is to the Amazon page for it.

Thanks, JTMACC99!! 😊.  I've seen Fini advertised. I'm going to try it.

[JTMacc99]

51 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

I'm going to try it.

Report back to let me know if it's any good.

I always liked Progresso's red wine vinegar, but that disappeared from shelves what feels like at least a couple years ago. Could be more. Who knows? The last couple of years are a mess in my head.  I Googled around a bit, and don't see any official news of the product being discontinued, but for sure nobody has it in stock.

I'm probably going to hit one of the local Italian specialty stores here and pick up a couple different brands to start taste testing.