[ATL] Where to find it

[Dave the Cook]

It's about time we had a topic for locating stuff in the metro Atlanta area. Here's how I'm going to set up the discussion:

• I'll start off with some fairly random stuff, while trying to categorize it. Since my most recent notes have to do with cocktail ingredients, the list will be heavy on that until we get participation on the next step.
  
• The next step: as members have questions, they post them on this topic.
  
• The other next step: as members find stuff, or as they have time, they post that here, too.
  
• Every few days, I'll incorporate new locations into the original post. That way, if you're looking for something, you only need to hit that first post (well, it will actually be the second post -- the one after this one -- but you get the idea).
  

A few guidelines are probably in order:

• With the exception of restaurants (see below), nothing food-, beverage- or equipment-related is off-limits. In my teaching work over the last year, I've ceased to be surprised at what even the most enthusiastic cooks can and can't find. Often, it's right there at Kroger or Publix but they just never thought to look (or just as often, it's not in the expected place in the store).
  
• Except for those that have retail operations (like The Fish Market), restaurants are not part of this project.
  
• When you post a find, please include a link to the relevant website, if one is available. If not, please include the address and phone number.
  
• Although hearsay is acceptable (as in, "I heard you could get X at Y"), I won't post the information until a member has verified it.
  
• We will assume good faith and common sense on each others' parts. This won't be the place to debate relative quality or the usefulness of a gadget or ingredient. For those sorts of discussions, we have the Cooking and Kitchen Consumer forums.
  
• If you have suggestions for organization or information-gathering as it relates to this topic, please PM me, rather than post here. Let's keep this a clean reference.
  

Ready? Let's get started!

[Dave the Cook]

Spirits, liqueurs and bitters

Laird's Special Apple Brandy (100 proof): Pearson's Wine of Atlanta

Junipero Gin: Tower Beer, Wine, Spirits (Piedmont Rd. only; Buford Hwy. location not confirmed.)

Marie Brizard liqueurs: Pearson's Wine of Atlanta

Tower Beer, Wine, Spirits (Piedmont Rd. only; Buford Hwy. location not confirmed.)

Jax Fine Wine and Spirits (Roswell Rd. location only; Cumming location not confirmed.)

Creme de Violette (Rothman & Winter): Tower Beer, Wine, Spirits (Piedmont Rd. only; Buford Hwy. location not confirmed.)

Green's Discount Liquor (Buford Hwy. location only; Ponce location not confirmed.)

Lucid Absinthe: Tower Beer, Wine, Spirits (Piedmont Rd. only; Buford Hwy. location not confirmed.)

Grande Absente: Green's Discount Liquor (Buford Hwy. location only; Ponce location not confirmed.)

Carpano Antica: Pearson's Wine of Atlanta

Toco Giant, 2941 North Druid Hills Rd NE, Ste A, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; (404) 320-1903

Fee's Bitters: Toco Giant, 2941 North Druid Hills Rd NE, Ste A, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; (404) 320-1903

Meat, Fish, Poultry

Prime beef: Star Provisions

Sawicki's Meat Seafood and More

Grass-fed beef: Moore Farms and Friends CSA (limited availability)

Sawicki's Meat Seafood and More

Berkshire pork: Star Provisions

Sawicki's Meat Seafood and More

Moore Farms and Friends CSA (limited availability)

Whole pork belly: Super H-Mart (only Duluth confirmed.)

Quail: Your Dekalb Farmers Market

Fruits and vegetables

Kaffir lime leaves: Your Dekalb Farmers Market (call ahead to ask about availability.

Hon shimeji mushrooms: most Asian markets

Dry Goods

Ground ancho in bulk: Your Dekalb Farmers Market

More Than Gourmet soup and stock bases: The Cook's Warehouse

Togarashi: most Asian markets

Fennel pollen: Star Provisions (Ask for it; it's not on the shelf.)

Palm sugar: The Cook's Warehouse

Cheese

Delice de'Pommard: Star Provisions

Cookware

Glassware

Tableware

Services

Knife sharpening: The Cook's Warehouse

Bladesmith, 3715 Northcrest Rd, Doraville, GA 30340; (770) 458-3102

Appliances

Edited July 8, 2008 by Dave the Cook (log)

[Lan4Dawg]

Great idea Dave & thank you.

Just a side note on liquors, &c. Most reputable liquor stores will be more than happy to order "off-the-wall" or unusual items. You just have to find some one at the store willing to do it and expect to pay a little more (but in today's world of gas prices it is some times cheaper to pay a couple of dollars more locally than drive to Buckhead). It helps if you know the distributor as the Southern Beverage Guide is some times no help what-so-ever.

[JAZ]

I need to find a few unusual ingredients for a cooking class I'll be shopping for:

• Fennel pollen
  
• Togarashi
  
• Kaffir lime leaves
  
• hon shimeji mushrooms
  
• Yuzu juice
  
• Micro celery
  

Anyone have any ideas?

[therese]

I've seen kaffir lime leaves at Dekalb Farmers Market, though I haven't looked for them recently.

You can get togarashi at Super H Mart as well as at Tomato.

I've got a great big jar of fennel pollen in my pantry, but didn't get it in Atlanta so can't name a retail source. Cakes & Ale in Decatur serves an appetizer made with fennel pollen, so could probably give you a retail outlet.

[Doodad]

Lime leaves are sometimes at Whole Foods and almost always at Super HMart.

Super H Mart has yuzu juice.

[Reignking]

I never found the lime leaves at DFM, but I did find it at the market on Buford Hwy just outside 285 (someone more familiar with it will know the name).

Cheese: Star Provisions

(Specifically, Delice de'Pommard, red-wine-soaked mustard husk covered goat cheese. I found it in the Loire Valley on my honeymoon, and was shocked to find it. It is fantastic.)

[RAHiggins1]

I never found the lime leaves at DFM, but I did find it at the market on Buford Hwy just outside 285 (someone more familiar with it will know the name).

Cheese: Star Provisions

(Specifically, Delice de'Pommard, red-wine-soaked mustard husk covered goat cheese.  I found it in the Loire Valley on my honeymoon, and was shocked to find it.  It is fantastic.)

←

Buford Highway Farmer's Market

(770) 455-0625

5600 Buford Hwy NE,

Doraville, GA 30340

Edited June 20, 2008 by RAHiggins1 (log)

[Dave the Cook]

I saw a package labeled "lime leaf" there (Buford Highway Farmer's Market) recently. Is it assumed that these are Kaffir lime leaves, or are they Tahitian lime leaves or what?

It turns out togarashi can be found in a lot of places. Once you know what the bottle looks like, you start to see it all over.

Star Provisions will sell you fennel pollen, but you have to ask -- it's not on the shelf.

[RAHiggins1]

I could not find Palm sugar at Super H mart.

I ended up using Badia brand raw cane sugar that come in cones and is mixed with a little molasses.

Super H mart did not have Kaffir lime leaves that I could find. I sort of cheated and substituted a little lime peel. I'm sure I lost a subtle component in my hot and sour dish.

[Dave the Cook]

Cook's Warehouse has palm sugar.

I ended up doing a lot of the shopping for Janet's class:

I never found yuzu juice -- where in Super H Mart is it, Doodad? (We subbed lemon and lime juice; no one complained.) DFM told me that they usually have it fresh, but didn't at the time.

Hon shimeji mushrooms are at pretty much every Asian store in the city (and I went to a lot of Asian stores).

A chef lent us some micro-celery.

DFM had kaffir lime leaves -- they were in little deli containers near the Thai chiles.

[Dave the Cook]

Great idea Dave & thank you.

Just a side note on liquors, &c.  Most reputable liquor stores will be more than happy to order "off-the-wall" or unusual items.  You just have to find some one at the store willing to do it and expect to pay a little more (but in today's world of gas prices it is some times cheaper to pay a couple of dollars more locally than drive to Buckhead).  It helps if you know the distributor as the Southern Beverage Guide is some times no help what-so-ever.

←

Good point. I've had about a 50% success rate with special orders, so I've adopted a more strategic approach in addition: contacting liquor companies and importers directly. In the case of Luxardo Maraschino, for example, I sent an email to Preiss, and struck up a lengthy electronic conversation with a guy there. Luxardo had fallen between the cracks in a distributor buyout. But between me (and you, too, Lan4Dawg, as well as a number of professional bartenders who were tired of bootlegging it in) running around town asking for Maraschino, and the Preiss dude being able to point to that as a sign of demand, we finally got it back on the shelves.

This also worked to a lesser extent with Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy. At Tales of the Cocktail last year, I cornered Lisa Laird and asked her why it wasn't available in Georgia. She didn't duck. She just said, "I'll make it happen." A couple of months later, it did.

(Next up: Lemon Heart Demerara Rum.)

[racheld]

I bought six jars of Duke's mayo at Publix on Peachtree Blvd. this past weekend.

It may be old hat to those of you who are already DOWN there, but it was great to me---Indiana doesn't seem to have it ANYWHERE.

(And six was all they had, in regular, though the Light and Sugar-Free were in good supply). Sugar free mayo??

But we didn't pass a single boiled-peanut vendor

[therese]

I bought six jars of Duke's mayo at Publix on Peachtree Blvd. this past weekend.

It may be old hat to those of you who are already DOWN there, but it was great to me---Indiana doesn't seem to have it ANYWHERE.

(And six was all they had, in regular, though the Light and Sugar-Free were in good supply).  Sugar free mayo??

But we didn't pass a single boiled-peanut vendor

←

Duke's is widely available here in Atlanta.

Boiled peanut vendors aren't too common in the city proper, though I could point you to a few. We just make them at home---this year's peanut crop has been very nice, and I'm on my third batch. I get the peanuts at Dekalb Farmers Market, still a bit damp and with lots of "babies" in the mix.

[Doodad]

Dave - I found the yuzu in the area with the sauces, condiments and oils. In the Duluth location that is between the fish and the beer.

I bought lime leaves this past week at Whole Foods aka Harry's in Alphaghetto.

[Lan4Dawg]

Just a couple of fyi's:

There is a massive shortage of Noilly-Prat dry vermouth in Georgia. We can not get it at the store nor can any one to whom I have spoken in/around Atlanta so if you see some go ahead and snag it (& let the rest of us know where you found it). The distributor for this area has been out for weeks and no one there knows when they will be getting it back.

Word is that there is not enough Maker's Mark to go around either. I do not know if this is just w/ the Georgia distributor or some thing fr/ the distillery but you might bear that in mind when stocking your bar and snag some extra--just in case.

And a question: has any one had any luck finding Torani Amer in the Atl area? I do not even know where to order the stuff.

[Dave the Cook]

Thanks for the heads-up! I was in two stores yesterday, and I'm sure I saw NP dry at at least one of them -- as soon as I figure it out and secure my share, I'll let you know!

I don't know about Torani Amer, but lately the Tower on Piedmont has gotten a lot more serious about what they stock -- for example, they're the only place in town that's got R&W Violette and St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Junipero Gin and (once in a while) Rittenhouse Bonded. You might give them a call: 404-881-0902.

[Lan4Dawg]

Thanks for the heads-up! I was in two stores yesterday, and I'm sure I saw NP dry at at least one of them -- as soon as I figure it out and secure my share, I'll let you know!

I don't know about Torani Amer, but lately the Tower on Piedmont has gotten a lot more serious about what they stock -- for example, they're the only place in town that's got R&W Violette and St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Junipero Gin and (once in a while) Rittenhouse Bonded. You might give them a call: 404-881-0902.

←

thx Dave,

the rep fr/ Empire keeps telling me that they are out of Rittenhouse Bonded (frankly I do not think he looks) and I ordered the R&W my self. We had the Junipero in at one time and I am about to order Bluecoat and another gin fr/ Ultimate when I talk to their rep tomorrow.

[Dave the Cook]

Dawg, you're on the other side of the retail counter?

[Lan4Dawg]

Dawg, you're on the other side of the retail counter?

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Whtiley-Neill is the name of the gin I could not remember! I am really beginning to hate "some-timers". I had the perfect marketing idea the other day for a UGA product; forgot to write it down; am still trying to remember what the hell it was.

Any who......I do some part-time consulting for a store up in Flowery Branch (Hall County). If I had people actually request off-the-wall and unusual items I could persuade them to carry more. We had Carpano for a while and it sat there except for what I purchased or convinced folks to buy. We do go through more Lillet than any other store in that area and Noilly-Prat out sells every other vermouth we carry (thank you very much) but our major sellers are Crown Royal and Jose Cuervo. What can I say as it is Hall County.

[Lan4Dawg]

I stopped by to see my friends at Tower on Piedmont this after noon and asked if they were having problems getting N-P vermouth. They had a full shelf and said they had no issues at all. I asked who was their distributor and b/c of where they are located in Atl they are represented by Empire so apparently it is only those accounts serviced by NorthEast who are having issues w/ N-P (& due to Georgia law we can not order fr/ another distributor). I do not know if it is a shipment or stocking issue or just what w/ NE but N-P is out there you just have to go out side of NE GA to get it.

[RAHiggins1]

I've decided to start up a small catering service that does parties and dinners.

I'd like to know where I can rent professional equipment to use (hotboxes, coolers, buffet service, etc.. or possibly a kitchen that can be leased for prep, cooking, etc.. I would prefer the latter as it would mean that the kitchen is already approved for food preperation by the health department.

[Dave the Cook]

I've decided to start up a small catering service that does parties and dinners.

I'd like to know where I can rent professional equipment to use (hotboxes, coolers, buffet service, etc.. or possibly a kitchen that can be leased for prep, cooking, etc.. I would prefer the latter as it would mean that the kitchen is already approved for food preperation by the health department.

←

This place hit my inbox a little while back: Shared Kitchens. I don't know if it opened on time, or even what the space looks like.

[Dave the Cook]

Whtiley-Neill is the name of the gin I could not remember!  I am really beginning to hate "some-timers".  I had the perfect marketing idea the other day for a UGA product; forgot to write it down; am still trying to remember what the hell it was.

←

Tower (Piedmont) has Whitley-Neill in stock.

[Lan4Dawg]

Whtiley-Neill is the name of the gin I could not remember!  I am really beginning to hate "some-timers".  I had the perfect marketing idea the other day for a UGA product; forgot to write it down; am still trying to remember what the hell it was.

←

Tower (Piedmont) has Whitley-Neill in stock.

←

I have been meaning to mention that I have found the mother-lode when it comes to alcohol in the metro Atlanta area. If you are any where near Conyers you have to stop at Sigman's Bottle Shop on Sigman Road not too far fr/ I-20. I swear they have just about any and every thing you can possibly get in the state of Georgia (& some things I did not even know were available!). It is in a strip mall and does not look that big fr/ the out side but the place could rival the Minotaur's lair when it comes to mazes--but full of wine, spirits, and beer. Rocky is the owner/proprieter and very nice. Head over and check the place out some time.