Sunday, July 3, 2011

Shop Local: Week 1


 'Shop Local' is something you may hear a lot lately.  It really is a great way to invest in your community, and it got me thinking...how much do I shop locally?  To keep track, I'll be making a list (yay, lists!) at the end of each week, and posting it here.  After the first week, I've already learned something...most of the local businesses I frequent involve FOOD.  Big surprise, right?

Broken Rocks Cafe - Had a lunch date with Ed here.  They use a lot of local ingredients, and make AMAZING desserts (especially the Belgian Chocolate Custard!).

Coccia House - This place is an institution in my town.  People either LOVE or HATE their pizza.  Get ready for the garlic!

The Faithful Little Cupcake - This is a newish place, but I already love it.  They have 10 cupcake flavors every day (and what I've tried so far have been super yum), will soon start to offer decorating classes, and also make custom cakes.  Every time they make a custom cake, they donate a birthday cake to a child who may not otherwise receive one.  Isn't that great?

Green Leaf Restaurant - Another local institution.  They offer cheap and tasty diner fare, and awesome pies.  So old school that they don't even have a website.

Hartzler Family Dairy - Fantastic ice cream and frozen custard, plus the best milk you've ever tasted.  No ice cream was purchased on my visit this week, only milk ;)

South Market Bistro - Date night!  They too use mostly local ingredients, and their menu changes seasonally.  I had the gnocchi with slow roasted pork shoulder, and it. was. delicious.

Spoon Market - Another new place.  I just popped in to pick up one of their deli menus and ended up buying myself a birch beer.  What can I say, I needed refreshment, and I love birch beer!

2 comments:

  1. Local is good! John has forbid me from Walmart and I know that going there is against everything I'd like to stand for :) But sometimes it's convenient. I have definitely cut my visits by 70%!! It's a start :o) Meat comes from The Spoon or The Butcher Shop and Milk is always from Hartzlers. Now if I could get my act together EVERY Sat. morning early enough to make it to the Farmer's Market :) However, we do end up making it about half of weekends.

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  2. Yeah, I've tried to cut back on WalMart visits, too. I just can stand going there! It's always so crowded, the parking lot is a zoo! I do still get my prescriptions there, purely out of convenience. Shame on me. :-)

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