Small businesses need our support especially during this holiday and winter season. I thought it would be fun to highlight one of my favorites each week here on the blog for the next few months. This past week I went and stocked up on homemade pasta from The Local Epicurean in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They are also included in my list of favorite foodie places in West Michigan.
If you do not live local they ship all over the U.S.!
If you haven’t been here yet, it’s a gem tucked away off of Wealthy st. It’s like escaping into another world. The smell of butter and truffle greets you as you walk through the door. Even with a mask on, the smell is heavenly. I grabbed two bags full of all of my favorite shapes and infusions. They have flavored pastas infused with mushrooms, chilies and more but they also have your pantry staples like penne.
Some of my favorite items to stock up on are:
Pasta straws
Shells of the Sea
Jumbo Pasta Rings
Pumpkin Chipotle Pasta
I keep a few bags of these tucked away in my pantry for a night where I want some comfort food without all of the work. A little bit of brown butter and parmesan or a jar of sauce I canned from my summer garden is the perfect winter meal in.
Pasta is not the only items The Local Epicurean has available for your pantry. They have wine, cheeses, specialty canned and jar foods, a cold case full of antipasto additions as well as amazing truffles. I took home a salted caramel and a peanut butter truffle last week and they were absolutely incredible.
I visited on a Wednesday afternoon and Ashley and I were able to shop as long as we wanted. It felt good to walk around and enjoy all of the beautiful handcrafted pastas and cheese on site. I love grocery shopping without a list where I can let the ingredients decide what is for dinner.
They also offer gift cards, cooking classes and more. A cooking class would make a great holiday gift! I asked and they are currently limiting classes to 10 or less people (all must be in the same party). I’ve been holding on to a gift certificate for a while now and I’m hoping to take a class when things calm down a bit here.
If you are in the area take a break and go visit them. You will not regret it and will leave inspired and ready to cook up a storm!
