Monday, February 6, 2017

T Stands For A Trip To The Spice Merchant


Mere days before Christmas, I wanted to pick up a few last minute gifts, since my gift making was a bust in 2016.

I headed for the Douglas Design District.  I had no idea that's what it was called, though,

because I was headed for the Spice Merchant to pick up some tea and coffee.

I could stay lost in this place for days on end.

Of course, I had to try their coffee.

I'll pass on the flavored coffee, thank you

and try Rwanda.

I have always loved looking at the retro dinnerware.

and now it was clear I could afford it!

As you saw, I treated myself to a cup and saucer, even though neither matched.

Here I'm buying whole bean coffee for a couple of friends.

He worked so quickly, I didn't have time to get good photos.

You can see my coffee sample in the foreground.  I opted to drink it black because I can't stand the taste of nasty corn-starch powdered creamer.

I need to get more creative in my coffee choices, because some of these sounded wonderful.

Even though they weren't roasting that day because it was far too busy to do so, I still enjoyed taking snapshots of the wonderful beans

while I waited for him to weigh and bag my purchases.

I couldn't help snapping a few more shots

of this coffee and tea lover's paradise.

I hope to see their process in action one of these days.

But on that day, I had to content myself with photos of their equipment.

This side is for flavored coffees.  I see they are ready to weigh some fruit flavored coffee.  I'm glad they don't mix them, because I would hate for my French Roast to taste like cinnamon.

Did you notice the JESUIS CHARLIE tee in the background?

Makes me even more proud to support this store.

I took NO photos in the tea section, since I took so many the last time I was here.  If you are new to my blog or have forgotten what the outside of the store looks like please go here for part one, then here for part two, and here for part three to see the tea area. 

Growing up around the salt mines, who knew there were so many types of salt available?  It appears much of it is sea salt, though (a healthy alternative to the salt mined in Kansas).

As I worked my way to the check out counter, I had to stop by the herbs and spices. 



Then it was time to get in line to pay for my purchases.

NO! NO! Not a line that exposed me to sauces and dried banana chips.  NO!

I think the next aisle over, with jams, jellies, and honey could have been just as bad.  Of course, there were the syrups I had to pass in this aisle, too.

I almost bought the pumpkin pie syrup, but in the end, got toffee flavor for another friend.  In case you hadn't guessed, most, but not all, of these gifts were for my no-names-allowed friends who I would soon exchange gifts with.  And they would NOT have appreciated my art, failed or perfect.

There was no way I was getting out of line to buy homemade candy (fudge, chocolate, etc.) you see in the background.

And yes, even the clock was for sale, and very close to the actual Tabasco sauce.

Now that I've taken up so much of your time this week, it's your turn to share your T inspired link.  You may show a glass of water, mug of coffee, cup of tea, glass of buttermilk, bottle of wine, you get the picture.  But don't feel you have to limit it to a physical drink.  You could share the drink while you are out and about, in a postcard, movie, tag, book you are reading, garden plant, or a sketch, scrapbook page, painting, or collage made in your journal or altered book.  Your spread could be traditional, hybrid, or completely digital.  The choice is yours.  Just link below (direct links only, please) and Bleubeard, the T gang, and I will be by to visit.




25 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

I would have liked to accompany you to that spice merchant, I love all the aromas in places like that. And I'm with you on flavoured coffees, they're not my cup of tea! Love the retro dinner ware, too. Thanks for taking us shopping with you and happy T Day, Hugs, Valerie

johanna said...

i would love to go there! sounds like heaven, i think i would concentrate on the spice department!
happy t-day:)

chrissie said...

Terrific post Elizabeth and what an amazing place to visit

Thank you for sharing the experience and the wonderful photographs

Happy T Day

Love Chrissie xxx

Halle said...

That place looks amazing! I bet it smells divine as well.

Jeanie said...

I love it when you go here. This is just the best post! I can practically smell all the wonderful aromas mingling together. If I was in your town you know that would be my first stop!

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, that store looks brilliant, thanks for taking us shopping with you! And I bet if we had smell-o-vision it would have the most wonderful aroma too :-). Glad you treated yourself to a retro cup and saucer while you were there as well as your free cup of coffee - Happy T Day! J :-)

Meggymay said...

Oh Elizabeth I would book a place with you to visit that store anytime. There is so much choice and so much to see. Thank you for sharing all those fantastic photos. I will be looking at them all again and thinking about the wonderful aromas and blends that are for sale in the store.
Happy T day
Yvonne xx

Linda Kunsman said...

Oh my, I would think I died and gone to heaven in a place like this-and heaven does have an unlimited budget , does it not???:):)
What an amazing place! And I love it all. Thanks for sharing and happy T day Elizabeth!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Oh My! This place does fascinate me! How long do you spend in there? I think I could take a whole morning just wandering round! Do they have a coffee bar there too? Chrisx

Lisca said...

Oh what an absolutely wonderful shop! I envy you. I have seen so many things that I liked. You must be very strong and determined not to buy the whole shop!
Yes, I spotted the Je suis Charlie T-shirt immediately. The products along the line for the check out are exciting. We don't get syrups and I would love to buy some to try. Do you add water, to make a drink or are they the kind of things I've seen them put in your coffee at Starbucks? (My once a year treat at the airport)
Turtle flavoured coffee does not float my boat in the slightest. I'm glad you didn't try it. Quite near the syrups I spotted one of my favorite things: Chai. I think they may be sachets of instant chai powder, or maybe the tea bags, who knows.
The Tabasco clock is fun, but very expensive. Articles with brand names should cost less as the customer is doing their advertising for them.
I loved seeing all that Malden Salt and the little salt pigs.
Interesting to see the roasting and grinding equipment. I would have been very noisy had all those machines been working. Perhaps just as well, or you wouldn't be able to hear yourself think.
I would go in that shop and never come out again! Thank you so much for sharing.
Happy T-Day,
Lisca

Bridget Larsen said...

That is a store to die for. I'd be there for hours.
http://bridgetlarsen.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/tea-for-tuesday.html

My name is Erika. said...

Holy cow! What a fascinating store. Its like a super store. Wow- I am as impressed as I was last time, well maybe more so because there is so many interesting things in that store.I can't even imagine how big it is since you didn't show us the tea section this time. Glad you were able to get yourself a retro cup and saucer as your own little holiday gift. I bet you have enjoyed it. I'm glad you shared this visit with us. I really enjoyed this type of shopping. Happy T day. Hugs-Erika

~*~Patty S said...

Really fun to visit THE spice shop with you again E!
Exciting to see so many ORGANIC coffee choices.
I opt for that in coffee and tea every chance I get.
It was horrifying to learn that all of the chemicals they use on tea leaves are rinsed off into your cup when you pour on the hot water ACK!
Organic is good ♥
Clever of them to have you waiting alongside so much temptation...altho it seems the shop is jam packed with it.
It looks so clean and well kept too.
It must be an all around fun shopping experience.
I would have passed on the TURTLE coffee too LOL.
Happy T Day and Happy February oxo

Rita said...

Love that place! :)

Carol said...

I almost drool every time you take us to this place!!!! Don't stop taking us there ♥

Helen said...

It's a lovely looking store, but I don't like flavoured tea or coffee, so it would be wasted on me...

Sami said...

What a wonderful shop Elizabeth, I would gladly spend a few hours there too.
I'm not a coffee drinker, I only drink tea, but I could never imagine so many varieties of flavoured coffee!
And the sauces, and spices and fudge....
We have a similar store here that sells a lot of foreign foods and has beans and flours,etc in bins that they sell by the kilo.

Sandra Cox said...

What a fascinating place. You could spend hours there.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a wondrous day:)

CJ Kennedy said...

OH! this place sounds fabulous! I don't care to drink coffee, but I do enjoy the smell of it. When I was little, my parents sometimes shopped at one of the first chain grocery stores, the A&P. While they shopped, I liked to stand by the coffee grinder machine and sniff while people had their coffee beans ground. The blend was 8 o'clock coffee. Mmmmmm.

I can see why you could spend lots of time (and money!) in this store. So many wonderful things. I like the vanilla syrup in my tea. I can't stand the powdered creamer either as it makes me feel dizzy and sick. But I wouldn't have been able to pass on the fudge. Who knew there were salt mines in KS? Certainly not Bostonians. On a map, anything past the outskirts of the city would be lableled Hic Sunt Draconis =^.,^= Now I'm off to read the tea posts. Happy T Day!

Dianne said...

oh wow! I would have gotten lost right along with you! this place is fabulous, and i bet it smelled wonderful! ♥ Love all the photos...I have tried that sugar-free syrup and it is quite good. not everyone can tolerate the artificial sweetener, though. and then you mentioned the candy and fudge...another wow. Old dishes from a diner? that stuff is practically indestructable...good choice. Adored that Tobasco clock...so cool! hope you are doing well and avoiding flu germs! take care...♥

Krisha said...

I'm up early, and making my "T" rounds and almost forgot to stop here! Geeesh! I guess I haven't had enough coffee yet.

This place looks so inviting and so interesting. I love going through places like this, and being able to take my time and really see everything. I bet it smells like heaven when they are roasting the coffee beans.

I really enjoyed seeing the all the spices stacked up along the wall. Put me in the mind of the old mercantile stores.

I must keep moving...............Happy T-day

Anonymous said...

Pretty cool place. I love retro diner ware, so heavy and substantial, and not so easy for husband to break, ha ha. How is their French Roast. I've only found two other French Roasts to drink besides Peet's, both local. Must be the cold Maine winters....and snow like today. xox

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm not surprised it's taken more than one blog post to cover this place. So much!!! I like some flavored coffees -hazelnut, orange...- but my preference is strong black unflavored coffee. Your friends got a real treat. Great choice for a figt source :) Happy T Tuesday

Eileen The Artful Crafter said...

What an amazing place, Elizabeth - that coming from one who doesn't drink tea or coffee ;-( You'll probably tsk-tsk when I tell you that when I saw the turtle (I assume turtle candy, not ... you know) flavor coffee, I thought, "I might even like that." [You may virtually slap my head.]

As I visited some of the other blogs in this week's roster, I thought: 1. What a wonderful cosmopolitan group this is; 2. I learned 2 new words (so far) this round (bollards and spinney); 3. and how grateful I am for you hosting our weekly T party.

Happy T Day! Hugs, Eileen

Cappuccinoandartjournal.blogspot.com said...

You really nailed the BEVERAGE post on this Tuesday! And now I want a cup of coffee....