Most of the food items mentioned in this book are available in supermarkets and at larger grocery stores. Even exotic foods such as kiwi fruits, carambola, and mangos are now being shipped throughout the country. Crystallized ginger, saffron, fresh herbs, and Asian food specialty items can be found in many supermarkets. Nuts, whole grains, seaweed, fresh juices, and tofu are available in health food stores.
But some ingredients can be hard to find, so I’ve included this appendix. These establishments sell herbs, spices, food products, and prepared foods by mail. Catalog prices and information were accurate as of the time of this writing, but changes do occur.
Please note: none of these businesses make magical or “supernatural” claims for their products, and you need not mention what you’ll be doing with them.
For updated information regarding mail-order sources of exotic foods and spices, see the latest issues of the food magazines listed below. Most bookstore chains such as Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton’s, and Waldenbooks carry most of them. If you can’t find these titles, write directly to the magazines for current subscription information.
Magazines
Bon Appetit
Chocolatier
Cook’s
Gourmet
Chile Pepper Magazine
Mail Order
Aphrodisia
282 Bleeker St.
New York, NY 10018
Dried herbs and spices.
Bueno Food Products
1224 Airway Drive, S.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87105
Blue corn products.
Enchantments, Inc.
341 E. 9th St.
New York, NY 10003
Enchantments sells herbs and spices.
Hawaiian Plantatians
1311 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96826
(800) 367-2177
Passion fruit (liliko’i) jelly; guava jelly; exotic mustards and honeys; papaya seed dressing; macadamia nuts; cookies, fudge, and desserts.
Jaffe Bros.
Valley Center, CA 92082
Natural foods, untreated dried fruits, nuts, seeds grains, unrefined oils, beans.
Mauna Loa Macadamia nuts
S.R. Box 3, Volcano Highway
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 966-9301
Macadamia nuts in every conceivable form. Pick some up while you’re in Hawaii.
Pendery’s
304 East Belknap
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(800) 533-1870
Pendery’s offers a large selection of spices and herbs (including saffron), chili peppers, kitchen accessories, and unique blends.
Spellbound
455 Broad St.
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
Herbs, spices, candles, and many other magical items.
Spice Merchant
Box 524
Jackson Hole, WY 83001
(307) 733-7811
Offers unusual and hard-to-find Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Indonesian food ingredients. Also has bamboo shoots, true saffron, sliced mango, coconut milk, and many other exotic foods.