Gourmet Food

Have we mentioned recently that we really like The Cheesemongers Shop? Mr. and Mrs. Accidental Bavarian really, really like it! When you come into the store, you'll be greated with samples of whatever cheese is being featured today. And samples of any cheese are available just for the asking. I don't think we've ever been to Leavenworth without stopping in there for cheese. Mr. Accidental Bavarian particularly like the smoked gouda and Mrs. Accidental Bavarian really likes the 10 year old vintage goulda. It's really gouda!

One spring we grabbed some cheese and sausage and something to drink from The Cheesemongers and took it to a picnic turnout along the river just up Highway 2. We sat by the river and ate and talked and had a great time. The folks at The Cheesemongers even gave us little plates and knives for our picnic. You can even join the "cheese of the month club" and receive a different cheese each month in the mail.

Cured is a fairly new shop that has smoked meats and sausages. A wide variety from their own brand of salami to buffalo jerky. There were things in the display case we'd never seen or heard of before. They also have a good selection of cheeses, including some local cheeses. And everything can be sampled. Cured has a remarkable variety of specialty items. Rubs and spices and sauces and marinades and dressing and olive oils and pasta and pickeled items fill two walls. A nice place for specialty gifts.

A Matter of Taste is another specialty shop we like to go into and get samples. They have a wide variety of mustards and hot sauces and jellies and dips. Throughout the shop are sample jars and pretzels to dip in and sample. We've had some wonderful horseradish dip and a honey mustand and stone ground mustard we really enjoy there. Some of the hot sauces are so hot they don't allow children to have them.

Alpine Lakes Cheese just outside of town makes a variety of sheep cheeses. Some shops in town carry their cheese. They even have cheese making classes every Saturday from March to October.

The Village Alps is a very different kind of store. They have gourmet foods and sauces that they make themselves. They have a shop in town, but the main store and factory is up Highway 2. They have been there for 47 years. They started out making fudge and peanut brittle and sold paintings. Now the shop makes and sells other foods and candies as well as a variety of collectibles.

The factory and store burned to the ground in March 2010 after a propane lamp exploded during a power outage. They've now rebuilt and we welcome them back.