Tasty Links

You probably already know that you can buy cookware on eBay or Amazon or research restaurants on Zagat. Here are some less-obvious resources for foodies.

Great Foodstuffs from The Fancy Food Shows

A special report on some of the more unusual and delicious foods we've tried at the Summer Fancy Food Shows in NYC. Click on the above link to read.

NY Public Library and other libraries

If you live in NYC, the NYPL is a fabulous resource. I love borrowing cookbooks so I can test-drive them before adding another one to my crowded shelves. Do yourself a favor and check your local library, wherever you are. There's nothing like actually trying some of the recipes to determine whether or not you and the author are on the same page.

addall.com

A comprehensive source for all books: new, used, or rare collectibles. Includes links to about twenty major booksellers that will ship in the US or worldwide.

half.com

A somewhat lesser-known subsidiary of eBay, a very good place to buy modern books (and music and movies) in any specified condition. Not an auction site: prices are set and the shipping cost is fixed, so you don't have 99-cent books with exorbitant shipping. They bill your credit card & the seller ships within two business days, so it's pretty quick even with Media Mail. Also a painless place to sell your unwanted stuff. Highly recommended.

cooksillustrated.com

Consolidated access to the wisdom of the Cook's Illustrated testing kitchens, including their takes on the relative merits of various brands of edibles and equipment, and what they have found to be the best recipes, and why. This is the foodie version of "Consumer Reports" for both flavor (sorry) and integrity. You can read some articles for free before committing to a monthly or yearly subscription that gives access to their entire database.

chowhound.com

A food site with a special emphasis on ferreting out more obscure and less expensive restaurants.

EconomyCandy.com

A surrealistically good store for bulk candy, many familiar wrapped candies, chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit, this also has a website and toll-free number and can ship to you. The NYC store, stacked floor to ceiling with everything from penny candy to Valrhona, jelly rings to Pez, is an experience in a class by itself.

Zabar's

Shouldn't need a intro, but some people still haven't heard of the finest specialty food & cookware store in all of NYC--a crowded field. Another experience in a class by itself. Better in person, if you can get there. The website can only hold so much, but the store seems endless, in a good way.

Metrokitchen.com

A choice selection of very good cookware with even better customer service, last time we checked.

Cookware & More

A first-rate source for All-Clad seconds at bargain prices. If you don't mind minor scratches etc, you can save up to 48% on this expensive and very good cookware. They guarantee satisfaction and their customer service is platinum. And no, we don't get a kickback.

America's Second Harvest

This is a worthy nationwide organization with branches in many US cities. Second Harvest rescues food that's near the end of its useful life but still safe to eat, and quickly conveys it to nearby soup kitchens and homeless shelters. A very efficient form of charity, as most of the resources are being picked up from stores and restaurants that are happy to get rid of them. City Harvest and Food Bank of New York are two of their branches. (Canada has similar organizations: click here for a list of sites.)

* Your Mileage May Vary

 

©2006 All contents are property of HappyFoodie.com unless we give credit otherwise. Please do not publish without permission or quote without attribution.