Specialty Shops in Michigan?

[Jace]

Hi everyone! I'm hoping someone in the Northern Michigan area can help me out with a little information.

The holidays are coming and, as tradition mandates, I've been given the job of planning the dessert menu for our family. I've decided to take on this years trend towards vanilla and am making Caramel-Vanilla Flan, Vanilla-Blueberry Crumble Cake, and Vanilla-Cranberry Custard Tarts.

Embracing this trend means I need vanilla! I need both vanilla beans and high quality pure vanilla extract. Can someone from the area point me towards a place to buy these in Northern MI? Perhaps a specialty baking shop? The prices on these in Canada is through the roof so I'm crossing the border to take advantage of the lower prices and U.S. dollar!

Any help is appreciated!

[LindaSue]

Re: Specialty Shops in Michigan?

There's a Penzeys store in lower Michigan but it probably would cost more in gas to drive there than to pay Canadian prices for your vanilla. I live in the suburbs of Houston. There is a Penzeys downtown and it's cheaper for me to order from them than to drive there. Their catalog says they ship to foreign countries but there is no shipping cost listed.

Here's the address of the store in Michigan. There is also one in Detroit.

Grand Rapids, MI
2901 28th St SE
(616) 954-7077

[Miss Phode]

Re: Specialty Shops in Michigan?

Grand Rapids and Detroit are going to be super far away from northern Canada. Jace, where in upper Michigan will you be? Are you talking Northern Lower Peninsula, or the Upper Peninsula?

[layla17]

Re: Specialty Shops in Michigan?

Jace have you considered buying your vanilla online? There are plenty of online retailers that would more affordable than traveling to a store.

[Jace]

Re: Specialty Shops in Michigan?

I live in Windsor, Ontario so jumping across the border to the Detroit area is something I do quite a bit. Thanks for the link to Penzeys, I do believe I will have to check it out.

I've also considered the online reatailers that sell on eBay, the vanilla prices there are the cheapest I've ever seen. I just wonder if the beans really are grade A Madagascar beans for the price they are selling them for. Seems rather low.