Experience the Ina Garten Lifestyle at Mariemont’s Gourmet Food Haven | PRIMENEWSNOW

Exploring the World of Gourmet Food Stores

My fascination with upscale gourmet food shops began during my college years, working in the stockroom of Williams-Sonoma. Unpacking each KitchenAid mixer and rare Sichuan peanut sauce, I dreamed of a future filled with culinary luxuries like a high-end espresso machine and a top-of-the-line refrigerator.

The Allure of Specialty Stores

Though I haven’t fully embraced that lifestyle, stepping into a gourmet store still excites me. The curated displays of kitchen gadgets and unique pantry items are a delight. Take Boards & Beez in Mariemont, for instance. Owned by Chelsey Berghausen, this shop is renowned for its artistic charcuterie boards. But there’s more to discover, like the beloved pimento cheese from Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, or the perfect wine and cheese pairing for an evening with an Ina Garten memoir.

Unique Finds and Gifts

At the heart of the store, a table displays cookbooks alongside marble mortar and pestles, ceramic garlic holders, and candles shaped like market vegetables. Consider gifting an enamel platter with Galantino olive oil or a cocktail set with infused syrups and a recipe book. Even if you’re not shopping for others, it’s a great place to indulge yourself.

Culinary Delights and More

The shop offers lunch sandwiches and affordable take-out dinners like saltimbocca or chicken marsala. Other options include pastas, St. Francis Apizza frozen pizzas, salads, and sauces. I recently picked up some Oishii jumbo shrimp from Thailand for a holiday meal, and it was the best shrimp cocktail I’ve ever had.

The Butter That Keeps Me Coming Back

What draws me back to Boards & Beez is their butter selection. They stock the exquisite Beurre de Baratte, so popular it often requires a waitlist. If unavailable, the locally made French whipped sea salt butter from Parisian Pantry Co is equally delightful. My wife and I enjoy it on simple saltine crackers, a combination even Ina Garten might appreciate.

Boards & Beez, 6836 Wooster Pike, Mariemont, 513-914-5004, boardsandbeez.com.

Highly Recommended is a weekly feature highlighting some of food writer Keith Pandolfi‘s top picks as he explores Greater Cincinnati’s culinary scene. Check back every Tuesday for more. Hungry for more? Subscribe to Keith’s At the Table newsletter at bit.ly/atthetablesignup.