Great eats at Galley Gourmet Bay Harbor shop brings the world to your door

April 27, 2005

Perhaps one of the most fun elements of browsing through the Galley Gourmet for the first time are the fresh samples that are generously placed out on the counter for one to try. Some of the recipes and mixes are so eclectic, they’re not something that would readily spring to mind -- but with this great opportunity to try dipping a complimentary pretzel into the Galley Gourmet’s Raspberry-Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip, who would argue? Follow that up with some Orange-Cranberry Marmalade on a Carr’s Table Water Cracker, and your palate will be so pleased, you’ll be well prepped to delve even further into the exotic gourmet foods that Galley Gourmet has to offer.
The Galley Gourmet opened around the 4th of July six years ago on Bay Harbor’s Marina District Main Street by Karen and Roger Williams. “We wanted to just open a great all-around gourmet store,” Karen enthused, “we offer a great range of foods, over 500 wines, stone-fired pizzas, entrees to go, gourmet cheeses from all over the world, salads and desserts, and a deli that we’re really proud of - our deli takeout business is especially awesome.”

IMPRESSIVE DELI
With its polished wood floors, granite counters, and tidy, divided wood shelves stuffed neatly with every gourmet item from A to Z, the Galley Gourmet is a foodie’s dream market, and the perfect lunch stop, to boot. A look at the deli case is impressive, from the plump herb-grilled chicken breasts to the long-stemmed artichokes in brine, the Greek Dolmas stuffed with seasoned rice, the Mini Chocolate Espresso Cakes, and the Almond Coconut Bars. Below the deli case proper is a plethora of gourmet dry ingredients, including Chinese Black Rice, Bamboo Rice, Pink Peppercorns, Black Mission Figs, Giant Peruvian Lima Beans, Blue Corn Flour, and several varieties of spicy-looking chiles.
The cheese selection, as Williams mentioned, is indeed representative of the entire cheese world - a quick browse through the cheese cooler revealed Manchego (sheep’s milk cheese from Spain), Old Amsterdam from Holland, Saint-Nectaire from France, Italian Asiago, Point Reyes (blue cheese), and a Huntsman cheese that beautifully layers English Double Gloucester with Stilton.
Twenty three shelves of wines beckon to the wine connoisseur, who could easily sample a new wine each week for the entire year - and their section of imported candies and sweets includes such treats as Manner wafer cookies from Austria, Hammond’s Old Fashioned Candies (cinnamon, licorice, ginger, rootbeer, butterscotch, and that good old standard, lemon drops), the coveted Toblerone chocolate bars, and Farmer’s Popcorn Cobs, a quirky and fun way to prepare your favorite popcorn snack.

IRISH OATMEAL
Breakfast is even covered at The Galley Gourmet - what better way to start your day than by preparing some Irish Oatmeal, whipping up some pancakes with one of Galley Gourmet’s pancake mixes (accompanied, of course, with Pure Maple Syrup), or adding some Mango Rum Butter or Lemon Curd to that everyday English Muffin? If you’d like to delve even further into cooking ingredients, the Galley Gourmet can help, no matter what cuisine you’re pursuing - for the Asian aficionados, there are Rice Sticks, Ginger Mint Sauces, Dried Seaweed, and several rices. There are more sauces and dressings and dips and fillings than you could even think of - Olive and Artichoke Tapenades, Mediterranean Tahinis, and sweet Tart Fillings (lemon, key lime, and vanilla) - and if it’s hot stuff you’re after, they’ve even got Jalapeno Catsup. Even the basics are covered - there’s a whole shelf devoted just to Olive Oils, and another to Vinegars. And if you’re not sure what to do with all of this, the Galley Gourmet can help you with that, too.

COOKING CLASSES
“We offer cooking classes in the fall and winter, and we hold our spring grilling classes outside by the water - they’re great fun,” Karen Williams explains. There’s catering, too, in case you would like someone else to do the preparing for you - “we can cater small events or large parties,” Williams continues, “we can supply servers and bartenders for your event, or you can just pick up a selection of entrees-to-go to easily serve yourself!”
This spring, the Galley Gourmet is expanding their offerings even further - they’re opening Galley Gourmet - A Special Café in the space where Bay Harbor’s Sunflower Café used to be, on the brick-lined Main Street just down the block from the Galley Gourmet proper. “We’re going to be offering coffee from Chicago’s Intelligentsia Coffee,” Williams enthuses, “plus a line of loose-leaf teas from several different sources, including Harney Teas and Republic of Teas - and we’ll be serving fine chocolates, pastries, and homemade ice cream, too!” Hoping to open the new café by May 1st, the Galley Gourmet will offer inside and outside seating, so patrons can bring anything from the store or the café over to dine comfortably, no matter what the weather or what menu items they choose.


The Galley Gourmet is located at 4181 Main Street, Bay Harbor, telephone 231-439-2665. Email them at galleygourmetcatering@voyager.net.