On a weekend trip to Bloomington, Ind., we stopped in at FARMbloomington restaurant for brunch. While we waited for a table, we perused the many locally produced items available in the front shop and were thrilled to find a lot of unique ingredients and kitchen goods.

Here are a few highlights:

Chef Daniel Orr has created his own line of Kitchen d'Orr spice blends. We picked up a jar of Russian Red – a blend of fennel, annatto and caraway with a touch of cinnamon, star anise and cayenne. We're thinking of blending a spoonful into a batch of pumpkin hummus.

The shop also carries FARMbloomington's own line of vinegars, sauces and spice rubs. We couldn't resist the towering red bottles of Big Red Cranberry Vinegar (a nod to nearby Indiana University), and we think it would be great in a vinaigrette for a roasted vegetable salad. Also available are bread mixes from Fowler's Mill in Chardon, Ohio.

Bee pollen from Hunter's Honey Farm in Martinsville, Ind.

Locally made "Church Lady Potholders" – we couldn't quite figure these out. Anyone seen these before?

• FARMbloomington
• Kitchen d'Orr Spice Blends
• Fowler's Milling
• Hunter's Honey Farm
• Recipe: Bee Pollen Popcorn

Related: Taste Escapes: Brown County and Bloomington, Indiana

(Images: Joanna Miller)