The enchanting Jimtown Store is a place of fantasies. I always feel like I could curl up and go to sleep on the warm, creaky, wooden floor. In my fantasy, I lie there, undiscovered, as the store is cleaned and locked up for the night. Later on, as if in a childhood dream, I wake up and each room comes alive with delicious foods, toys and friends to play with.
There are antique toys, like folk art carousels, that add to the fantasy. They also stock old-fashioned candies and newer replicas of old toys and lots of things for children, but Jimtown Store is more than antiques, toys and old-fashioned candies. It’s also an incredible stop for local foods and unique housewares.
Start with the Jimtown Store Cookbook, a collection of family recipes and classics from Jimtown’s years as a catering business and wine country lunch destination. They sell wonderful housemade preserves like membrillo, peach chutney and apple butter. Tucked away on the well-merchandized shelves, you’ll discover local olive oils, cheeses, wines and interesting ingredients like Balinese Sea Salt and Long Peppers. Jimtown also makes a line of fresh condiments that work as foundation ingredients for countless recipes.
There’s a fun selection of housewares like colorful Mexican oil cloth sold by the yard, metal spatterware for durable outdoor dining, inexpensive cotton napkins in solid colors, reasonably priced stemless wine glasses for everyday use, café mugs decked out with the Jimtown’s stylish red truck and a nice selection of candles and gifty items.
Jimtown is a required stop if you’re visiting Alexander Valley wineries, a welcome respite from the tasting rooms and a good place to pick up lunch to enjoy on their patio or to take to the next winery. It’s also a unique place to shop for gifts. Jimtown is having an evening holiday shopping open house on Thursday, December 7th, complete with refreshments. Can’t make it? You can purchase nearly everything in the store online.
I just bought their cookbook (based on a recommendation on the Rancho Gordo blog) and I'm having a blast going through it and flagging recipes I want to try.
I finally bought the cookbook after much drooling over the photo of the doughnut muffins at 101 Cookbooks. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet but lots of them appeal to me.
Whoops, maybe if I just paste in the url my link will work: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000027.html
One of my favorite places to stop for lunch when I'm in California! I love this place...best place to get a sandwich and lounge under the grape vines that topple over the patio. It just looks like it should and delivers on the spirit of the wine country.