cleohanlon

Penzeys is opening in VA this Friday or Saturday, Sept 7/8.

I drove past the building yesterday, which looks semi-finished but very much unoccupied.

The tenative date for opening is now Aug 17, but they are not too hopeful. Apparently, the inspectors are quite slow, and backlogged in VA.

A few observations to add to Ilaine's excellent description.

In the PRO column: Bulk pricing is taken at the register, so if you pick up four 4 oz bulk bags, you pay the 16 oz unit price. Obviously this is great for freshness compared to buying a single bigger bag. They carry a specially selected grade of Indian peppercorns that are extra potent, and obviously spicier than their "normal" tellicherrys. Interesting soft-bark cinnamon. Very friendly staff.

In the CON column: Nothing is freshness-dated! Seems like about half the store is dedicated to ready-to-use herb or spice blends. Selection of pure spices is good, but not exceptional. No Tahitian vanilla. Very few salts. Nothing ground-to-order in the store. Surprisingly few accoutrements...almost no grinders, racks, etc. Just empty spice bottles. Closes at 6 pm during the week.

The Penzey staff refreshes their entire stock every 3 weeks. The spices are prepared (ground/mixed, etc.) in their factory in Milwaukee and shipped twice weekly to the stores. So, essentially, the day you buy the spice is quite close to the 'birth date' and the freshness clock is just beginning to tick.

How is a Neyer lemon different from a regular old Sunkist? Can one tell the difference by sight?

It's now officially open at 1048 Rockville Pike in Rockville, left side (East)of RVP, one block below (south) of Wooton Pkwy.

Phone 301-738-8707. Hours are 10-6 M-Sat, 11-5 on Sunday. Postcard announcements are going out to all catalog subscribers.

Penzey won't open until next Monday or Tuesday. The County Fire Inspector isn't available until then. The hours will be 10-6 M-Sat and 11-5 on Sunday.

Does anyone know where to get a sour dough starter for bread?

Can you post the hours for weekdays and weekends? Any opening specials?

10-6, don't know about Sunday yet.

Update on Penzeys. If the Fire Inspector completes his inspection today, it will be open tomorrow, Thursday. HOWEVER -- thank you Montgomery County -- If he doesn't get to it today, it will be at least next Tuesday....

Royal Bakery is a New York style on Germantown Rd & Middlebrook Pkwy, Germantown MD. The Brooklyn bagel maker cook in the back is married to a lady who had relatives down here. Every time he came down to visit, he had to bring crates of bagels for his sister-in-law, their friends, neighbors, etc. Finally, he moved down here and even imports Brooklyn potato water (or so he claims). As a long time Manhattenite, I swear by them. Also, at Christmas time, they inport Stolen from some cousin in Brooklyn. The best in the world.

Penzeys will be opening in Rockville on April 19 (Thursday) or Friday(April 20)