The Dandelion Room is filled with delicious jams, salsas, pickles, fruit butters, honey, balsamic vinegars, and a variety of other jarred items. It is a wonderful place to come and pick up that last-minute hostess gift or find a great relish to go with your dinner. We are being selective on what we carry to promote local companies and farmers, natural varieties, unusual Texas flavors, organic, or cause-related items.

Here's some of what our staff is saying about these local goodies:

"You'll get a deliciously warm feeling when you try one or all of the Austin Slow Burn jellies, such as Green Chile Jam, Habanero Jelly, or Spiced Peach Jam. Yum! They are just the right sweet and just the right heat. They're great on toast, or as a glaze in a favorite recipe. They are great over cream cheese with crackers."

"Jimmy O's marinades and sauces will liven up any dish you may be preparing. My personal favorite is the Peach and Pepper Marinade. I have served this marinade over cream cheese with an array of crackers and chips to have quick and easy horsd'oeuvre. The Peach and Pepper Marinade will do wonders for chicken and veggie kabobs. I simply put together my kabobs then brush the Peach and Pepper Marinade on while grilling. The Peach and Pepper Marinade is a sweet and spicy combo, it is available in mild, medium and hot. Another one of Jimmy O's products is the Tres Chiles Pepper Sauce, which is sure to give you just enough heat on those migas, breakfast tacos, or omelets. My husband enjoys it on fried fish too. We also have the Garlic Pesto Marinade. I have used this to marinate chicken breast before grilling and as a dressing for pasta salads. When you purchase Jimmy O's products you are supporting a company located right here in Central, Texas -- Bergheim to be exact. Jimmy O's products contain no MSG or other preservatives."

"White Acres Farm (from Blanco, Texas) has a delicious and beautiful line of organic products. Their jellies and fruit butters are packed with flavor. The Blackberry Pepper Jelly won the 2004 Scovie award, so I am not the only one that loves it. Eat it straight on crackers or bread, or use any of their jellies as a cheesecake topping. Their line also includes a beautiful Citrus Marmalade (containing oranges, grapefruit, and lemons) and an Orange Ginger Marmalade (they have a fantastic recipe for grilling tuna steaks using this one.) The White Acres Herb-Infused Olive Oil, with a blend of chili peppers and herbs and spices, will dress up any vegetable you sauté or roast. And last but not least, their two chutneys, Spicy Mango and Cranberry--you just have to try them. White Acres Farm produces tasty, healthy, wholesome, all-organic foods and puts them in some of the prettiest bottles I have ever seen. These will make a wonderful addition to any gift basket, or can dress up your kitchen. Come by and see it all for yourself."

"The Bee Cave Honey Company's All-Natural Whipped Honeys--yum! Their Orange Whipped Honey on a hot buttered biscuit really hit the spot! Use it to add a delicate orange flavor to your favorite tea, or as an excellent sweetener for you lemonade. With fresh ingredients added for flavors such as Orange, Strawberry, Cinnamon and more, the possibilities are endless. As the holiday baking season approaches, think about drizzling some All Natural Cinnamon Whipped Honey over hot baked apples. Of course, if you like your honey without the extra pizzazz, their All Natural Whipped Honey is nothing by honey and simply delicious!"

"If you want to add some flavor to your life, start with some Hot Pickled Garlic from Hill Country Homestyle of Fredericksburg, Texas. This has all of the flavor with none of the bitterness associated with fresh garlic. Toss it into a salad, or eat in right out of the jar, any way you try it, it's pure garlicky goodness."

"Fredericksburg Farms' Watershed Ranch Smokey Chipotle Salsa is the salsa that got the most people pointing their finger, shaking their head up and down and saying 'that's good' once they didn't have a mouth full of food. It has some heat (I would say a medium), but the flavors are so well balanced with a smokey taste from the chipotle. Our hot sauce officianados say 'splendid!'"

"Spinach Artichoke Dip From Classy Delites is a wonderful product to have on hand for entertaining or any time you want a flavorful snack. The Spinach Artichoke Dip is a very easy thing to bring with some crackers to a party. It is wonderful heated or mix it with cream cheese for extra richness. Classy Delites' other suggested serving ideas include a sauce for pasta or add milk for a gourmet soup."

"Tweeds are the most wonderful corn chip with flax seeds and sesame seeds added. You can almost justify them as health food. Flax seeds are wonderful for you. They have a tortilla chip taste with a unique roasted nutty flavor, difficult to describe, but utterly addictive. They are the creation of an Austin Company, Classy Delites, and go wonderfully with their Spinach Artichoke Dip, Queso Black Bean Dip, or Portobello Mushroom Sauce and Dip."

"I bought a jar of the Hill Country Homestyle Canning Company's Dill Okra. The contents were gone in three days. That means that I, almost single-handedly (and sometimes double fisted) ate 30 ounces of pickled okra. If you've never eaten pickled okra, don't let that mucilaginous boiled okra corrupt your opinion. This Dilled Okra is crispy and dilly and satisfying. For the more adventuresome, there is a Hot Garlic Dill Okra. It is a perfect gift for a Texan or a Texan wannabe."

Various. Tasty.
Locally made.

Kinky Friedman's
famous salsa.

See other parts of our store: