Never a day goes by that we don’t hear one of our discerning bayleaf clientele exclaim, “Where do you find all of these treats?!” or “What an exceptional selection of wine! I don’t recognize any of these labels!” Well, lean in close, discerning bayleaf clientele, and I, humble bayleaf food writer, will reveal to you a bit of what goes on behind the scenes at bayleaf on Whidbey Island.

Our amazing wines, cheeses, chocolates, and specialty grocery items don’t get into the store by mere chance. Indeed, they are the result of countless hours of tireless traveling and searching and tasting (lots and lots and lots of tasting) for just the right quality and style to meet our scrupulous standards. We have sampled our weight in cheeses at Neal’s Yard in London, munched and nibbled our way through acres of chocolate, sauces, snacks, and more at San Francisco’s Specialty Food Association Fancy Food Show and at Good Food Foundation events (where the bayleaf favorites Le Bon Magot condimentsand Island Troller Wild Pacific Troll-Caught Albacore have been awarded the coveted Good Food Award), and sniffed and sipped thousands of fine domestic and imported white, rosé, and red wines in the shop, at the wineries, and at industry tasting events.
Most recently I attended one such event (my first) where I had the pleasure of sniffing and sipping a hundred-ish wines in a room packed full of winemakers from all around the world. I was captivated by several choice rosé and red wine picks and became quickly educated on the proper way to discard the sips in the spit bucket. (Hint: If rendered improperly, the backsplash can be quite treacherous).

Only a small percentage of the items we sample make the final cut and end up on the bayleaf shelves. We often say – and it’s true – that each and every item has been expressly hand selected for the shop because one (or usually all) of us personally tasted it and loved it...and knew you would too.

It may sound arduous and tedious but it is a sacrifice we are willing to make for you, our discerning bayleaf clientele. Come in and reap the benefits of our hard work, and if you are in wine club(What?! Why aren’t you in wine club?!) you may soon have the pleasure of tasting a couple of my favorite picks from this most recent event.