Food Shed Idaho

03/27/2026

What is this incredibly thin and delicate chocolate and how can you get some? It's called Palaegschokolade (without the Danish unique lettering), pronounced like pollack-scock-olade. Oh, and we carry them. 😍😍😍

03/25/2026

Come see us before we close for our annual spring break. These pictures are from last year. Today our first daffodil opened! That's almost 1 month early!!! We've planted now over 3500 bulbs, hope you enjoy the color while we are closed.

Store will be closed April 1-19th.

03/22/2026

Speaking of fish, there has been a lot of press lately on canned tuna, so I’d like to give you my 2 cents.

There are many brands out there that are NOT the cannery, they’re just private labels. What does that mean and why should you care? That means that they don’t have complete control over what’s in the can. Sure, their product meets the specifications agreed upon, but if you were the cannery and had your own line of fish, don’t you think you would keep the best quality for your own line? That’s my experience. These are common in the food industry, allowing the brand to pivot based on price, availability, and quality. Food Shed Idaho is not interested in ANY private labels on any products.

How can you tell if something is a private label? Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s hard. It’s a deep rabbit hole that I go down all the time. Typically, they use the word “partners” and are vague in their descriptions. Go to their website and dig around; question the ingredients and how and where they are sourced. Surprisingly, you might be paying more for it because of all the marketing that goes into it. I won’t carry those brands; there’s no story, no product and very little traceability.

I carry exceptional canned tuna from Oregon and Spain.

Our Oregon tuna is from Sea Fare Pacific in Charleston and one of very few tuna canneries left in the USA. Their line-caught tuna is only from the Pacific Northwest, caught by mostly family run jig boats. This tuna is younger, so it has less unsafe levels of mercury. They are small, so you won’t see this brand in Costco and at major grocery stores.

My Spanish tuna is a little more of a treat. Fished in the clean waters of the Cantabrian Sea/Bay of Biscayne and packed in olive oil, these tunas are generally a little bigger, but still smaller with less mercury than what is caught in the Pacific Ocean. We carry two excellent producers, Ortiz and Bon Bocarte.

You won’t be disappointed.

03/18/2026

As many of you know, we carry an extensive range of exceptional tinned fish, currently about 75 different SKUs.

Our newest addition is HALIBUT!

The first halibut in the can (that I know of) from our friends at Fangst in Denmark, and we are one of the first stores to have it! Their new Greenland halibut is simply seasoned with thyme. For anyone intimidated by tinned fish, this halibut is an easy choice. Simply serve on good bread, or with a little cream cheese on one of our Norwegian knekkebrød crackers. This fish is surprisingly flakey and tender. YUM!

Last year, I had wonderful opportunity to meet Fangst at their offices in Copenhagen. I’m proud to say, I am their largest retailer in Idaho! I love their unique selection. The fish is cooked perfectly, their subtitle combination of Scandinavian herbs is refreshing, and their pricing is very reasonable, too.

Typically, I open a tin of fish on Fridays or Saturdays to sample. It’s a great way to learn why this category is so popular and delicious. So, which one do you want to try?

03/09/2026

Not just for squirrels 🐿🐿🐿, one ounce of hazelnuts 🌰🌰🌰 has over 4 grams of protein and only 5 carbs! They are also high in vitamin E and manganese.

We LOVE Freddy Guys dry roasted hazelnuts from the Foulke family of Willamette Valley in Western Oregon so much we have been there twice! Barb and her family care about every tree like a member of the family. Freddy Guys hazelnuts are large, crunchy, and so flavorful. And they are without (mostly) skins! They are terrific in salads, coatings, crusts, with chocolate, and of course, for snacking. Did I mention they are dry roasted?

We love them so much; we make chocolate brittle out of them!

Hazelnuts don’t get the credit they deserve here in the US. My bet is if you have never been a fan of hazelnuts, you have probably had old stale nuts from Turkey. You are missing out. It’s no secret that Europeans love hazelnuts. They use them in pastes and pralines, from confections to gelato; Ferrero SpA buys 25% of the global supply for their Nutella and Ferrero Rocher products.

For you hazelnut aficionados, Freddy Guys are just as good as Italian Piedmonte hazelnuts. Yes, I said it. They’re larger, cheaper, and fresher too.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your snack on!

01/21/2026

Now in stock! Here’s a sneak peek of Tirrena, the new pasta line from the Frescobaldi family in Tuscany.

Best known for their Laudemio extra virgin olive oil and fine wines, this family is rooted in over 700 years of Italian heritage. Terroir is not only for wine… in their pasta, you can taste the symbiosis of fresh soil, mild climate, and breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea. It’s extraordinary:

• Made with all Tuscan ancient grains: Senatore Cappelli, Khorasan and Evoldur wheat varieties.

• Cold dried at less than 38C (100F) for 84 to 120 hours, making it more digestible and flavorful.

• Rich in fiber, polyphenols, and vitamins.

• Run through a bronze cutter for greater texture and greater sauce retention.

I have had my eye on this pasta line since it debuted in the US last year. I’m so excited about it that I am also bringing in their Laudemio EVOO (due in this April) and some of their wines; a trifecta if you will.

Call me crazy; we now stock about 80 sku’s of pasta!🍝🍝🍝🍝 Why am I so passionate about (our) pasta? Unlike commodity pasta, ours tastes delicious even by itself. These artisan producers make pasta with love and by tradition, with 100% Italian durum semolina, dried low and slow for an average of 48 hours (and now up to 120 hours!), and extruded thru bronze dyes.

Beware, not all pasta made in Italy is made with Italian flour. Most supermarket brands are made with flour that comes from Canada, and the US where glyphosate (Roundup w**d killer) is sprayed on it. And most cheap supermarket pasta is dried at high heat for as little as 3 hours and extruded through Teflon dyes, which make the sauce slide off the pasta.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

🍝🍝🍝

01/16/2026

It used to be that Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia DOP could ONLY be sold in the approved tulip shaped bottle in a box. BUT NOW, for the first time since the creation of the protection consortium, it is finally possible to have it bottled it in these new 10 ml cruets (1/3 ounce each).

This allows you to taste the incredible Traditional Balsamic Vinegars (at least 12 years of barrel aging) at a more affordable price. And, the pretty little bottles, combined with the elegant blue box with brochure, make it a beautiful and unique gift.

These little cruets are sold as a set AND by the each. These vinegars are best used as a condiment on cheese, pasta, meats or shellfish, or just enjoyed to taste with a spoon (never use a metal spoon, instead use porcelain or plastic). For more information about each year, search our website for the 12 yr, 20 yr, or 25 yr “traditionale” in the tulip bottle.

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar DOP (designated origin protected) is only made in Reggio Emilia and Modena, from 100% organic grape must. All our younger balsamic vinegars are 100% grape must, too, aged naturally in barrels where it becomes vinegar over time. Don’t be fooled by fancy bottles with high price tags that also contain “vinegar”; vinegar as an ingredient means it was not made traditionally, but in a factory.

Our producer, Acetaia San Giacomo, is the only company that, since its inception, has produced only pure balsamic vinegar, without added vinegar, 100% from organic cooked must. They deliberately do not produce Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI, glazes, or "Balsamic Bianco." Their production also includes raw vinegars; all produced according to the ancestral method in barrels.

I offer balsamic tastings every day, time permitting. You don’t need to buy, you can just learn. It is even better if you can bring your bottle to compare. It’s a fun time and very educational.

🍇🍇🍇

01/10/2026

https://www.wsj.com/business/entrepreneurship/rancho-gordo-beans-fiber-protein-e27ec1ff?st=eCApAj&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Hopefully you can read this article from the WSJ, it's also on the Apple news feed today.

And, yes, we carry Rancho Gordo beans☺️.

The bean economy is booming. America’s bean king wants Rancho Gordo to be known for something other than the latest health fad.

11/14/2025

Season's Greetings everyone! Can you believe we have been in business for 5 years (1st year online only). Wow and thank you!

So, we are doing a special holiday Sips + Snacks event celebrating our 5th year birthday all while supporting our favorite non-profit Bon33.

The event is on Wednesday, December 3rd; there are 2 time slots.

Come mingle, jingle, and nosh on delectable holiday appetizers and treats like caviar, foie gras, pate, casserole du jour, cheese, and chocolate while shopping and celebrating our 5th year in business! We couldn't be here without you.

Tickets are $25. Proceeds from ticket sales go to Bon33. You can find out more information on our website or at www.bon33tv.org.

If you came last year, you know how cozy it was, so by making reservations, we think everyone will be more comfortable. Additionally, we are hosting this on a Wednesday this year, versus Friday. The store will be closed for regular business; this is an event for YOU!

Aside from great snacks, the sips will be on point, too, including vintage champagne and some incredible reds we are bringing in only for this event only, there will be a fantastic SIPS special: 20% off mix case of 12, 15% off 6 bottles, or 10% off 2 bottles.

Additionally, there will be some SNACKS specials, too. Buy 6 get the 7th free (15% off) per category on chocolate, spices, tomato & tomato sauces, honey & jams, olive oil & vinegar!

Look forward to your celebrating with me!

PS I can't post the link here, but you can clink on the Food Shed Idaho icon above and it will take you our website where you can book your ticket.

Cecily

10/23/2025

Thank you for celebrating Sparky with me. I very heartfelt thank you for all the kind messages, cards, flowers, the book, and especially the artwork from Melissa and Jill Parker. Thank you for making space in your hearts for him and me. ❤️

10/23/2025

Housekeeping! We are taking our FALL BREAK this coming Sunday, October 26 through Saturday, November 7th. The store will reopen Sunday, November 8th.

However, the online store will be open. The orders will be available for pick up or shipped when we reopen on November 8th. If you have a question while we are on break, just use the “chat” button on the website, that message will come directly to us (me).

This is our favorite time of year! The store should be all decorated by November 12th. Most of the holiday items are here. We are still waiting on the panettone, Italian candy, and some artisan chocolate; those should be here before 15th. Remember, you can see most of our holiday offerings online. We will also have some holiday cheeses, foie gras, caviar, and other savory holiday items available around Thanksgiving.

Pies should be back in stock before Thanksgiving. Once we have confirmation on flavors, they will be available for preorder. You will be able to pick up pies on Tuesday and Wednesday (our normal days off) of Thanksgiving week, with an appointment.

Come see us before we go. Ho ho ho.