Blogs

THE SAVVY SHOPPER

Jeanne Vogt



TAKE A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD WITH...

THE SANDY BUTLER...



While coming home from Fort Myers Beach this week we came upon The Sandy Butler...it is hard to miss...a very large building housing a gourmet market and restaurant. And I DO mean GOURMET!!!

There were cheeses from all over the world, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, to name a few. Cheeses I have never seen before! In fact, there were a lot of things I had never seen before!

As I walked around the corner from the cheese counter...here comes the cutest butler you have ever seen! All dressed up in a tux complete with white gloves! His name is Fred and he works six days a week with Monday off. He had a whole tray of delicious samples. What a friendly butler...I'd like to take him home with me!

I did some more wandering and saw a great olive bar with every kind of olive imaginable at $8.99 a pound. Then there were big wooden barrels full of huge pickles for 99 cents and pickled tomatoes 2 for $1.

Fresh pasta with all the sauces sold separately, a hot bar with ziti, veggies, tilapia, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and meatballs at $6.99 per pound. A cold bar with veggies and fruit at $6.99 per pound. All kinds of prepared salads from $3.99 per pound.

There are all kinds of imported cold cuts, fresh fish every day, Angus beef and the Kobe beef, which is usually $70 per pound and was on sale for $49.99. But HEY! Where can you buy Kobe beef?

The manager Carmine gave me a personal tour pointing out all the imported items like ice cream from France...imagine that!! Three hundred wines from $6.99 to $250...and beer (some with funny names like Dog Fish Head and Holy Mackerel)! Can't you just see ordering that one...I'll have a Holy Mackerel!!!

There were fancy hors d'oeuvre and pastries to die for!! They look like they came out of a magazine. Carmine said two ladies, one from Germany and one from Ohio make them fresh everyday.

There were rare teas...Taylors of Harrogate for all you tea lovers. And coffee from the most famous restaurant in New York...Cafe La Semeuse in all flavors. Coco from Belgium.

I have never seen so many mustards imported from everywhere!

The Sandy Butler also has beautiful fresh flowers and they have gift baskets or they will custom make one for you!

I saw Maxim's de Paris and so many more wonderful things to explore! The fresh vegetables were beautifully displayed and very fresh. It is a wonderful market! I can't wait to go try the restaurant!

The Sandy Butler is located at 17650 San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. You will be amazed at what you find there!!!