Small Bite: The Spice of Life

>> Have you ever wanted to try a recipe but didn’t have za’atar seasoning or garam masala spice? Maybe you didn’t want to invest in a big jar of these spices until you knew if the flavors perked your family’s taste buds?

Enter Claire’s Garden Florist and Market, 3281 Barber Road, in Norton. This non-profit, volunteer-driven floral shop is also home to a wide selection of gluten-free products, bulk items, flours, beans, dried fruits and veggies and more.

Owner Julie Miller understands the dilemma faced by home cooks and prices these items low, avoiding the huge markup we often see in other local specialty stores.

One entire wall of the shop includes spices in large and small containers so you can purchase the amount you need. (Theshop’s smoked paprika was the star of my grill rubs last summer.) 

If your gluten-free kids miss the marshmallow rainbows, clovers and diamonds found in glutened cereals, Claire’s sells these gluten-free marshmallows in bulk so you can add them to g-free cereals. (Or, just snack on them, like my family does.)

Claire’s Garden is named after Miller’s daughter who passed away at four months old from leukodystrophy, a rare genetic disorder. Profits at Claire’s Garden help fund a program at Akron Children’s Hospital that aids families with expenses while their children are hospitalized. Miller has also established a free local counseling center to assist those same families.

To reach Claire’s Garden, call 330-835-6922 or check out clairesgarden.org.