The endless round of buying, cooking, eating – ain’t it grand!

We cook. We eat. We buy stuff. We eat some more. It’s what we do.

Our very own Culinary Coast (thank you, Southern Delaware Tourism, for coining that perfect description) is rife with James Beard Foundation Award winners, nominees, finalists and semifinalists. We even have a few chefs who have whomped up vittles for Michelin-starred eateries. Also, international restaurant reviewer Zagat sends me their annual local pick hits for editing and updating before they are published. All in all, this tiny resort town has earned an impressive reputation not only with diners, but also with home cooks.

Our focus on good eats is evidenced by the proliferation of stores and products that cater to home cooks who demand unique, high-quality ingredients. One place that directly targets the creative home cook is none other than Spice & Tea Exchange, just steps from the Rehoboth Boardwalk near Blackwall at the Beach and the new First State Corn & More. Owner Joy Quinn Whalen encourages everyone to pause at the door and inhale. When you do, you’ll know why. Fresh spices, teas and custom blends of both can be purchased in tiny quantities for vacation cooking or for trying out a new recipe. From multiple varieties of cinnamon and curry to jalapeno salt, bourbon black-walnut sugar and catnip, this place is a must-sniff.

Inside several local restaurants are stashes of gourmet goodies that the culinary cognoscenti regard as hidden gems. Touch of Italy’s restaurant-based Italian markets sport some amazing imported treats, including the midnight-dark, deliciously thick and sweet Giuseppe Gusti 100-year balsamic (at $499 a bottle). Go ahead; life’s too short to drizzle inferior vinegars. An assortment of imported pastas (including a gluten-free variety for our celiac-challenged friends) is there for the picking, along with spices, sauces and sausage imported from the owner’s hometown, the Bronx. They’ve also branded many of their ingredients, including their own olive oil (the real thing), the balsamics, hot pepper flakes, ravioli, handmade mozzarella and even selected wines.

Down by the Rehoboth Boardwalk, Semra’s Mediterranean Grill keeps refrigerated cases and shelves full of all sorts of Middle Eastern goodies. After filling your shopping basket, proceed into the dining room for Semra’s grandma’s mild and nutty Turkish recipes. As a kid I was surrounded by Lebanese aunts and uncles, and some of my favorite childhood tastes are right here in town at Aladdin Grocery (formerly Lewes’ Jerusalem Market) on Baltimore Avenue. Like hummus? When you make it, use the Beirut brand of tahini. It’s way better than that sweetened stuff in the grocery stores. Crave the lemony, minty taste of rolled grape leaves? They are truly a chore to prepare, but the Sultan brand in the green can comes very close to what my Aunt Rose used to take two days to make.

Just up Coastal Highway, the front section of Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli sports its own selection of delicatessen ingredients – including a strictly kosher section. Big Fish Market locations in Rehoboth and South Bethany sell many of the menu ingredients used at their restaurants, including fresh fish processed at Big Fish Wholesale Seafood. By the way, while you’re in Bethany, check out Lisa DiFebo’s latest culinary amusement park, DiFebo’s Market. Freshly made Italian sandwiches, panini and various salads are available on a grab & go basis, along with hard-to-find Sussex County products like Locals’ Honey. As you might expect from Lisa, the flame-fired pizzas are also quite good.

Rehoboth-based Diamond State Meats provides high-quality steaks and other proteins to our favorite restaurants. And we humble diners can get those very same goodies delivered right to our home kitchens simply by going to DiamondStateMeats.com.

A few blocks to the north, the BBQ sauces and rubs that make Bethany Blues’ smoked meats so good are available for sale by the bottle. And talk about local: Their best sauces are custom blended by Peppers.com hotness guru himself, Chip Hearn. Now all you need is a smoker, pork shoulders, a stack of hickory and about 12 hours. Or, you can just grab & go from the new Blues BBQ Express. And yes, it’s all fresh out of their real live smokers. While you’re grazing the northern hinterlands, visit Patty Jacobs and her team at Patty’s carryout – masquerading as a gas station just east of the train tracks in the Hazzard auto complex. Just-made salads, garnishes, a long list of cheeses and made-to-order sandwiches make this place a must-go. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Do not leave without a couple of her oatmeal raisin cookies. Trust me on this.

Last and certainly not least, there’s Kitchen & Co. in Lewes near Lefty’s Alley & Eats. Just gotta have that Silpat silicone sheet-pan liner? They’ve got ‘em. How about those little yellow screens to keep fresh lemons from ejecting their seeds into your Lemon Drop cocktail? Yup, they’re there. Does the idea of perusing a wall display loaded with burger turners and cool-looking spoons make you smile? You’ll smile at Kitchen & Co.

So if you like to cook, peek into some of our local restaurants, markets and specialty stores. Their extracurricular goodies can help lift your favorite dishes to award-winning heights.