Shop local. EAT Local!
The best snacks and treats from our favorite local makers!
We are so lucky to live in an area that is so filled with talented local makers. For years, actually, since we opened way back in 1984, the General Store of Minnetonka has always prided ourselves on stocking the best of what was locally made! And in recent years, the local food scene has exploded!
Here’s a look at some of our favorite Minnesota made foods!
All of these local food makers take so much pride in their products, it’s an honor to have the results of their hard work on display in the General Store of Minnetonka.
It’s Soup Season!
But before we get the main dish, you might need to have a little appetizer, right?
Patti’s Nuts
Patti’s Nuts are the answer! Patti started her business after years of making roasted nuts for her family and friends. They loved the nuts so much that she decided to start making them for everyone! The nuts are a savory blend of cashews, almonds, walnuts and pecans.
Patti offers two delicious varieties:
- Maple Cinnamon The Maple Cinnamon nuts are spiced with cinnamon, maple syrup and a hint of cayenne.
- Rosemary The Rosemary nuts are perfectly seasoned with fresh rosemary and a hint of cayenne.
These slow roasted nuts are perfect to have on hand for that impromptu cocktail gathering and also make a great gift. We often suggest a package of Patti’s Nuts for that hard-to-buy-for guy on your list too!
Click here to shop all of Patti's Nuts
Okay, now back to SOUP Season!
What tastes better on a chilly Minnesota night then a delicious bowl of soup, right? Here’s a look at a few of our favorite local soup makers!
Maggie and Mary’s Soup
Originally known as North Aire Market, this dup makes some of the best wild rice soup in town. In fact, this soup mix won the First Place Gold Award at the International Gourmet Food Show in New York, This is the highest honor in the specialty food industry and to take the gold, they beat out 6,500 other food products! The Creamy Wild Rice was their first soup mix and continues to be their best-selling flavor. It’s delicious! But don’t forget, there are other awesome flavors too:
- Creamy Wild Rice
- Broccoli Cheese
- Pot Roast
- Cheesy
- Potato
Click here to shop all of Maggie and Mary’s Soup!
Christmas Point
The Christmas Point Wild Rice Soups are showy in their shiny silver bags. But these soups are not all show—they are amazing on the inside too! These soups are packed with local hand-picked wild rice, perfect blend of spices and vegetables, including carrots, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and more. With a hint of garlic to add a little tang to this creamy wild rice soup will be a hit!
Best-selling favors of Christmas Point Wild Rice Soups are:
- Creamy Wild Rice
- Broccoli Cheese
- Potato
- Mushroom
- Beer Cheese
Shop all Christmas Point Soups by clicking here!
Secret Garden Soups
After moving to Northern Minnesota, Ann started experimenting with growing vegetables and herbs on her organic farm. As the garden prospered, she taught herself how to preserve its bounty by learning the basics of dehydrating. She was then able to I create soup mixes that she could toss into a slow cooker before she set off on her daily routine. She started making these mixes for family and friends, and the rest is history!
Our favorite Secret Garden Soups:
- Creamy Wild Rice
- Vegetable
- Tortilla
- Chili
- Minestrone
- Asparagus
- Tomato
- Split Pea
Shop all Secret Garden Soups by clicking here!
A menu staple in Minnesota! Wild Rice!
As you may have noticed, it seems as the one main ingredient in all our favorite soups is wild rice. When you are looking to purchase wild rice, make sure to get the best rice possible—as there really are different nuances in wild rice. The less processed the rice, the more natural the flavor. A good rule of thumb is to use the best wild rice possible for when the rice is standing alone or has simple seasoning. When making a hot dish or something that will have lots of other flavors, then a more processed wild rice is fine to use. But always use local Minnesota rice for the very best flavors. We are proud to sell Singing Pines Wild Rice from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, which we think is just the best around! The three varieties we offer are:
- Hand Harvested
Hand harvested in the “Old Fashioned" way from the lakes and rivers of Northern Minnesota and, therefore, is in limited supply. This rice cooks up to be very fluffy and tasty with a rich nutty flavor and cooks in only 15 - 25 minutes! As a general rule the lighter the color of the rice, the shorter the cooking time.
- Cultivated Wood Parched Wild Rice: The best choice for a side dish or any time you want the flavor of the rice to stand on its own.
- Pure Grade A Cultivated Minnesota Wild Rice:A medium brown color, it has a rich nut-like roasted flavor and a chewy texture. Approximate cooking time is only 40 - 45 minutes. There are no short or broken grains just pure long grain that will cook uniformly.
Shop all WILD RICE here!
Now how about a nice crusty piece of bread with some jam?
We feature a delicious line of bread mixes that are so easy—you just add water!
Sturdiwheat Quick Bead Mixes
These wonderful quick bread mixes are made right here in Red Wing, Minnesota. Sturdiwheat has been making bread mixes since 1939 using the patented process of harnessing the strength-building qualities of the wheat layers in the milling process.
Our favorite flavors of Sturdiwheat are:
- Ole’s Wild RIce
- Limpa Sweet Rye
- Bump Top Beer Bread
- Midwest Corn Bread
- Dark Caraway Rye
And they make pancake mixes too!
Sturdiwheat Pancake Mixes are all natural, contain no preservatives and easy as 1-2-31 You just add water!
We stock these Studiwheat Pancake Mixes:
- Raspberry
- Almond Pecan
- Original
- Apple Cinnamon
Shop all Sturdiwheat click here
Now, about that jam.
Who doesn’t love a big spoon of jam on a piece of buttered toast? Or a delicious PB&J sandwich?
Gunflint Jams by Jan
Jams by Jan has been a favorite brand of jams ever since we started stocking it a few years ago. This all-natural, whole fruit jam is made in Grand Marais, Minnesota and of course, the Fruit of the Loon Triple Berry is our best-selling flavor. It is made of whole fresh blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Other favorite flavors of Gunflint Jams by Jan are:
- Chokecherry
- Strawberry Rhubarb
- Blueberry
- Jalapeno Raspberry
Shop all Gunflint Jams by Jan here!
What else do you need for a cold chilly night? Perhaps a cup of hot cocoa?
Duluth’s own Mike & Jen’s Hot Cocoa will work just fine, thank you very much!
Mike & Jen’s Cocoa
Duluth natives, Dean (Mike & Jen’s dad) and business partner Amanda have created a chemical-free cocoa powder with just five simple ingredients: whole-milk powder, pure cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder and sea salt. It’s been said that it is the best cocoa in the world!
Available in single serve packets or 12 serving pouches. It is a General Store crowd favorite!
Shop Mike & Jen’s Cocoa here!
And what is a cup of Hot Cocoa without a cookie?
A tiny little cookie (or two or three) would be the perfect accompaniment to that cup of cocoa.
Thumbs Cookies
Once you try one of these delicious, bite-sized shortbread cookies packed with melt-in-your-mouth goodness, we know you will want more! They're made with love in small batches & guilt-free indulgence.
Robyn learned how to make these tiny cookies by watching her mom, Barb, make them when she was a little girl. She used to roll each one perfectly into a ball and then flatten the top of each ball just so slightly with her thumb. Thumbs cookies were born!
Our favorite flavors of Thumbs Cookies are:
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Chocolate Chip
- Peanut Butter
Shop all THUMBS COOKIES here!
Well, are you full? If you are still a little hungry, check out some of our other best-selling made-in-Minnesota foods!
- We are Nuts
- Dutch House Caramels
- Firesticks Pretzels
- Livia’s
The next time you are in the General Store of Minnetonka, be sure to check out our Minnesota Foods area where we are always adding new items to try! Like we said before, we sure are lucky to live in a state that is just brimming with creative people who are intent on making us delicious sweets and treats to love!