We got some great coverage with News 8 on what a group of independent stores can do.  Check out the video with this link:

http://www.news8.net/news/stories/0809/653459_video.html

We were delighted with the article that appeared in today’s Washington Post. Author Michaele worked very hard to distill the essence of what makes La Cuisine tick.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/06/AR2010070600984_2.html?sid=ST2010070602766

When a recipe calls for 65% chocolate, truffle oil, or sheets of gelatin, where do you turn? When it’s time to purchase a new knife, a copper pot, or a baking mold, where can you find help? Your local grocery store won’t have the high quality ingredients you need, and many of the items necessary for baking and pastry recipes are not sold in grocery stores anyway. Don’t fret though, help is available.

For a wonderful resource, take a trip to Old Town Alexandria, VA and visit La Cuisine. The store, which has been open for over thirty five years, offers an impressive array of baking and cooking supplies and products at decent prices. For hard to find items on your list, this is a great resource to check out.You can find items like gelatin, glucose, and almond flour here, as well as piping bags, molds, pastry brushes, tips, and spatulas. Instead of using the poor quality chocolate found at grocery stores, try purchasing some high quality Valrhona or Cluizel. And check out their selection of knives, kitchen ware, and cookbooks.

The store also offers a selection of cooking classes for those looking to improve their culinary educations. Upcoming classes include a children’s summer picnic class and an adult knife skills class. And stop in for product tastings, announced on their website ahead of time, which include discounts on the products.

La Cuisine is a great resource for any baker, novice or pro. The staff is helpful and the selection is great. So the next time you are the area, stop in and see what kitchen essentials the store has for you

Old Town, Alexandria’s La Cuisine serves up a delicious selection of essentials and embellishments for every cook in the kitchen—seasoned pro or otherwise. At the self-proclaimed cook’s resource, enterprising chefs find everything from state-of-the-art copper pots and pans to festive aprons to vitamin-enriched restorative hand cream. This independently owned shop’s cookware selection rivals any chain in the business, and the seasoned staff can get even the amateur chef slicing and dicing tonight. La Cuisine stocks a flavorful selection of gift ideas for any hostess or other food connoisseur: Pair a bottle of gourmet mole rub with a box of chili pepper-shaped party lights for a fun addition to any fiesta; pull down one of dozens of colorful cookbooks and get inspired to whip up “Parisian desserts” or a simple meal of “soup and bread”; or stock up on cookie cutters in holiday-themed shapes for your next open house. 

"Don’t let the small space fool you, La Cuisine is better stocked than many large kitchen chains we’ve seen. The store specializes in cookware and baking supplies for the discerning cook and is particularly well stocked in high-end European brands. Add to this, the ladies of La Cuisine (or the Cuisinettes as they like to be called) are quite helpful in solving your cooking quandaries, whether it concerns one of their products or not (something generally referred to as customer service for those not familiar with this foreign concept). A bubbly newsletter keeps you appraised of the store’s comings and goings and also shares a few recipes."