Gourmet & Healthy in Rowland Heights

During the years he spent in Switzerland, Timothy Heide befriended an American chef who worked in the same area, and together they traveled to oil and vinegar shops in the region. Over time, Heide cultivated a plan to open his own oil and vinegar boutique upon returning to the United States.

Now, Heide strolls across the terra-cotta-hued floors of Taste It!, his own shop, encouraging patrons to sample the olive oils and vinegars he cares so much about on cubes of bread. On the shelves, glass bottles and jars form sleek ranks that include Mediterranean-region olive oils steeped with the flavors of tangerine or slow-roasted chili. More neutral oils, such as the mild, fruity Morroccan arbequina, add to meals without overpowering them. Balsamic vinegars, aged for 18 years and infused with vanilla or bordeaux cherry, can be drizzled over ice cream or used to make memorable salad dressings.

As he slips among the shelves, Heide also sometimes brews complimentary cups of coffee or cappuccino for patrons. He hasn’t stopped dreaming of new outlets for his energy, and plans to open a wine cellar in the summer of 2012 and a cotton-candy attic when the technology is available.

In more than 1,112 stores worldwide, Edible Arrangements' staff¬¬––known as fruit experts––arrange pieces of premium fruit in stunning bouquets for all occasions. The experts customize their patrons' orders to suit any event, dipping fruits into semisweet or white chocolate to complete the arrangement. They select their chocolate-coated morsels from a range of fruits such as pineapples, granny smith apples, and juicy strawberries that—unlike fruit products sold by mummies—don't contain any preservatives. For birthdays and anniversaries, they personalize bouquets with gifts such as plush teddy bears and mylar balloons.

At Antica Olive Oils and Vinegars, the namesake cooking elixirs adhere to Italian standards stricter than the mothers who created them. The shop stocks a rotating inventory of more than 50 extra-virgin olive oils, which originate in Italy, Spain, Tunisia, and other exotic locales and bear the taste of olives crushed at the peak of harvest months. Creative flavors infuse each oil, with almonds, chipotle peppers, and Tuscan herbs lending their profiles to oil meant for sprinkling on salads or drinking straight out of a champagne flute. White and dark balsamic vinegars also emanate unique flavors–aged apricot, honey ginger, and lavender among them–but their journey to bottles is much longer. They steep in seasoned wood casks in Modena, Italy for up to 18 years and bubble over an open wood fire before immigrating stateside.

In more than 1,112 stores worldwide, Edible Arrangements' staff¬¬––known as fruit experts––arrange pieces of premium fruit in stunning bouquets for all occasions. The experts customize their patrons' orders to suit any event, dipping fruits into semisweet or white chocolate to complete the arrangement. They select their chocolate-coated morsels from a range of fruits such as pineapples, granny smith apples, and juicy strawberries that—unlike fruit products sold by mummies—don't contain any preservatives. For birthdays and anniversaries, they personalize bouquets with gifts such as plush teddy bears and mylar balloons.

In more than 1,112 stores worldwide, Edible Arrangements' staff¬¬––known as fruit experts––arrange pieces of premium fruit in stunning bouquets for all occasions. The experts customize their patrons' orders to suit any event, dipping fruits into semisweet or white chocolate to complete the arrangement. They select their chocolate-coated morsels from a range of fruits such as pineapples, granny smith apples, and juicy strawberries that—unlike fruit products sold by mummies—don't contain any preservatives. For birthdays and anniversaries, they personalize bouquets with gifts such as plush teddy bears and mylar balloons.

Traces of Californian sunshine emanate from breakfast plates and lunch sandwiches crafted with seasonal, organic, and free-range ingredients by the artisanal chefs at Charlie's Pantry. An all-day breakfast menu treats early birds and late risers to gourmet dishes such as Tuscan-style eggs dappled with organic spinach and roasted garlic. The panoply of lunchtime options includes 19 signature sandwiches that compile ingredients such as marinated chicken, Italian-style cold cuts, and heirloom tomatoes in edible monuments to organic farming. An unassuming interior features white walls, polished concrete floors, and a simple picnic table at which patrons can dine with friends or challenge nemeses to salad speed-eating contests.