Come with us. We’re going on a journey to faraway places and it all starts at one of the most humble destinations—your table and the foods that fill it. No bags or pass ports needed, just an appetite for discovery. Taking flight with us this month is our new Food Explorer series, which will feature culinary stops to some of the hottest food regions of the world in the months to come. First destination is France, so get ready to embrace the fromage, the food, and let’s not forget about the wine!

Our inspiration for launching this journey was not a whim. Travel has become an essential fiber of Dorothy Lane Market’s DNA. For many years at DLM, there has been an underlying philosophy woven into the culture: We travel, we taste, and we meet and learn from artisans and masters in their own craft from faraway places. Then, we bring it back to you. “That gives us passion,” says Calvin Mayne, DLM President. “We are bringing you these great experiences from around the world and it makes us happy and gives our work meaning.”

In addition to so many at DLM, Calvin’s love for travel is inspiring and it walks hand in hand with his love for great food of the world. “You see how people live, you taste, you eat … and those memories stay with you forever.” This is why you’ll find the great flavors of the world discovered during travel being brought back to DLM with authenticity and pride. You’ll see this at play when it comes to our Artisan Bread, Naples-Style Pizza, sushi, Italian-style meats, and DLM Handmade Mozzarella, to name a few. You’ll also find products that we’ve sourced from fine makers and artisans lining our shelves, from the robust wine selection to olive oils, cheeses, and cooking sauces.

“Where else do you go to a grocery store where we’ve actually visited the fisherman or where the Bakery director studied with French masters to learn how to make a baguette?” Calvin says, referring to Jack Gridley’s salmon fishing exploration to the brisk waters of Alaska, Scott Fox’s rendezvous with French bakers in Aurillac, France, Todd Templin’s wine adventure to Austria, all the way to more local treasures, like Dennis Chrisman’s trek to the Amish farms in Adams County, Ohio.

With that said, we are ecstatic to celebrate the foods from afar that you’ll find in our stores the year to come! If you’ve traveled to the regions we’ll be featuring, we hope to revive some of those most delicious memories. If you’ve yet to explore the destinations, then let us give you a small taste of what it has to offer.