SIOUX CITY | Rook Willia can’t start her day without that morning cup of joe.
The owner of Kitchen Dressings insists she doesn’t drink a whole pot, but an addition to her store makes keeping track a little tricky.
“With the coffee bar back there, I drink more coffee than I used to,” she said.
Willia has a new, larger location in which to display her wares, complete with a built-in coffee bar.
A Southern Hills Mall mainstay for nearly seven years, Kitchen Dressings moved to its new location at 4292 Sergeant Road in August.
"Customers love to look around for items for their kitchen. Now, we have the room to display things properly,” she said, adding that it’s nice for them to come in and enjoy a cup of coffee, along with frappes, lattes and smoothies sold from her coffee bar at the back of the store.
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The rich aroma of coffee fills Kitchen Dressings, which sells a full range of specialty blends in sample sizes and by the pound.
"Our coffee club is a nice bonus. After purchasing 7 pounds of coffee, you get half a pound free," Willia said.
The store offers more than 50 flavorful varieties of beans and grounds including chocolate raspberry truffle, vanilla crème, English toffee, toasted hazelnut and amaretto. The house blend, Colorado Bulldog, is the best-seller.
“It’s got some vanilla in it,” Willia said. “But we don’t want to give too much away. It is our blend.”
One of her favorites is crème brûlée.
Sample sizes for a potful of coffee are priced at $1.99. “It’s a great way for somebody to try it,” Willia said. Pricing for half a pound of coffee beans starts at $6.25 and, for a pound, $12.49.
And what’s a bag of coffee without a coffeemaker? Willia has that, too, along with French presses, espresso makers and electric kettles.
"We have the insulated and less expensive version of the French press. It's how I make my coffee at home. I use it a lot during the holidays," Willia said. "I also prefer to use the electric kettle to make teas, hot soup or cocoa … You don't have to wait forever for the water to heat up. It also has a lift-out feature. It's so versatile. I think it's really neat. I love it."
For those who don’t drink coffee, Kitchen Dressings also carries tea.
"We try to educate customers on the different varieties," Willia said.
From high-end Wusthof cutlery to gleaming pots and pans, Kitchen Dressings specializes in merchandise that will appeal to cooks, bakers and chefs of all skill levels.
"What has always set us apart is our employees," Willia said. "Our salespeople are 'foodies' and so are our customers. They speak a common language and are quite knowledgeable about food."
According to Willia, there are two things that every "foodie" asks for in gadgetry.
"They want things that are functional as well as being unique," she informed. "They need both."
For instance, a stainless steel cowboy hat may make for a handy way to serve chips and dips but it's also fancy enough to act as an eye-catching centerpiece for any party. A pig-shaped serving platter may look cute, yet it’s also durable enough to withstand multiple uses.
"Our customers expect unusual products that do their job," Willia said. "They also expect us to have experience with the products."
Testing products is a fun part of Willia's job since she loves gadgets.
"I love unique things for my own kitchen yet never have the time to use them," she said. "It's nice having them, though."
At Kitchen Dressings, she stocks a lot of hard-to-find items from the rosette and timbale set used to make deep-fried Swedish cookies to the pizelle press to make Italian waffle cookies. And who could pass up the KrumKake maker to bake golden crepe-like cakes?
Among other items, you will find Cuisinart, American Kitchen, All-Clad and Le Creuset cookware. Willia stocks dishcloths and towels, ceramic knives, microwave cookers, ice cream scoops, mixing bowls, food choppers, cherry pitters, potato ricers, brown sugar savers and fruit presses.
If you love Mexican food, Kitchen Dressings has taco plates and quesadilla makers.
Some great gadgets for entertaining include popcorn, salsas, gourmet sauces, spices, bread and dip mixes, specialty platters and pie plates. There is also a wide range of cookie cutters, wine accessories and mint molds for special occasions.
"If we don't have an item, we will try to find it," she said. "We stand out in customer service. There is always someone here to talk to. That's the difference."
You don't have to be a famous chef on TV to get the latest and greatest cookware and gadgets. They’re right at Kitchen Dressings.
"Magazines and cable channels like the Food Network have been wonderful to us," Willia said. "They show people the kinds of things that are currently on the market. And when customers see it, they want it."
Over the years, she’s had everything on hand from strawberry hullers to the Le Creuset Dutch ovens used in the 2009 comedy-drama film "Julie & Julia.”
She has almost every kitchen accessory imaginable for holidays: bakeware for Bundt cakes, sheet cakes, cheese cakes, flan, tarts, quiche, biscotti and shortbreads; as well as cookie sheets and racks, three-tiered dessert stands, rolling pins, collapsible cupcake holders, pie dividers, oven liners and baking cups.
Whether it's a contraption that allows a person to French cut a green bean or a stone that will cook pizza on a grill, Willia is happy to be of assistance.
"It's fun shopping for your kitchen," she said. "You never know what unique thing you'll see next."
