This compilation from the Kitchn, covers special food basics all around the country. So before driving 100 miles out of your way to get some rare artisan cheese you've been dying to try, check one of these websites.

While it's great to buy specialty products in-person from the maker, sometimes it's just not possible. (We don't all live near a food or farmer's market.) So to appreciate the full scale and variety of today's artisanal offerings, you have to go online. These nine marketplaces have you covered:

1. New York Mouth: Most of the products on this site are made by small, independent producers in New York, but you'll also find a few unique non-New York indie food items, The selection criteria page states that ideally the products should be handmade, and if they can't scale that way (like bottled beverages, for example) they still "started out as homemade concoctions and retain the hand of the maker." New York Mouth also offers a monthly subscription service for (currently) chocolate, cookies, pickles, and jerky, as well as an extensive list of curated Gift Boxes for every particular foodie craving your loved one might want! The site is super easy to navigate, with beautiful, enticing food photos. Best Bet: Fig Balsamic Vinegar from The Girl and the Fig ($9) and Goat Milk Caramel from Fat Toad Farms ($12).

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Photo by Like_the_Grand_Canyon