Kegg’s even lets you get up close to the candy making process. Visitors can take a self-tour, walking along a 90-foot glass wall that reveals the candy factory floor. For a special treat, your group can schedule a guided tour and get up close and personal with the candy makers–and the candy. The tour gives a view of the entire chocolate making process from the cooking of raw ingredients in the candy kitchen to enrobing the candy centers with milk and dark chocolate to the molding area where chocolate is shaped into as many as 500 unique shapes. (Attention “I Love Lucy” fans: Yes, there is a conveyor belt in the candy factory.)

For many years, Kegg’s candies were made in a 2,000 square foot factory and store on Beechnut in Meyerland. Kegg’s moved to the current 11,000 square foot facility on Westpark in 2009, but they still maintain a retail store in Meyerland.

Tours (both self and guided) are free. Advance reservations are required for guided tours, and the 30-minute tours are available between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Kegg’s website has information about the Houston candy factory tours.

Tours end in the candy store, where an almost unimaginable variety of treats awaits. Your sweet tooth will think it died and went to heaven!

Kegg’s Candies
http://keggcandies.com/
Chocolate Factory & Retail Store
8168 A Westpark Drive (between Hillcroft and Fondren)
Houston, TX 77063-6324

Store Hours:
Mon – Sat 10am – 9pm
Sun – Closed

(713) 784-3000

One of the most interesting local book stores, Butler Books, has reopened in downtown Rosenberg after a three-year hiatus. Area book lovers will want to check out the eclectic collection of novels, Texana, art books, rock memorabilia and more at this shop.

As you enter Butler Books you are greeted with a gallery space, currently displaying artworks and memorabilia from Jimi Hendrix. Wander through the store and you can browse shelf after shelf of rare, signed, collectible and simply interesting books in all price ranges.

Fans of the previous incarnations of Butler Books (as Butler and Sons) may recall that Bill Butler purchased the stock of Colleen’s Books when Colleen decided to retire and close her book store on Telephone Road in Houston. Colleen’s featured an extensive assortment of books on Texas history and some of those books, along with books from Butler’s collection, can be found in the new store.

Butler Books is located at 900 4th Street in Rosenberg, about 35 miles southwest of downtown Houston, and close by Fort Bend County communities such as Sugar Land and Richmond. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. They can be contacted by phone at 281-344-1753. Want to be notified of upcoming events? Send your email address to bbut@otherwisefine.com.

From Houston, take Highway 59 (the Southwest Freeway) south to the TX-36 exit in Rosenberg. Turn right on First Street, then right on Avenue H. Turn left on to Fourth Street, and Butler Books will be on your left.

Canino’s Produce
2520 Airline Dr., Houston TX, 77009
713-862-4027
http://www.caninoproduce.com
Open 6am to 8pm daily, except Thanksgiving, December 25th & December 26th

Canino Produce Co. has been Houston’s farmers’ market since June 1958. Over the years the size of the market has increased, and it now covers more than 20,000 square feet.

You will find lots of local and Texas fruit and vegetables at Canino, but they also bring in produce from across the U.S. and around the world. Because they are open daily, many local restaurants pick up their fresh produce here.

Urban Harvest Farmers’ Market
3000 Richmond, Houston TX, 77246
713-880-5540
http://www.urbanharvest.org/
Open Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, rain or shine

Urban Harvest is a nonprofit organization supporting a network of urban gardens, farms and orchards that grow food in the city. Urban Harvest’s Farmers’ Market offers locally-produced vegetables, fruits and farm products once a week. Vendors include local small-scale growers and family farms. Even backyard gardeners can sell what they grow. To learn how you can sell your produce at the market, check the website. While you are shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables, you can enjoy events including live music and culinary demonstrations in which market products are used.

Midtown Farmers’ Market
3701 Travis St., Houston TX, 77002 (in the parking lot of the restaurant t’afia)
713-524-6922
Fax:     713-524-9728
http://www.tafia.com/mfm.html
Open Saturday, 8 a.m. – noon, rain or shine

The website says the Midtown Farmers’ Market is a “foodie paradise.” In addition to a selection of locally-grown fruits, herbs and vegetables, market vendors offer handcrafted prepared foods (such as sauces, dips, heat and eat meals, etc.), fresh baked breads and sweets, coffee, meats, eggs and Texas cheeses. You can even enjoy a hot breakfast and a delicious Mimosa while you shop.

This Houston farmers’ market is in the parking lot of local celebrity chef Monica Pope’s t’afia restaurant. Some vendors are located inside the restaurant. There is lots of parking available, and the nearest Metro Rail stop is the HCC/Ensemble stop.

Farmers’ Market at Clear Lake Shores
FM 2094 just west of the intersection with Clear Lake Road.
1020 Marina Bay Drive, Clear Lake Shores, TX 77565
http://sites.google.com/site/farmersmarketatcls/
Open the first and third Saturdays of each month from 8 AM to 12 PM – Rain or shine!

The Farmers Market at Clear Lake Shores is a non-profit outlet for locally-grown fruit, vegetables and other foods. The Market is operated by volunteers.

Houston Farmers’ Market
http://www.houstonfarmersmarket.com
Rice University Campus
Located at 2100 University Blvd. in the Visitors West Lot off University Blvd. (University and Stockton, 2100 University Blvd.) ENTER AT STOCKTON OFF UNIVERSITY BLVD., MAKE FIRST LEFT. OR TAKE ENTRANCE 9 AND MAKE RIGHT TURN. Parking in West Lot is free to market visitors.
Open Tuesdays from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm (winter hours), rain or shine

Open Saturdays at University & Greenbriar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine
The Saturday Market is located at the corner of University and Greenbriar.  Entrances are located on both Greenbriar and University Blvd.

The Houston Farmers’ Market was Houston’s first Texas State Certified Farmers Market. Everything sold at the market is produced within 200 miles of the city of Houston.

Astronauts, business people, performers and politicians are all represented here. What makes this collection special is not just the autographs, but what they are on. Lloyd Bentsen and James Baker signed currency bearing their printed signatures as Treasury Secretaries. Dr. Denton Cooley signed a surgical mask. Eckhard Pfeiffer (former Compaq CEO) signed the screen of a notebook computer. George Foreman signed boxing gloves. Pinkie Logan signed a Logan Ham. And Marvin Zindler signed (What else?) the door from an ice machine (see photo at left). The collection is displayed all through the store, but much of it is in their stationery department. For more information, read this story from the Houston Press.

Want to see more of Houston’s unusual sights? Get your copy of “Offbeat Houston” and you can see places even the natives don’t know about!