Vitality Market, a balm for the body, mind and spirit

Once again, writing this article every two weeks has led me to a place I would have never found of my own volition. Following a tip from my friend, I visited Vitality Market at 117 W. Main St. in Jackson.

Disclaimer time: The food I am about to talk about at Vitality Market is a small but vital part of this multifaceted store. Keep in mind that the menu is limited-quantity and handmade. When it comes to the daily specials available, the menu is variable, and you can view it most easily on Vitality Market's social media pages. Lunch is served starting at noon, and quantities are limited. If a particular food item sells out, that's it for the day. Call in the morning to reserve your food for sure, so possible extras can be prepared. Don't use social media for reservations. End disclaimer.

On Friday afternoon, well past lunch, close to 4 o'clock, my husband and I walked through the empty and closed rides and food trucks parked on Main Street for Homecomers. I was too early for those particular festivities, and that's not what I was after anyway. But it was fun walking through downtown, no other people around, the ground still clean and not yet littered with the inevitable festival trash. The whole street was clean, pristine, holding its breath and waiting to come alive.

I found Vitality Market tucked in among the quiet and blocked Main Street, and upon walking through the door, I felt a quiet and comforting stir of life. The shop smelled amazing, some sort of vaporizing smell filling the air. The front of the store had older boxes of puzzles, so of course I had to check those out. I looked over the smoothie menu behind the register. Jewelry, books, soaps and oils, there was so much to look at. In the back, I found a freezer full of grass-fed beef available for purchase, and next to that in a refrigerator were the salads I had seen online. The Greek salad in particular tickled my fancy, but that's still not what I was after. After all, it was Friday, and I wanted to try the hand pies. I didn't know how lucky I was to find some still available at that time of day.

Resa Armstrong, manager of Vitality Market, was behind the register, and I asked her about them. Today was Chicken Curry hand pies, and I honestly couldn't have been happier. Take a traditional thing (such as a soft, buttery pie crust), fill it full of "exotic" (at least to me) flavors, and I was going to be in heaven.

A delicious, creamy blueberry creme pie from Mandy's Gluten-Free Bakery, a blessing to people with alternate diets.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

My husband also ordered a chocolate peanut butter smoothie, and that's when Resa told us that she made their peanut butter in-house in an effort to keep the food served there healthy and clean. Each ingredient is picked with care and sourced locally when possible.

In the refrigerator, I'd also noticed sweet sandwich crème pies, gluten-free and with only two net carbs ... two net carbs! Made by Mandy's Gluten-Free Bakery, I had no idea at the moment I bought the Blueberry Crème Pie what a treat was in store for me.

Hands full of our hot hand pies, a smoothie and a bag of crème pies, we found a bench on Main Street and ate in the before-Homecomers hush. The chicken curry hand pie was fantastic. From Resa's homemade pie crust that provided the perfect, mess-free, edible exterior, to the interior that was rich with yellow curry, just a hint of heat, chunks of chicken and punctuated with bright peas and carrots, I ate each bite slowly, savoring each bite just as much as the one before. I cannot wait to try some other flavors. This thing was memorable and cravable.

Mandy's Blueberry Crème Pie almost made me cry. It tasted like normal sweetness, like a genuine, old-fashioned baked good. Creamy, sweet, no weird tastes or textures. If you've never struggled with trying to find artificial sweeteners to scratch that sugar itch that has become dangerous to you, you may not understand the depth of my emotion here. But that crème pie was delicious and sweet and absolutely guilt-free. I say this with passion and sincerity: It was worth every penny and more.

Vitality Market is focused on taking care of the body, mind and spirit. It was certainly a balm for all three for me, and it will be again. Soon.

A chicken curry hand pie from Vitality Market, wrapped up in a soft and buttery pie crust.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair