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Karen Vartan has always wondered what was sold in By Brazil, a tucked-away establishment on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton. Saturday, sitting by a table covered in cookies, pastries, meat patties and jams, she got her answer.

Vartan and about two dozen other women—and a few men—spent their Saturday morning tasting the diverse cuisine of Wheaton's independent restaurants and markets, thanks to a walking tour offered by the Washington, D.C., chapter of women's culinary society Les Dames d'Escoffier. Led by Janet Yu, a Dame herself and the chair of Local First Wheaton, the group sampled the pastries, breads, meats and cheeses of 10 Wheaton jewels.

"I've seen this place, and I've always wondered what's in here, but isn't this a great way to be introduced?" Vartan, a nutritionist from Silver Spring, commented at the tour's first stop, By Brazil.

"And it's intimidating as well, unless you know the language," added Ann Stratte, of Annapolis.

The tour was a win-win for both sides. The Dames and their guests learned where they could buy the coconut water for that cocktail they've been meaning to try, and they discovered what kind of jam they might experiment with in their next cookie recipe. Meanwhile, local business owners got an opportunity to promote their goods outside their usual customer base.

Emanuel Marchings, an employee at By Brazil, said he's had people come into the store and say they lived in Wheaton for years but never knew what his employer's store sold. Only after entering do they see the shelves lined with spices, jams, salts and flours and eventually make their way back to the counter with pastries and coffee.

"We should host more events here, it's good for me to meet this community," he said.

That's precisely what Yu, who owns Wheaton's Hollywood East Café, had in mind when she helped organize the event with Dames Program Co-Chair Gail Forman. With 150 nationalities represented in Wheaton businesses, it's important that residents from around the county know how unique the area's restaurants are, Yu said.

"I'm trying to make sure our local businesses get attention, because we're such a diverse area," Yu said.

Based on the hum of women whispering "Isn't this fascinating?" "This looks fabulous" and "I need to buy this jam," it seems that By Brazil has a new clientele.

And with that, the women took off to try the sweet, cheese-filled bread of Caramelo Bakery.

jderbedrosian@gazette.net