Mama, you know when Emeril and those guys say, "available at every market." Well "every" doesn't include markets outside the big cities of the south. And even in the cities (Atlanta being a prime exception) don't expect to find specialized products just anywhere.
One of the few things I miss about living up north is the ready availability of specialized tools and ingredients. And the fact that as market segments change, the stores adopt to meet those changed requirements.
It just doesn't happen down here. We have, for various reasons, a rather large Mexican population which developed the past few years. Yet, the local Kroger's idea of a Mexican section is a set of shelves with three or four brands and sizes of tortillas, and some canned refried beans.
I will say there are exception. Harris Teeter, a small (and thank-God expanding) supermarket chain is every foodie's dream. They started in North Florida and have moved up the coast as far as Virginia, and are now moving inland. There's one in Nashville, and another either open or soon to open, in Knoxville. But such places really stand out because they are so rare.
>all the other flours on the shelf.<
Hmmmmmm? I my local supermarket, "all the other flours" consist of 1 brand of bread flour; three brands of self-rising white flour; three brands of self-rising corn flour; and two or three brands of mixes (i.e., Jiffy).