If you’re like us, you dabble in a bit of baking around the holiday season.  Gingerbread, shortbread, fudge, latkes, fruitcake, rum balls…the list is endless.  However, because we only bake a few months of the year, our larder isn’t stocked with all the dried fruits, specialty chocolate, spices and treats that we need to turn our kitchen into baking central.

We have a few special places we go to stock up for the holidays:

Galloways Specialty Foods
If you are Vancouver born and bred (or even if you aren’t), you’ll probably know about Galloway’s, which opened on Robson Street in the 1940’s.  Although the location of Galloway’s has changed, with one store in Richmond and another in South Burnaby, the selection has not.  Dried fruit, spices, specialty pastry making supplies, grains, flours of all kinds and more abound at Galloway’s.  We are sad however that they aren’t stocking their honey dipped apricots this year as they are a holiday favourite of ours.

Famous Foods
Nestled between Knight and Victoria on Kingsway, Famous Foods has long been a staple for the East Van foodie.   Their wide range of organic and specialty bulk food products make them the perfect destination for the discerning baker.  Flours, grains, spices, nuts and dried fruits adorn the aisles of this non-traditional grocery store.  Their selection of gluten free baking products is one of the best in the city.

Gourmet Warehouse
If your baking is a bit more highbrow, then head on down to the Gourmet Warehouse.  With thousands of select import gourmet items, specialty housewares, gadgets and tools for the professional or serious amateur cook, you are sure to find that obscure syrup, special chocolate or candied item that is essential for your baking endeavor.  Their prices are extremely reasonable for a store with ‘Gourmet’ in the title, and we haven’t found a better selection of cake pans and cookie sheets anywhere.

With all these great places to go to help make your goodies perfectly magical, you’ll be baking up a storm in no time. Do feel free to share!

Galloways Specialty Foods: gallowaysfoods.com
Famous Foods: www.famousfoods.ca
Gourmet Warehouse: www.gourmetwarehouse.ca