Bulk Spices [General]

2010 Dec 14
This year, money is tight, so I am making my Christmas gifts. I will be making Garam Masala, among other things, and was looking to buy bulk spices.

I live in Hull, and I've heard of a place in the North part of Hull, but wouldn't mind going to Ottawa, since I always end up there anyway. The idea is to pay the lowest price possible :)

Does anyone know of such a place?

2010 Dec 14
I don't know Hull at all but I can recommend some places in Ottawa.

If you are shopping in the downtown/Byward Market area Market Organics is my go-to place for herbs and spices. I could also recommend Grace Ottawa they have lots of stuff and the prices are pretty competitive.

Heading towards Chinatown I could recommend Nasa Food Centre and Shiraz Grocery Store and a little further west there is Al Jazeerah. Continuing along to Kirkwood there is Al-Kalaa Mini Market and even further west there is Rainbow Foods. Apparently Vaishali's Super Store is a favourite with some on ottawafoodies.

In the east end there is Mid-East Food Centre.

Happy shopping!

2010 Dec 15
I went to Nasa Food Centre yesterday and got bags of whole fennel, cumin and coriander. They were about 200-300 grams and $2-$3 each. I also got a 50 gram bag of green cardamom for $3-$4.

2010 Dec 21
Don't know what store has the cheapest spices.
But I do know Dollarama they have the nices containers to put gifts in and most are $1-2.

last year I bought a bunch of plastic spice jars with a top that seals and used those for some loose teas I had bought to give as gifts.

And funny enough, the same plastic jars were being used earlier this year at Metro in the Glebe to sell local dried garlic.

Dollarama also has some really nice wrapping paper and handmade cards, but they are not in the holiday section and are just blank cards, and some paper pressed with flowers in it.
when I got some before those items were either in the craft section or else with the birthday items and rolls of kraft paper.
The handmade paper also does not look that cheap- The Papery is selling the same paper for 5x more (and prob made in the same place)