The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Finding wholesaler

Harpreet's picture
Harpreet

Finding wholesaler

Dear friends,

I am new to this website and also to Canada. I live in Calgary right now. Moved from Belgium. I am looking for a wholesale shop for baking ingredients here in Calgary. 
what I found was bulk barn but they don’t have everything plus they are expensive too. Does someone have some info abt this. 
greetings to everyone 

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Are you looking to stock up your home pantry, or are you purchasing for a commercial bakery, a store, or a restaurant?

Are you going to purchase wholesale quantities once a week, once a month, or once/twice a year?

Harpreet's picture
Harpreet

I am looking for purchasing for commercial bakkery. I am not finding everything I need . For example alkali , no body knows here what alkali is and where to find out. There are many bakkery ingredients that I need but no idea about wholesaler here.

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

This looks good:

https://www.canpages.ca/business/AB/calgary/calgary-ne/bakers-equipment-and-supplies-wholesalers-&or-manufacturers/91N255-060000.html

Just a starting point. But I hope that helps.

You could also park your car, early morning, near a restaurant/bakery near you, and look to see whose trucks make deliveries, look for the supplier name and maybe phone number on the side of the truck.

Harpreet's picture
Harpreet

Thanks dear idaveind....I will look for it...

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Sat Sri Akal, amigo!   And "bon chance" with your new boulangerie.

--

Suggestion:  I don't know what "alkali" is either.  So may I suggest that you google the terms/names of things to find the standard "North American" English translation.  You may have to start in Hindi, or Punjabi, or French, and make a list of synonyms.   Note that North American English is often different than British English.  And Canadian English has some differences with U.S. English.

Is "alkali" what we call baking soda/sodium bicarbonate ?

Welcome to (North) America!

Harpreet's picture
Harpreet

Ha ha ha sat shri akal amigo,

alkali is an international name too and chemical composition is ammonium bicarbonate. But here in Canada nobody has even heard abt it..

will continue with my search.

thanks 

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

(Maybe Our Crumb, or Doc Dough can chime in.) 

Anyway, did you try this?: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ammonium+bicarbonate+supplier+canada&t=ffip&ia=web

You might want to check with your local food inspectors in Calgary, to learn the regulations of using it in commercial setting.

Anyway, I also found this: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6284-what-is-bakers-ammonia

Two other names for it in North America are "baker's ammonia" and "hartshorn."  So use those when asking suppliers for it.

Update: yes, it is sold in Canada: https://www.vanillafoodcompany.ca/Baker-s-Ammonia-76-5-g-2-7-oz-LorAnn-p/lor6007-0600-par.htm

also: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=baker%27s%20ammonia%20canada&t=ffip

And King Arthur Flour sells it in the U.S.: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/bakers-ammonia-ammonium-carbonate-27-oz

Harpreet's picture
Harpreet

I got ur msg dear. In Belgium it’s used to bake cookies. May be it’s not bicarbonate but just carbonate. But whatever if it’s not available here then I will use the substitute.

another question, how u make bread in normal Ovan what is available here. It does not have a fan, it just heats up. I have worked with a Mile steam oven in Belgium at my place, with that is so easy.

do u have some tips for me for this oven? 

Thanku so much for your help.

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

It sounds to me like you need a helper to help you and show you in person.

Maybe you can find a friend at your Gurdwara to visit your home and teach you, or at least help you while you take your favorite recipe and learn to make it in an oven that is not a convection (fan) oven.

 

Harpreet's picture
Harpreet

Hello dear,

Thanks for a answer. Here we have Frigidaire oven without fan. I will check on YouTube , what is ideal temperature to bake a bread in this oven.

will definitely share with u if it turns out to be good.?

 

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Temperature depends on the recipe/formula. Every recipe/formula comes with its own oven temperature.

Recipes designed/intended for convection ovens are usually different than ones for conventional ovens.  But the general rule is that convection ovens are set for a tempersture that is 25 degrees F cooler than the conventional oven.  25 degrees F is about 22 degrees C.

So if a recipe says 200 C for a convection oven, then the best bet, or gamble, to experiment with the conventional oven would be to try using 222 C, or rounded to 220 C.  

Do you have friends or relatives in your new city who can help you?  It must be hard to move so far away, and not be familiar with everything.  

Harpreet's picture
Harpreet

Thanks dear,

I am living with my brother and his family here. Thank god I am not alone in this shifting. It does feel lonely since I am not able to do for what I came here. But this shall paas too, getting time to meditate and do yoga , so it’s not that bad too.

i am baking lot of cookies so getting use to oven now. Still didn’t dare to make bread. But will do it soon..

greetings